Is it true what they say about ladies-only tournaments? I'm here to set the record straight. What I am about to say is going to be very unpopular, and I’m sure I’m going to get heat for it.
I'm here to debunk the widespread belief that ladies tournaments are a good idea for newbies or even ladies in general. For me, they are probably one of the most toxic environments that you can play poker in.
Sorry, but it’s true. When I started playing poker, everyone said I should play a ladies tournament. My poker friends said they’re great — 'everyone's so nice!'
Ask the Org: Are women-only poker events toxic or good for the game?
I’ll be the first one to go on record to tell you that most ladies are f**king mean. I swear the older they are, the meaner they are and the more they bully people. I don't know what it is.
I didn't play my first ladies tournament until probably a year into playing poker, and that was a year before I final tabled the WSOP Women’s bracelet event. I finished 38th that year, and had to play three consecutive days. I was appalled by how rude they were and how many times I was called a ‘See You Next Tuesday.’
It was very weird. I'd always heard that ladies tournaments were fun and that the environment is really different from other tournaments. It's different, all right.
It feels like everyone's talking s**t about each other, being rude, and calling each other names. The overall environment is also quite cliquey. It's like high school all over again.
If the idea is to have ladies tournaments so that new people coming into the poker arena are comfortable, then what kind of precedent are we setting? Ladies, let’s do better!
Treat us as equals
What's funny to me is that we, as women, preach about being treated the same as men in poker. We should be respected equally in the game, right?
Yet we are the only ones with a segregated tournament. It just feels off to me.
If we're going to continue having ladies tournaments, we need to do better, and that should start with no name-calling and no cliques.
So why do I keep playing them?
I believe that anyone who plays poker for a living is always trying to find the best expected value (EV) tournaments. That's what I do.
Do I enjoy playing them? F**k no. Anyone who knows me knows that. I have to meditate twice as much in the morning just to play in a women-only tournament.
My boyfriend, Elvis, has ice cream, treats, and gummy bears on standby for me when I get home, whether I bust or win. He is always extra nice to me on those days. Thank God for Elvis!
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