BJ, you have me working up my proposal for the Racial Series of Poker. NOT-open would be the key. But at the same time, you’d have some people having to make interesting choices. Karina Jett, for example … woman, white, or Asian?

(And yes, I have “women” as a race, even though I know that’s really a gender. Work in progress …)

See, to me, that’s *exactly* what makes it right.

I’d be stunned if more than a usual number of blonde players showed up to a blondes-only event, or a 25-year-old and under event. (There is a seniors event at the WSOP, and in other places, and they do get a higher-than-normal turnout, though not as dramatic as the one seen in ladies events.)

Again, let the market decide. If you organized a blondes-only event, you’d be laughed at and ridiculed. If you organized an asian-only event or a blacks-only event, you would hear calls of “racist!” But there is clearly a market for ladies-only events, even if they can’t legally keep men out. And the worst thing you hear is a sporadic (and half-joking) Gary Wise article and some comments claiming that it demeans women. (Without asking the women who are supposedly being demeaned.)

Dan, I have no problem with an Asian poker championship. But shouldn’t that, you know, be played in Asia? And even then, I think pride would force them to allow open registration, like the current U.S. and European championships. To claim you are the best, you have to beat the best, right? (Even if only a few of the best show up.)

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At the end of the day, I’ve already won this argument, because we live in a capitalist society. There is no committee of poker journalists and commenters that get to decide which tournaments are worthy and which ones aren’t. Ultimately, the players decide. And the female players have decided to show up in MUCH larger numbers for ladies-only events, for whatever reason. As long as they’re happy, how is it harming us?

I’m sure a lot of people think it’s stupid or even unhealthy to run a marathon (26.2 miles) — and they may be right. But other marathoners and I don’t give a damn what they think, and the marathons continue to draw larger and larger groups of runners.

Ain’t capitalism great?

Once you mentioned Asians-only, black-only, white-only, and the main reason for ladies only was that more would show up, makes me think that using entry size as a reason for allowing discrimination is just plain wrong.

We could have a seniors-only (they probably do), a 25 year old and under only (sorry 26 year olds. You’re too old), a blondes only (sorry redheads), etc., add your own discriminatory group here, and all we need to do is say, “we can do this because more people of this particular group show up than at an open tournament”.

Dat don’t make it right!!

Dan, how many could we get entered for a Michalski only. (We’ll allow anyone who can prove they are related to a Michalski in, too).

I dunno, BJ, think of the pride — and not to mention Macau-minded sponsorship opportunities — in being able to claim you are the best Asian poker player in the world.

It would be pretty friggin’ big … and would make for great TV! What, would the Asian market not wanna watch this? Bodog would probably even lay odds so us white guys could play along.

Seriously, if it were a $5k event — the Asian Championship — how many players do you think it would get? A couple hundred at least, especially if there were lots of satellites running.

Am I a terrible racist for even thinking about this?

Mike G Says:
August 6th, 2008 at 12:39 am edit

Are trying to say that black people can’t play poker? Just what are you trying to say, MAN? Why’d you have to go there
#

DanM Says:
August 6th, 2008 at 1:14 am edit

Dude, not even close. I am trying to say that the number of pros and known poker-badasses is more Asian-heavy than black. That’s just numerical fact. I could come up with dozens and dozens of Asians (if not more than 100 — anyone wanna lay a wager?) practically off the top of my head who have an accomplished record to their name and are regulars at big-tourneys around the country/world. Can only think of a handful of black dudes.

Just look at the fields even in small events. Waaay more Asians, for whatever sociological reasons.

An All-Asian championship would be one of the hugest events in poker.

Blacks-only would make a great two-table sit-n-go.

My argument for women’s-only tournaments (even if, for legal reasons, they aren’t really all women) is simple: there’s *demand* for it. If 17 women play in a typical $1,000 no-limit hold’em event, and then 17 women showed up for a ladies-only event … I’d say get rid of it. It’s meaningless.

But when TEN TIMES as many women show up to a ladies event compared to an equivalent open event — that speaks volumes. There are a lot of women who are interested in playing in ladies-only events. And generally speaking, anything that attracts more people to our game is good in my book.

Would a men-only tournament attract a bigger field than a comparable tournament? No. Would a blacks-only tournament or an asians-only tournament (or, god forbid, a whites-only tournament) attract a bigger field than a comparable tournament? No.

And therein lies the difference.

I’m not arguing for ladies tournaments because of some idealistic form of affirmative action. I believe in ladies tournaments because I’m a capitalist. There’s a demand for ladies events … and I say we should give the ladies what they want!

I agree with Dan, though, that dressing up in drag just isn’t funny anymore. It’s like telling the same joke for the 100th time, when it wasn’t that amusing to begin with… But I see no reason for John V. to refrain from entering an event at the Bike. Maybe it was a low buy-in, maybe he liked the structure, whatever. California prohibits discrimination, so I support his efforts to play in any tournament he chooses. Just not in drag.

I suppose they can get away with it, since the were the original poker dragqueens … but maybe I’m all wrong and we should be encouraging more transsexualism in poker to make a mockery of ladies events?

Upskirt with the Tiltboys on Flickr:

Dude, dressing in drag was funny at the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and it was aptly applied to poker years ago when the Tiltboys did the whole drag thing and Phil Gordon made the final table. But this gag has since run its course! Give it up already … or at least wait a good 20 years before trying it again, when you can claim you are doing it for retro appeal.

If there was a mens only event people would be going apeshit