Popular wisdom has long said that poker is a man's game. But with poker pros like Annie Duke and Kathy Liebert ranking in at major tournaments, this notion is becoming increasingly difficult to defend. The Washington State Poker Tour, however, seems to be sticking to its guns in the matter.

The Washington State Poker Tour staunchly defends its "no girls allowed" policy, even after one woman emailed the club expressing an interest to join. Before actually explaining the club's policy, a representative for the local poker club emailed back, informing the interested party that she could join, provided that she supply the club's administrators with four photos of herself in a bikini, each showing a separate angle of her physique. Coordinators said that the email was meant strictly in jest, and that they had at one point even proposed the idea of letting women join the poker league, but to insufficient member support.

Regarding the legality of barring a particular gender from poker clubs and tournaments, a representative of the Washington State Gambling Commission asserted that gender-specific poker games are permitted. In fact, Women's only poker tournaments are quite common, gaining popularity as a way to help bring more women to the game. Many women are put off by the cut-throat competition in male-dominated tournaments, and women's-only tournaments serve as a comfortable landing ground for new female poker players, providing often a more comfortable environment for women.

Source:  Poker777 Staff

Friday, 10 June 2005