Poker has become incredibly popular in India in recent years. More and more people are playing the game professionally. Female players frequently confront hurdles, but against all odds, they have started making waves in the usually male-dominated world of professional poker in recent years. They are demonstrating that they have what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the game by putting their talent and skill on full display.
Not just that, Indian women poker players have established themselves in the international poker community. Among the well-known Indian women who play poker are Muskan Sethi, Nikita Luther and Maria Kirloskar.
AnimationXpress spoke with some of the women poker players to learn about their journeys and experiences in the poker industry.
Regarded as one of India’s top poker players, Muskan Sethi has triumphed in a number of regional and global competitions, including the Asian Poker Tour Philippines, DPT Colossus, and PokerBaazi Premier League among others. She has represented India at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas as a member of the Indian Poker Team.
She says, “Just as any other sport across the globe, poker is also gender agnostic. The poker community around the world is extremely supportive of female players, and I have been at the receiving end of this appreciation that has helped me stay motivated. Through the course of the sport’s journey across the world, numerous players have paved the way for aspiring women poker players by shattering the glass ceiling. Players such as Nadya Magnus, Liv Boeree and Maria Ho have coached and even supported many other female players in high-stakes tournaments, creating a path for them to breakthrough in the nascent stages of their journey. Jeniffer Shahade and Alexandra Botez have also been torchbearers for aspiring female players, not just in poker but also in chess, owing to the similarities in the strategies used. While the gender ratio remains heavily skewed towards men, these icons of the game have taken it upon themselves to lead the change. Having said that, there are more men making constant efforts to be more inclusive and lend support to women who continue to rise up the ranks.”
There will always be a handful of people who are always spreading hate, but according to Sethi, the key to success is mindset training. “For an athlete to be successful, the most integral aspect of their journey is to train their mind to overcome challenges that may drag them down. To maintain a ‘Poker face,’ especially in poker, which is a strategy-based sport similar to chess, one must gain control of their thoughts. In this digital era, there will always be a handful of people who will continue to spread hate. I have, however, realised that the best strategy to continue delivering in a dynamic sport like poker is to undergo mindset training, which helps us master our thoughts and makes us unaffected by such instances. I believe that poker as a sport can help you overcome intimidation from others simply by honing your craft.”
A lot of women in the poker space have concealed their identities to avoid challenges as women poker players. Sethi shares, “The primary reason for me being the first female professional poker player is that women in the past have concealed their identities; it’s not that I am the first woman in India to play poker. My grandmother and her friends used to play poker too. I personally consider poker a mind sport, and it’s an honour to be playing it since it requires top-level skills, which are welcomed on Wall Street. It’s so evident from the Harvard Poker Club and the MIT Poker Club, where all the women champions have a clearer understanding of how prestigious and important poker skills are. There’s nothing to hide; it’s time to show off, ladies.”
To create a sustainable poker space for women, Sethi thinks, “First and foremost would be to appreciate and celebrate mind-sports athletes as much as we celebrate other sports personalities. While casinos continue to provide a safe environment for the poker community and especially women, it is important that poker as a sport gets its due credit by allowing professional stadiums to host tournaments that can help spectators witness the action live in India.”
Another renowned woman poker player, Maria Kirloskar, is a professional poker player and mental game coach. She has been playing poker on the India circuit for nearly eight years, four of which she has spent coaching poker players on improving their mindset in order to further their journey to peak performance. For Kirloskar, the poker community has been very welcoming towards female players. Everyone she has met or knows online has shown her support and kindness.
Many players face hateful comments, and it affects their strategic moves. Kirloskar mentions, “I have seen this very rarely in my eight years in the industry, and it comes mainly from a place of trying to push you off your game. If there is someone who decides to berate me for whatever reason, I shrug it off as they probably do that to all players, not just female players, or me specifically. If I make a mistake during the game and someone decides to call me out to shame me, I look at it objectively, go back to my coach to ask him about the spot, learn from it, and move on. Some of my best learning has come from an opponent picking apart my play.”
She has not faced disrespect or abuse in the poker community. On occasions, there is trash language at the tables, although it is common in sports that require competition. To avoid getting sidetracked from the game, one must train themselves. Developing emotional control is a key component of poker.
She has never hidden her identity, and she is not in favour of players hiding their identities because of bullying and online abuse. “Many regular players know my online names, and I do not face any of these issues. Players who face this trouble must report it at once to the sites, and they will definitely take action against the bullies. We also have online poker community groups such as the India Poker Players’ Association (IPPA) and The Players Group (TPG) on Facebook where they can report these situations. There must be zero tolerance for bullying and abuse of anyone in our community.”
As for Pratibha Arya, her experience in the poker community has been wonderful since the inception of her journey. She has won a WPT trophy in the WPT 6-Max India Championship and has represented India at the Poker Nations Cup in Oxford and the IFMP Asian Nations Cup in Bangkok. She was one of the Indian players who competed in Bangkok against DeepStack, an AI computer bot, and won Player of the League honour for the second season of the IPL.
“Over the past few years, I have observed that the poker community has become more inclusive. There are many female players who have found success in the game. In fact, now we have women game ambassadors like myself who are trying to make this place more inclusive and approachable.”
She shared, “Women get equal respect in poker, like any other game. Although I haven’t faced such comments, I have trained myself so that I don’t take them personally! My approach is similar to Djokovic’s when he was exposed to a hostile reception by the crowd at the 2019 Wimbledon final against Federer. Djokovich exclaimed, ‘They say Roger; I hear Novak.’ It’s all about mindset. I train myself to stay focused and use negative energy (if any) to motivate myself.”
She has never heard of anyone in her five-year career who has hidden their identity to avoid online hate. “The surround sound that’s created by many accomplished women in the poker community, along with various gaming websites endorsing their achievements, helps to set the tone for an inclusive environment.”
She has fostered some lasting friendships, mentorships and rivalries. She added, “Even if something happens, I am sure we as a community can help each other overcome challenges.”
For the better health of the poker community, it is essential that each member be vocal about the challenges that they are facing in the community. The industry can assist female players in realising their full potential and significantly improving the game by fostering a more welcoming and encouraging environment.
Happy Women’s Day!