The PokerListings Daily 3-Bet is a mouthful of lutefisk, a shot of Akvavit and a hearty skål to our afternoon poker news viking brethren.
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Today in the 3-Bet we find Muskan Sethi changing minds in India, Ladies go to war in the Unibet Battle Royale and the working man wins in Norway.
1) Poker = Dreamer's Sport
If you watched Season 2 of PokerStars' Shark Cage you'll for sure remember Muskan Sethi.
Muskan Sethi (Photo: India Times)
The 27-year-old rising poker star from Delhi, India, was the online qualifier on Episode 6 among sharks Mike 'Timex' McDonald, Jason Mercier and her idol, Liv Boeree.
Not only was her story an inspiration, she held her own at that tough table and made it all the way to heads-up before losing to Rugby player Mike Tindall.
Two years on from that moment Sethi is still firing away. As a new profile in India Today explains, not only does she have a day job as a social worker she's still grinding and changing minds about woman and the game:
"Usually the poker community treats me like a guy because the poker face is a man's face... But when they find out that I am a girl, they tell me 'Go back to the kitchen.'
"Times have been changing. I am still experiencing the change. Earlier they would not be too keen to have me play with them. But now they know how good I am at the game and enjoy playing with me.
"Poker can be compared to stock market and chess. It is a dreamer's sport. I could have chosen anything but Poker chose me."
Her passion for poker speaks to another important mission for her: ensuring women in India have more and more opportunities open to them.
"I feel no one should be dependent. There is no profession where women can't dominate," she said. Well put.
2) Unibet Ladies Battle Royale is a Good Time
Speaking of bad ass women showing how it's done at the poker table ... The Unibet Open Bucharest is happening this week but before things get heated in the Main Event they're live streaming a special Ladies Battle Royale SNG.
At the table is a pretty eclectic and impressive mix of poker players, gamers and media personalities highlighted by Gaelle Garcia Diaz, Kat Arsnby and Ladies Challenge Tallinn winner Maret Komarova. Needless to say, it's been fun to watch. The prize pool is just €6,000 but the spirit of poker is alive and well.
Commentary and analysis by David Vanderheyden and Marc Convey with lots of poker tickets and freerolls on offer ahead of the launch of Unibet 2.0 on Dec. 1. Watch it below!
3) A Plumber, A Fisherman and a Social Worker Walk Into a Poker Tourney
In case you weren't aware, Norwegians love poker. And we mean really, really love poker.
Tide continues to rise in Norway
Inspired by legends like Thor Hansen and Johnny Lodden Norwegians have taken to the game like few others over the past decade.
Now, thanks to slowly changing laws, they're finally enjoying hosting their national championships on home soil.
Over 2,100 players came to Oslo to battle for the crown this year and just 8 players are left who pretty much embody everything to love about the game these days:
Yrker representert på finalebordet: Fisker, elektriker, betongarbeider, rørlegger, maskinimportør, pokerproff og sosialarbeider. #2poker— Fin Gnatt (@tv2fin) November 30, 2016
In case your Norwegian isn't up to speed that reads "Professions represented at the final table: fisherman, electrician, concrete works, plumbing, machine importer, poker pro and social worker."
Which, awesome. Two of those players - Preben Stokkan and Pojan Salim - in fact have been regulars at our humble little €550 Battle of Malta.
It's poker by, for and profiting the people and a thrill to see it embraced on such a mainstream level. Get a small taste of the buzz for it here.
