Hella Hold'em

Full Tilt Poker is running some ladies-only WSOP satellites in April, for a run at the 1k buy-in ladies event on July 9th (the weekend of the WPBT Summer Classic 2006). I think I'm going to give it a go. The FTP tourneys are $24+2 events, and they've got a point system for people playing in all of the April satellites. The top finishers in points get qualified into satellites for the WSOP main event. How cool would it be to play in the WSOP for Full Tilt? Sweet.

I am often conflicted when it comes to ladies-only events. For one, I'm not a big fan of stereotypical "woman stuff." The catty chatter, gossip, dirty looks, general bitchiness... nope, don't like it. I mean, I'm most comfy in jeans and a hockey jersey - not your typical feminine garb. The girls I do like are strong, independent gals who would rather be smart and accomplished than fit into the pretty girl mold. (Well behaved women rarely make history). I am not a "pretty girl." That is not what I "do." So, the thought of spending hours at a table with a bunch of women who are more likely to be the kind of girls I *don't* like than the kind that I like - not appealing.

(I'm probably being overly stereotypical, though, as I'd probably meet some very cool people at such an event).

The other thing that bothers me about gender-separation in poker is that I don't believe it should exist. Poker is a mental game, and I'm of the belief that the smartest woman in the world is just as smart as the smartest man. I think poker is the type of game where the playing field really is level for both men and women. That's not true for all games or sports. I'm thinking back to high school, when we had to run the mile in gym class. Men and women had different time requirements, because our bodies are just different. In cases like that, where physical differences dictate different standards for each gender, I can understand gender separation. But I don't think poker is one of those types of games.

That, and I just like hanging out with guys. :)

All of that aside, though... these qualifiers on Full Tilt are online. I won't have to listen to any catty chatter or girls pulling each other's hair, thanks to the mute feature in chat. And if I happen to win my way into the WSOP ladies' event, I'd be glad to play in it just for the experience (lack of men and all).

So, I think I'm going to try these Full Tilt satellites and go for the Ladies Only WSOP Bracelet Race on FTP.

I'd be curious to think what the rest of you girls think. Are you for or against ladies-only events in poker?