Women make up just around five percent of the players at a regular poker table. At the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, female players represent just about four percent of the field.
Poker is still very much a male-dominated game and many women still think twice about pursuing a poker career mainly because they think the game is not for them.
While there’s still a long way to go before gender disparity is fully addressed in the world of poker, it’s great to know that some groups are determined to go the extra mile to prove that women have a place in the game. One of them is the Poker League of Nations (PLON), the world’s largest women’s poker organization.
Over the years, PLON has remained true to its commitment of closing the gender gap and increasing female participation in poker by launching a series of women-focused initiatives. The group has recently embarked on a new mission, this time shining the spotlight on young female players.
PLON Rising Initiative
The “PLON Rising” initiative aims to attract more young female players into the game and provide them with plenty of opportunities to grow not just as a player but also as an individual trying to establish their own path and identity.
The new campaign is backed by some of the most successful women in the game, such as Poker Hall of Famer Barbara Enright, who is a three-time WSOP bracelet winner and the only female player to ever reach the WSOP Main Event final table.
Enright, alongside other notable female poker pros like Maria Ho, Lexy Gavin, Maria Konnikova, and Nahran Malan Tamero, will join forces in educating young female players about poker. They will conduct a series of free classes to improve the young players’ knowledge of the game. The new initiative is targeting female players aged 18-29.
Train Them Young
PLON founder Lena Evans recognizes the huge role that younger women play in increasing female participation in poker. The philanthropist and long-time women in poker advocate said there is a need to teach women how to play, develop their skills and expose them to the game at an early age. That way, they’ll be able to prepare themselves for bigger opportunities waiting for them at the poker tables.
Author and poker pro Amanda Botfield shares a similar opinion. Botfield, who serves as ambassador for the new PLON Rising initiative, can attest to the fact that learning poker at a young age has some long-term benefits for the player.
Botfield entered the world of poker at age 24, during a time when she was still trying to carve her own path, and she considers it among the best decisions she has ever made. The game allowed her to build her character as an individual, and provided an avenue for her to exercise her confidence.
Indeed, Botfield has gone a long way. Nicknamed the “Bridget Jones” of poker, Botfield has written top-rated poker books which ended up in The Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. Her latest book, entitled “A Girl’s Guide to Poker”, aims to encourage more women to join the game.
PLON Empowering Women in Poker Since 2017
Evans believes PLON is in the best position to deal with the existing gender disparity in poker, considering its wide reach. The organization was established in 2017 and has since grown to become a strong global community comprised of 7,100 members and counting. PLON offers free educational content from top poker pros and grants its members exclusive access to an extensive library of poker content available round the clock.
The group also partners with premier poker tours to host ladies-only tournaments at various locations across the world.
Those who are interested to join PLON’s growing community may visit their website pokerleagueofnations.com. They may also check out the group’s Facebook page for their latest events and initiatives.