In a poker environment full of men, there is still only a negligible percentage of women. However, Pokerstars wants to change all that and wants to attract more female players to the game. Female ambassadors are supposed to help with this, and so a few days ago they introduced a new one to the world.
Englishwoman Kerryjane Craigie is thus the new ambassador for women in poker. Her first tournament record dates back to 2009 and since then she has managed to win a couple of women's tournaments. She won the most recent one last year as part of the UKIPT Brighton series. In 2016, she almost won a WSOP bracelet when she finished second in the Casino Employees event. Currently, her hendonmob shows live tournament winnings worth more than $93,000.
Kerryjane is also currently the Director of Poker at the Hippodrome Casino in London, where she strives to create a welcoming environment for all visitors. Last year, she was appointed to the board of the Women's Poker Association (WPA). In addition, back in 2014 Craigie founded the Ladies Club, an organisation for women in poker where members meet monthly to share their views and experiences.
"I am delighted and honoured to have been given the opportunity to promote and support women in poker as a Pokerstars Ambassador. I truly believe that Pokerstars' mindset and commitment to making a difference are perfectly aligned with today's environment. Launching an active women in poker program with initiatives to encourage, support and promote the game we all love is incredibly exciting. Challenging moments often arise at the poker table when someone from a minority (not just a gender) feels uncomfortable. It's time to make that a thing of the past, and we can all make a conscious change. I am extremely excited to be a part of this and ready to get started," said Craigie.
WSOP Women's Special Talk
On June 28, the WSOP Ladies Event held a Ladies Night Ambassador Reception during the dinner break, where female poker players were able to chat for an hour with female ambassadors such as Maria Konnikova, Jennifer Shahade and Kerryjane Craigie.
It was Craigie who introduced the event and also said a few words to the ladies in attendance. "I'm not the most successful poker player and I'm certainly not the most successful poker woman in this room! But I am one of you. I am a woman in poker. I connect with all of you in the poker community and I have been blessed to have a voice in this arena. I will do my best to help us make a difference and improve our experience."
Kerryjane further stated, " We can only educate and foster understanding if we open this dialogue. I just hope that in return we open some minds about why women-only events are so necessary. We are part of the poker landscape and women's events are key to the development of the whole game. I believe in equality and inclusivity and that action provokes a reaction. The only thing everyone has the opportunity to do is change their behaviour. I don't ask - nor do I have the right - to change anyone's personality. But we can all make a difference by thinking about our behavior when we're at the table and helping to make a difference."
Craigie also commented on the fact that she has noticed discriminatory statements against women in poker on social media. "These things really highlight what goes on at the poker table. And I know we all have a lot more stories of our own. You're not going to convince me that these incidents are isolated or exaggerated just on social media. There are plenty of occasions where you witness words or actions directed towards a female player simply because she is a woman, and that is simply unacceptable."
What do you think? Are women discriminated against in poker? Will the new Women in Poker Ambassador help attract more women to the game? Let us know in the comments on our social media!
Source - pokerstars, poker.org, pokernews, hendonmob, wsop
