Vanessa Selbst and Kristen Bicknell's success as female poker players has broken through gender boundaries in an otherwise male-dominated industry. These women serve as champions for inclusivity in poker while inspiring future generations to enter this field of work.
Gender diversity in poker can be increased through initiatives like women-specific tournaments and welcoming environments, while to effectively address harassment requires strong enforcement of codes of conduct and reporting mechanisms.
Vanessa Selbst
After Selbst's WSOP bracelet win, more women began taking up poker and bluffing was no longer seen as taboo. Annie Duke and Vanessa Rousso later appeared in mainstream US shows like High Stakes Poker to demonstrate they were more than capable of beating men at the tables.
Self was born in Brooklyn and initially attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology before transferring to Yale University to earn her political science degree. While at Yale she participated in both its Queer-Straight Alliance and sketch comedy classes.
Selbst decided after graduating that she wanted to start a family and pursued her goal of becoming a lawyer instead of continuing professional poker play at https://conquestador.com/en-ca/ . Now employed at Bridgewater Associates and running Venture Justice charity for funding projects aimed at combatting racial equality, police misconduct and prison reform projects while continuing playing poker casually with friends, she also occasionally returns to playing professionally as well.
Kristen Bicknell
Kristen Bicknell has become one of the most celebrated female poker players, earning two female GPI Player of the Year rankings as well as three WSOP bracelets and amassing over $5.6 million in tournament winnings. She holds an incredible poker skill and grace away from the tables, making her one of the most sought-after female players worldwide.
She acknowledges the challenges women still face in poker, yet emphasizes it's not solely about gender when playing this game. Men may also be treated rudely or underestimated when participating in it - she cautions that dwelling on negatives will only serve to hinder players' attempts at giving their best performance possible.
She has also made strides toward expanding the number of young women participating in poker through her PLON Rising initiative, where instructors such as Maria Ho and Amanda Botfelt teach younger ladies the game; through this initiative, many of these ladies have won satellites into major tournaments with lower buy-in fees so that they can compete at higher levels at lower buy-in costs.
Liv Boeree
Liv Boeree is one of the premier female poker players ever seen. A renowned TV personality, speaker and professional poker player herself, she brings much to the world of poker - her success making her an inspiration to other female players as she works towards becoming the next big thing in poker.
She graduated with first class honours from Physics, but quickly found her passion in poker. With an understanding of math and the ability to read opponents very accurately, she can read their moves quickly while being an attentive listener who can learn from past errors.
She first gained fame through podcasts, then later as a commentator at major tournaments. Additionally, she is an active philanthropist dedicated to giving back to the community; particularly helping young people and raising awareness about gambling dangers.
Maria Ho
Maria Ho is an esteemed poker commentator and host. Her accomplishments include nearly $5 Million in live career earnings as well as playing tournaments around the globe - she particularly enjoys helping women enter poker!
She started learning the game in college with her friends, then took it seriously after graduation. At first she played limited cash games at local Indian casinos before progressing into large tournaments like WSOP events where she made multiple final tables as well as becoming an accomplished broadcaster for both channels NBC and CBS Sports.
With the efforts of exceptional players such as Vanessa Selbst, Kristen Bicknell, Liv Boeree and Maria Ho, the landscape of poker is changing quickly. No longer simply a game of chance but an equalizer that provides equal opportunities to anyone willing to put forth effort and learn. While this trend is encouraging, we must still address barriers which still may exist within this field.