Women's Participation in Poker Continues to Increase

After placing second at the second staging of the yearly B.C. Lottery Corporation's Women's Poker Classic for Texas no limit Hold'em poker on March 23, 2007, Antoinette O'Neil stated that many women have begun to play poker. O'Neil took home around $18,500 in total prizes.

The Women's Poker Classic, held at the Cascades Casino actively supports the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation that is based in B.C. and Yukon. The Women's Poker Classic attracted 600 women players who were hoping to get a piece of the $165,000 money pool.

Half of the participants were playing limit Texas Hold'em poker with the first place prize of $45,000, while the rest of the participants were playing the no-limit version of Texas Hold'em poker. O'Neil said that even though she did not win, she is very happy for the winner because it is just so rewarding to play against your fellow poker players.

Nonetheless, the life of the women players was not always that easy. Maryann Morrison, Founder and President of the Women's Poker Club said that she was called names in her early days of playing poker. The online club for female players has about 3,000 members from all over the world.

According to O'Neil, some of the women players are easily intimidated, especially if they are playing against male players. On her part, when she sits down at a poker table, she just thinks that they all have equal chances. Aside from the occasional stares they get at a poker table, O'Neil said that women are bravely joining a lot of poker tournaments and resolutely facing the challenges head on.

April 02, 2007
Jeremy Evans