Women and the WPT Shooting Star Monday

Some would say it’s only fitting that the World Poker Tour (WPT) Shooting Star Monday took place during International Women’s Day. After all Bay 101 in San Jose has seen more women make it into the later part of the contests than perhaps any other site in WPT history.

In 2007, female poker pro Joanne Liu became runner-up in the event’s popular bounty contest while making a run for the championship title.

In 2009 Kathy Liebert matched this feat with the second place cash winnings moving her total career earnings up to $5.6 million cementing her place as one of the top female pros in the industry. But being the best female athlete isn’t the ultimate goal Liu and other women are exactly looking for.

"Being a top poker player is more important to me than being a top female poker player," Liu told reporters.

Perhaps two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Jennifer Harman went a little more close to the truth of the matter when she said, "I look at myself as a poker player. I don't believe in the whole gender thing because this is a co-ed sport…You shouldn't get kudos for being a woman or a man, you should get kudos for being a great poker player and that's all."

Despite the success of many female players in the industry who continue to make achievements in poker, it appears as though some men on the felt still refuse to treat them as equals.

"I think some men treat women with no respect at the table and some men treat women with too much respect," told Harman. "For me, since I'm like old furniture in this business, they just treat me the same as anybody else. They don't play any differently against me because I'm a woman, but I know with some women they do."

In the 16 years that she has played the game she has noticed a lot of changes in the number of women who have made the successful leap into the professional world however.  

"When I first started, I would walk into a poker room and there would be me," she said. "Now you walk into a poker room and there are one or two women at every table.

"I think it's grown and it will continue to grow. A lot of women are still intimidated, but I know they enjoy the game and they want to do it, they just need to take that next step, because poker can be a lot of fun."

Liebert also noticed the change commenting on the pride she gets from her fans. She likes to think that she inspires more women to get into the game.

"I always have women coming up to me and telling me they are rooting for me," she said. "And they feel like if I'm a woman and I can do it they can do it to."

For more information on some of the top females in the business check out our poker biographies section.