PokerWorks

Poker has traditionally been seen throughout the ages as an arena of masculinity, but women have always been there, striving to have their efforts recognized in this testosterone fueled game. Today the ladies are becoming known as forces to be reckoned with, thanks to achievements like Vanessa Rousso’s second place finish at the 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship and Annie Duke’s performance in the first WSOP Tournament of Champions and many others.

Much like the feminist movement of the 1970’s women, who play poker have been fighting for equality in an effort to prove they are just as good as their male counterparts. Over the last several years they have been emerging to take their rightful place as a large part of today’s poker world where it is estimated that 25% of all poker players are women.

One path many ladies have taken to the poker arena is by joining the High Heels Poker Tour.  The High Heels Poker Tour (HHPT) was founded in 2007 by Lauren Failla and was the very first women's poker tour launched on the East Coast. Today, The HHPT continues to provide the best venue for female poker players to explore, learn, and hone their poker skills in a competitive environment, empowering them to become champions, all while promoting women’s involvement in the growing world of poker.

In only two short years, the HHPT has gained rapidly in popularity and a big boost to their cause has just materialized with the announcement that PokerStars.net has signed on as official sponsor to ‘further the number of women who participate in poker.’

The PokerStars sponsorship will mean support for all of the HHPT tournaments on their vast schedule, which started this month at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. From New York, the HHPT ventures south to Florida for tournaments to be held in Dania, Hollywood, and Tampa where the ladies will compete for generous prize pools and HHPT fame.
The HTTP ladies are also excited about this year’s grand finale, which thanks to their new PokerStars partnership, will be the $1000 buy-in ladies event at the January 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in Aruba.

Commenting on the new alliance with PokerStars, the High Heels Poker Tour founder Lauren Failla said, “PokerStars has all of the attributes in a online partner that female players crave: an incredible variety of quick, entertaining games that range from low buy in sit and goes and cash games to serious tournament play, all in an environment where women can learn the game, develop their skills, and truly become champions.” Speaking about the players, Failla added, “With champions like Vanessa Rousso, Katja Thater, and Vicky Coren, our players have a whole new set of role models to emulate and challenge, online and at the tables.”

The High Heels Poker Tour boasts that they are ‘ready to bring women's poker to the next level’ and from the looks of their tournament schedule they are doing just that, evident by their partnering casinos which include: Mohegan Sun, Grand Casino Tunica, Turning Stone Resort and Casino, Harrah's New Orleans, The Isle of Capri Casinos, Horseshoe Indiana, Tampa Bay Downs, Silks Poker Room, Mardi Gras Gaming Horseshoe Council Bluffs, Harvey's Lake Tahoe, Hollywood Casino, Binion's, Melbourne Greyhound Park, Seminole Casinos, Flagler Magic City Poker Room, Daytona Beach Poker Room and many more.

Find more information about the HHPT and their upcoming tournament schedule here.