Bloggers / Matthew Pitt / 02 February 2009 /

For the vast majority of sports, male and female competitors have separate competitions, mainly due to differences in physical strength but poker is an entirely different beast.

"Betfair's very own Annette 'Annette_15' Obrestad is a shining example of the new generation of female poker players."

With only mental toughness needed at the tables, many female players are emerging to take on the men at their own game.

Poker has long been a male dominated sport, often depicted as being played in dingy, smoke-filled underground gambling dens where degenerates gamble their house / business / loved ones on a turn of a card but thanks to the game becoming more accepted and mainstream, those images have changed forever.

Casinos are now seen as places of social interaction, with many now offering services and entertainment away from the standard gambling and as a result, they are far less intimidating to women. Couple this with the fact that online poker has given an avenue for people to learn and master the game from the comfort of their homes, without the embarrassment of having to make mistakes in front of a prying eyes and it is easy to see why poker amongst women is increasing in popularity.

Whilst some Neanderthals still rate female players based on their attractiveness, there are now a number of female players who have been able to take on the men, and win, on a regular basis.

Betfair's very own Annette 'Annette_15' Obrestad is a shining example of the new generation of female poker players. After building a reputation for being a fearless, aggressive opponent online, she has since gone on to win the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe, finish second at EPT Dublin and amassed over $2.6m in live winning in a very short career thus far.

Jennifer Harman is often referred to as one of the best fixed-limit players in the world and is the only female regular at "The Big Game" in Las Vegas where stakes can be as high as $4,000/$8,000. Not only is she one of the most respected players at the cash game tables, she also has two WSOP bracelets to her name and over $2.2m in live winnings.

The most successful female player is no other than Kathy Liebert. Live tournament earnings of $4,964,700 not only put her atop of the female all-time money list but 39th across both sexes.

Players like the three mentioned above are making major inroads for all female players to be fully accepted and respected on the tournament circuit and long may they continue to do so. After all, players should be judged on their skills, not on their genes.

Related Entries

Why do you play poker? - Marcus Bateman
The changing story of poker online - Marcus Bateman
"I love poker - always have, always will!" - Annette Obrestad
The F Word - Girlie Poker

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