Last week, we brought up the potentially sexist nature of female-only tournaments, the High Heels Poker Tour specifically. While I received some mail and comments cheering my feelings that a woman is every bit as capable at a poker table as a man, there is a strong sentiment out there that when it comes to poker, women feel intimidated by men in one way or another. Regardless of how you feel, the press release was sexist in nature and was advertised as more like a lunch with the Sex and the City girls with cards than a stone-faced poker competition.

To that end, PokerStars has announced that through September 26, their online casino will be hosting free rolls for British women only. (So now, they’re not only sexist, but now “countryist.” Just kidding.) The best nine players from each day will find themselves entered in the online final on September 27 while the top ten finalists will win seats at the European Poker Tour. As if that weren’t enough, finalists can win themselves a night at the five-star Hilton Metropole Hotel.

PokerStars Pro Vicky Coren, the first woman to win an event at the EPT and second place winner of the 2009 Irish Open said:

“There are a lot of great female poker players out there already, but there could be a lot more,” said Coren. “Playing online, women don’t have to worry about the long late hours of the live game or the stern faces of a roomful of men. You can log on whenever you like, for as long or short a time as you like, and fit this around the demands of careers, childcare or whatever else is going on.”

“For women who want to take a shot at a live tournament, but don’t fancy staring at a table of snarling male opponents, this promotion is perfect.”

I have to say that I cannot understand why women are so intimidated by men at a poker table. While Coren describes us as “snarling,” I have to say that the only snarling I’ve ever seen at the poker table was on one of those dogs playing poker paintings. And her pointing out that our faces are stern, well, isn’t a stern poker face pretty much par for the course?

Regardless of whether or not fear or intimidation, this sounds like a pretty sweet opportunity if you’re a female online poker aficionado who lives in the UK. IF you’re looking to take advantage, head over to Tourney/Regional on the PokerStars client.

Tags: free rolls, Freeroll, online casinos, online poker

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