Online Poker Chips Away At Sexual Stereotypes

Women are being increasingly attracted to the excitement of online poker. Many professional women now shop extensively online and it's natural that they should explore other ways of having fun and spending their money online.

According to the UK's fastest growing poker website, Victor Chandler Poker (http://www.vcpoker.com), it's no longer just a man's game. One in six new players joining Victor Chandler Poker is female ? up from virtually zero just 2 years ago. The typical female player tends to be between 24 and 25, internet savvy, shops online and has a professional business career.

Why women are taking up online poker

There are 5 main reasons why women are taking up online poker:

• Poker is gaining a lot of media attention. TV games shows, high-profile tournaments and the traditional portrayal of poker in film and TV gives the game a glamorous, exciting image.

• More and more women are playing the game professionally. The success of women players listed on the Women's Poker Hall of Fame has created some powerful role models.

• The web creates a safe environment. Logging on to a poker website is nowhere near as intimidating as walking into a male-dominated casino. Good online poker rooms are moderated, mostly by women.

• Online poker caters for the novice player in a way that was not possible before the web. First, the anonymity means no-one has to worry about looking stupid. Second, there are extensive tips, articles and tutorials online that rapidly educate the novice player.

• Games can be played just for fun or for small stakes. One fear is getting into a game where the stakes are continually rising. But fixed cost games mean that if women want to bet, they know exactly how much they stand to win or lose.

Anecdotal evidence from the gambling industry suggests that traditional female traits such as assessing difficult situations, taking in information from multiple sources, make women ideal poker players.

But do women really make good poker players?

Research from Cambridge Professor, Simon Baron-Cohen in his book "The Essential Difference" suggests that men and women do show different personality traits. These traits undoubtedly influence how both men and women play poker.

Professor Baron-Cohen identified three brain types ? the female brain, the male brain and the balanced brain:

• In the female brain called the E-type, empathizing is the dominant characteristic

• In the male brain called the S-type, systemizing is the dominant characteristic

• In the balanced brain called the B-type, both characteristics are finely balanced.

According to Professor Baron-Cohen the female/male difference is not absolute but on average, more women have E-type brains and more men have S-type brains. His conclusions:

• Women tend to be better at decoding non-verbal communication, picking up subtle nuances and judging a person's character. Even online, players exhibit certain 'poker tells' that can indicate the strength of their hands.

• Introduced to new situations, women will stand and watch while men rush in, trying to be the centre of attention. The ability to observe and assess other players before joining in brings an advantage

• Males show more direct aggression while women tend to show indirect aggression.

Women are becoming more aggressive

And if that was not enough to intimidate the male poker player, research from Purdue University suggests that they will face even stiffer competition from women in the future.

Social psychology Professor Amanda Dickman surveyed over 800 adults on the personality characteristics of men and women and found that women are increasingly exhibiting personality traits typically associated with males.

According to Dickman, "Women are perceived as having become much more assertive, independent, and competitive over the years."

The future of women's poker online

Research shows that women do indeed have certain personality traits that predispose them to be good poker players. Add to this a layer of aggression and experience and it seems inevitable that potent and successful women poker players will emerge.

Online poker websites have already noted a significant growth in women players. The market savvy among them will be quick to see the opportunity and provide facilities and tournaments to encourage more women to play.

About The Author

Written by Simon Prodger, Product Marketing Manager, Victor Chandler Poker, the UK's fastest growing online poker website, http://www.vcpoker.com

Simon.Prodger@vc-bs.com

---

3 Great Tips To Make More Money Playing Online Poker

There are three very important things that you should have... Read More

Roulette - The Basics

Roulette is actually one of the simplest games in the... Read More

Compulsive Gambler Seeks Alternatives To Stop Gambling

Compulsive gambler's life was devastated by gambling and now seeks... Read More

The Truth About Roulette Systems and How to Win!

The Truth about Roulette Systems and How to Win! Casinos... Read More

Halftime Wagering Part 1 - Hedging Your Bet:

Halftime wagering is done exactly how it sounds...at halftime. If... Read More

Betting Options For Football

It is in one's best interest to know all your... Read More

Play Poker for Free Online

To play poker for free online is one of the... Read More

As Poker Goes Hollywood Hansen is Seen as Icon

In People magazine's December 2004 issue, Gus Hansen was voted... Read More

Do You Believe These Four Online Slot Machine Myths?

The fact that people don't really understand how online slot... Read More

Always Look For The Best Online Sportsbook Before You Start Betting Online

Before you sign up with an Online Sportsbook and start... Read More

Play Online Baccarat Game

Baccarat - the game of the rich and famous -... Read More

How To Play Craps

Craps is generally seen as a fun and exhilarating game... Read More

Video Poker - Tips to Remember

Video poker is an easy game to learn to play... Read More

Avoiding Tilt While Playing Online Poker

As many experts have said, poker is a game that... Read More

Gambling Superstitions

Many times while gambling, I've found myself searching for subtle... Read More

Free Roll Texas Holdem Tournaments

Free Roll Texas Holdem Tournaments are great because they allow... Read More

Slot Machines - Does Location Make a Difference?

Books have been written on this subject and the debates... Read More

College Football Betting - Trends and Rivalry Games

In college they have trends and in the pros they... Read More

Winning at Slots, The Best Strategies

Casino gambling is often played with a gambling strategy in... Read More

Online Poker

Are you a poker player? Can't get the guys together... Read More

Blackjack - Increase Your Odds With Basic Strategy Plus

Blackjack Basic Strategy, played perfectly in a game with favorable... Read More

Online Casino - What Is It?

Entertaining industry conquerors more and more space of our lives.... Read More

Expensive Errors in Holdem

There are several expensive errors that are frequently made in... Read More

Poker Face in Cyberspace

His palms are sweaty and his heart is racing, but... Read More

Getting the Best Odds on Soccer Betting Markets

There are many ways to bet on a football match.... Read More

2005 AFC North Football Preview

In the AFC North I expect to see the Pittsburgh... Read More

Poker Popularity for Beginners

The game of poker is cherished since a long time.... Read More

Casinos Popping Up Leads To Negative Impact on Economy

Casinos and other forms of gambling are popping up in... Read More

Types of Poker Players

Most poker players fall into one of four categories, and... Read More

American Gambling Basics

Casinos have always been a destination for the wealthy and... Read More

Roulette System: Chaos Theory

This article is going to discuss how Chaos Theory applies... Read More

Oh the Thrill and Despair of Gambling

I do not know of many people who LIKE to... Read More

The Secret of Grinding Out a Profit

Pssst...Wanna know a secret?How about the secrets of grinding out... Read More