Loading...Egg-Shaped Losers Driving Women from Poker
Published by: Steve Wong
Posted In: WSOP Blog, Industry Insider
Ever wondered why there are still relatively few women on the poker circuit? Well, I think I found out this week. I was playing at the Rio when I witnessed the following scene:A Humpty Dumpty-shaped man in his 60s with short gray hair (but hey, he was trying to look good, 'cause he was wearing a tight Ed Hardy shirt) was playing in a tournament. The moment he busted, he felt it appropriate to give his phone number to one of the (female) players at the table.
She was absolutely flabbergasted by this "indecent proposal." The worst part of it all was that he was proudly sporting a wedding ring. I just don't understand these people.
Why can't you just treat female poker players as your peers?
There is no reason to think that a good-looking female poker player in her 20s is interested in any way in an old, egg-shaped, ugly man.
Another (kind of old) guy was talking to a female player at our table who was clearly not interested in any conversation with that man. She stated loud and clear that she was happily engaged and her whole body language just screamed "End of conversation ..."
But the man kept trying to be funny and witty. Two days later the same guy approached our table again and started another conversation with the same woman.
"Hey honey, I've been looking for you for days ... What I actually wanted to ask was: Are you still engaged?"
The pure stupidity of that man made me so mad I couldn't even remember being that angry. That is just not a question you ask a woman.
Maria Ho: One of many female pros likely tiring of the Humpty dance.
I was raised with the sense that you need to treat women with respect. Especially in the game of poker (which is said to be a gentleman's game) you need to be respectful to your opponents, man or woman.
The "young kids" are also drooling at every woman who walks by. From the youngsters I can more or less understand such behavior - all they see all day is a computer screen, so they are easily distracted and just don't know any better.
But the older men should know how to behave in female company.
So poker players: please let's behave like civilized people and give women at the tables the respect they deserve and treat them as our peers.
More women will feel comfortable at the tables and will join us.
Regards,
-- Steve Wong (Steve@888.com)
To follow Steve's progress in the 2008 WSOP, check out our live coverage section.
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Comments (10)
Jennifer Leigh
Jun 23, 2008
Thanks S...this is probably one of the best blogs I have read in a long time and it's true.
You've always been a class act and respectful!
XO S-18 ;)
Steve Wong
Jun 23, 2008
Hey Jennicide ! I haven't seen you around. I think we keep missing eachother at the Rio. If I bump into you I give you the unmodified/original version of my thoughts :D !! You as a female pro pokerplayer know what I'm talking about. See you at the Rio !
Jennifer
Jun 23, 2008
Just keeping it real S, like always...keep up the respectful blogs and tell your cousin I said hi =)
Ali
Jun 27, 2008
I am not a pro, but it seems that most of the time these kind of guys are trying to throw
the players off their game. The are playing on anyone's emotions and not necessarily the lady whom they are talking too.
Would it be a bad idea to ask the lady "Is he bothering you?". I don't know, but at least it gets it out in the open.
Overall, I think your post is very much on point and needs to be discussed.
Thanks for writing about it.
Summer
Jun 30, 2008
Hey Steve! SO true! Great blog! Amanda had to deal with that the hard way... errrr, Amy Winehouse. LOL
Marc
Jul 1, 2008
Men behave like that everywhere, not just at poker tables.
Scott Neuman
Jul 1, 2008
Great article Steve. You see all kinds at the casinos and tournaments. I can't remember the last time I've seen the ladies hitting on the guys but some the crap that comes out of the guys mouths stuns me in tournament or even cash games. We can be the most polite to them or we can be at our worst.
Scott "Kickyourace1" Neuman
Linda
Jul 1, 2008
The ABOVE is exactly WHY I DO NOT play @ cash tables when I'm in a casino. I DON'T need the stress of their BULL_ _ _ _ when I'm TRYING to ENJOY MYSELF!!! Lets have Girls ONLY tables & THEN lets see who's in the MONEY & BRACELETS !!!!! THEN the CLASS CHAMPIONS CAN COMPETE !!!
donna
Jul 2, 2008
Steve,
If that is all that happened - having old men verbally hit on me was all I had to endure that would be a piece of cake. Chuckling. I have been playing poker at cash games and in tournaments for about 3-4 years. I enjoy poker and usually enjoy the social aspect of it as well. I don't like the spoiled brat behavior of some players who are bad losers but this is what I have had to endure as a woman - while playing in Las Vegas the man next to me was flirting with me and yes an older undesirable man too and even after I tried to ignore him he felt compelled to reach down under the table and squeeze the top of my leg...very inappropriately area too....hard. I actually yelled loudly at the surprise and hurt. He squeezed me so hard it hurt! I was right in front of the place you sign up and get chips and they looked at me but did nothing. The guy dealing did nothing. None of the players did anything. I got up and told them what happened and asked for a table change but they said it was busy...so I packed up and left. I was very upset. I had another guy verbally assault me with nasty foul language when I won a pot in a limit game and laughed because I "got there" with my 10 10 with a str8 on the river. I thought that was funny...but wasn't laughing at him. He took it personally however or used it as an excuse to be a bad loser. He yelled some very personal instulting nasty things I could not repeat here if I wanted. I turned red with embarrassment and asked the "floor" if he could do something - like kick the guy out and his comment was, "Oh he's lost a lot of money and is on tilt". I said, "Oh really? Well, I don't care, a person should not be allowed to insult (especially a woman when the comments were specially demeaning as a woman) another player and I won't play here again." I left and have never been back. I got grabbed again twice more at other tables, once under the table by a younger wild man and once when I was leaving a room. - both grabs were ones I would be justified in slapping someone. I am single and socialble that might be part of the problem, but it should not matter. I am also told I am attractive but I don't flirt. There are a lot of good guys out there, I just wanted you to know some of what has happened to me as a woman.
Donna
chris
Dec 6, 2008
that Maria Ho is hot...anyone got her number?