I have been playing poker online since about 2001 and playing live for just about as long. I dont have the luxury of living near a casino so my live play is very limited and subject to budget, time, work and kids schedules. I make it to Atlantic City at least twice a year and try to get to Foxwoods at least once. AC is a bit easier as I have family in Jersey and can hustle up a grand parent as a baby sitter for a day or two. Foxwoods is closer but my daughter is a little young to just drop at the neighbors house for a whole day. More often I get to the dog track about an hour away and play a week end tournament if I can.
Here is what is surprising. There are very few women who play in the live tournaments and even less at the cash tables. According to what I have experienced and what I have read, about 1/3-1/2 of online players are women. Where are they when I get to the casinos? I have met women standing at the rails and asked if they were playing. The conversations sound very much the same each time. "No, I'm not ready to play live yet." or "No, I'm just learning to play." or "No, maybe I'll play a little later; right now I am going to hit the slots/blackjack." And no matter how many times I hear those answers I am still surprised.
I have asked countless women why they are not playing. I have asked women that I know and women that I don’t know what makes them fearful of the live tournaments. I am always met with the same answers. “I just don’t have the time to go and play.” “I don’t live near a casino.” “I am too nervous to play at the live events.” I know the answers, I just don’t understand the why part. I know most women have busy and hectic lives. I have one myself. We have families, careers. We are college students and have lives outside of poker. I can understand that 100 % but don’t men face those same challenges as women do? Don’t they have the same commitments? The same issues outside of poker as we do? Then why can men find the time to play? There are just as many men who live away from casinos and I would imagine those who don’t have ready access to a poker room don’t play live very often. But what about those women who DO live near a casino? I cannot believe that that many women do not have access to a poker room of some sort. Afraid to play? That is not an answer it is an excuse. I don’t understand why those same women would put their money up against the house on a slot machine yet not wager their money on their own skills and intelligence. I’ll bet on myself any day before I wander into a Bingo hall or put one hard earned dollar on a roulette wheel.
Ladies, trust me you can do this. There is nothing to it. You buy in and sit and play poker. What is the worse that can happen? You go out first? There is no shame in going out first, going out on the bubble or anywhere in between. It doesn’t mean you can’t play poker it just means that you went out first. That is all. No one is going to think any better or worse of you or your poker skills. It happens to the best players and it happens to the worst. You just pick yourself up and try again. Like anything else you will ever try or do. Do we not start a new job or take a promotion because we are nervous? Of course not. We get over it and do what we need to do to make a living. Poker is the same. We just get over the butterflies and give it a try. Just jumping into a mixed game might not be the answer. I myslef started in womens only events then gradually went to mixed events. The mixed events are no tougher than women's only events. No womens' only events in your area? Then talk to a poker room about starting one. And if that doesn't work. Just play the mixed events. Im not talking about jumping into a $3k buy in or even a $200 buy in event. Most casinos and card rooms offer small buy ins between $20 and $60. You can buy onto a cash table for $20.
The US is cracking down on us hard. Many are afraid to deposit to online sites. There is only one other place to take our game...onto the felt. |
Zupko,
This is exactly what I needed to read this week. I am one of those women who is not ready to play live. I live around 12 min from a casino. I have been playing poker for about 3 years in home tourneys and online for about 2 1/2 years. I have won at least 6 tourneys that cashed over 1k and many, many times have made the final table and placed in the money. I have never played at the casino...The bottom line is I lack confidence! Anyway, this is the week I am going to come out of my shell and play at the casino in there Thursday night ladies only tourney. I was telling my aunts about it and they want to come too! Thanks for the encouragement....
di'zzi :)