What is the poker playing environment like for women in these various venues? Does one have to master different skills to excel in the different venues?
Poker is a game that anyone can enjoy, no matter their age, gender, beliefs. Poker is very easy to learn and there are two types of players emerging. There are players who play just for fun and for entertainment, and then there are others who play who supplement their income. If a player becomes part of the latter group, they are consistently improving their game by trying new strategies, by studying through poker books, and so on. "It takes a day to learn but a lifetime to master."
The skills that a player has gained, either through study or simply through experience, can be played in any venue. Tells, which is an important part of playing (tells is watching other players for signs of the type of hand they may be holding, or whether they are bluffing), is easier in live events than it is online. Online you watch for betting patterns of the other players at your table.
Yes many women do. There are professional poker players such as Barbara Enright, Jennifer Harman and Cyndy Violette, to name a few, and there are also women I know of who are paying for the education in colleges by playing poker, and those who supplement their family income by playing on a part-time basis.
Where does your magazine circulate?
We are in Canada and the United States. Available at Chapters, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Hastings and independent bookstores. We are also available to pickup free from many of the larger casinos, a few retail outlets, and of course you can subscribe online.
Tell me about you. What is your background? Education? Career path etc....
I started playing poker just for fun orginally and because I was involved in marketing a poker property. Once I started playing, I realized right away that this is a game that anyone can enjoy and it would be great if there were more women at the tables. I decided to form a club that would create a convivial and comfortable place for women who wanted to learn and talk about poker could come to without intimidation. Woman Poker Player's mandate is to encourage again more women to play and to heighten the awareness of women's growth in this area - where they are equal participants.
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