by Debbie Burkhead
What’s even worse is a woman bashing ladies events. An article was published in a recent issue of Poker Player Newspaper by Tricia Tequida in which she stated that ladies events trivialize poker and should be banned. Are you kidding me? This from a woman, according to Hendon Mob, that has a grand total of three cashes, two of which were LIPS events. That’s right LIPS, Ladies International Poker Series! The most recent cash was a thirteenth-place finish in March 2011.
Tequida goes on to say, “Serious poker players will not play in these events.” I believe Karina Jett, Linda Johnson, Kathy Liebert, Jan Fisher, and so many more would take offense to that statement. I know I did. We are serious poker players, but that doesn’t mean we can’t promote ladies events by participating.
There are three women in the poker world that have spent years cultivating ladies events with the intention of bringing more women into poker. First is Lupe Soto, the founder of LIPS, second is Lauren Failla, founder of High Heels Poker Tour (HHPTA) and third is Donna Houle, owner of the Pink Ladies Poker Tour. These three ladies were extremely upset with the article and rightly so.
Soto responded with, “It saddens me when a woman poker player doesn’t understand the value of women entering the sport of poker through ladies events … especially when she is one of them. To further ridicule ladies events by stating there are announcements of births, marriages, and birthdays before each event is not only untrue, but it lends one to believe that there is little serious and challenging poker being played. That couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
“We need to embrace all women in poker. No matter how they enter the game. One day, we’ll rise to the challenge of being over 10 percent of the field in a major event. Until then, I encourage women to keep playing poker even if it’s a home game, a ladies event, a local bar or any casino across the country.”
Failla stated, “Obviously as a business owner in the market, I was shocked to see a woman who loves to play but bashes women’s only events for the rest of women who are not at her expressed level of experience. In addition, she must have an issue with all women because she was an equal opportunity basher, as she made mention of the WPT girls, who are there for the men not the ladies, and the last lady standing at the WSOP main event. She seems bitter, not informative. Maybe she should look into the people running tours like mine who have spent years dedicating our time and effort into growing the market to get women to play at all, but she sees no necessity in that either.”
Donna Houle had this to say, “The article was insulting. My events are designed as a stepping stone for women to progress to open events with the intent to have more than a three percent turnout in the main event at the WSOP.”
Tequida went on to say, “Winning the WSOP ladies event doesn’t go toward point standings for Player of the Year.”
That true, but I’m sure the women that have won a bracelet could care less about points and are extremely proud of that piece of jewelry.
Just for the record, I play the ladies event at the WSOP every year and have played the main event several times. I’m also proud to be on the Board of Directors for the Women in Poker Hall of Fame and I might add that I’m a past LIPS grand champion.
Debbie Burkhead is a long time poker player, writer, National Sales Director for Poker Player Newspaper and President of Poker Player Cruises. You may contact Debbie at PokerMs@aol.com.
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