Not only did you, the everyday Joe pokerer, get to have your say on who gets considered for the Poker Hall of Fame, but now, coming up soon, via Wicked Chops, you can weigh in with Jason Alexander and Brad Garrett on the historically most significant WSOP railbirds:
It was two years ago that I wrote my first opinion piece about the WSOP ladies-only tournament. After I received a sufficient amount of hate mail, I wrote a follow-up piece. I skipped the subject at the 2008 WSOP except for a few snarky comments, and now it slaps me in the face yet again as I sit on media row in front of a sea of women. In lieu of a rant or reiteration of my previously-stated feelings on the issue, I’ll just relay a few notes.
• When your practice game isn’t at a casino but in a home game with your husband and your dad, you might be in trouble at the WSOP.
• When your first instinct at the table is to introduce yourself to everyone and ask where they’re from instead of sizing them up and concentrating on your own strategy, you’re giving off a big tell.
• If you have to apologize for knocking another player out of the tournament, you’re not cut out for tournament poker.
• When the floor staff is openly yawning while observing the tables, the play is not exactly top-notch.
• When tables full of women squeal at every mention of finishing a level or moving to a new table, this is clearly not a room full of pros.
• When the tournament announcer says that another event’s restart will be in the other room to “make room for all these beautiful ladies,” they’re talking to you like you’re “special people” and you shouldn’t smile about that.
Media row is half empty today and will be until the 5pm start of the World Championship O8 tournament. And those of us who are here are praying for the men to arrive for other events so it evens out a bit. For me, add some women-tilt that came from a phone call attempting to convince me not to write anything negative about the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, and I’m simply trying not to write something that will get me bitch-slapped I may regret later. I’ll be staying out of the hallways on breaks, that’s for sure.
Forget Jeff Madsen … Kristy Gazes is a dirty girl wet and naked:
She’s getting ready for the High Heels Poker Tour ladies boot camp at the Hard Rock, and then the Women in Poker Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Golden Nugget … and as she points out, this is a very Ladies-y weekend. So not a bad way to start.
The issue of women holding ladies-only events and a separate Hall of Fame is certainly drawing attention. There are great arguments on both sides.
I happen to be on the anti-ladies-only side of the debate, as demonstrated in this article on PokerWorks. When I took this stand during the 2007 WSOP by writing an article for PokerPages, specifically about the WSOP Ladies Championship bracelet event, I received some harsh criticism by women in the poker community, but I also received more support than anticipated – from men and women.
It’s an issue that won’t be resolved any time soon, as women continue to turn out in droves for the ladies-only tournaments, but it’s an interesting topic for discussion.
