On this year’s International Women’s Day, several writers honed in on women’s poker groups and organizations. It was a positive focus on a day that often shows where poker falls short for non-male demographics. While some people did point out those shortcomings – okay, it was me, I did it – others shone a light on the powerful women’s groups in the community.
There are several groups that provide support for women in poker. Some offer interactive Facebook groups, others provide training for those new to poker, and the newest one provides a fundraising component for charities that focus on women.
This is a quick overview of the groups (in alphabetical order), how to find them, and how to join them.
Fantastic Ladies in Poker (FLIP)
Started in 2017, the Fantastic Ladies in Poker (FLIP) Facebook group was a place for women to talk about poker and share their experiences and successes. Longtime Lithuanian (now living in London) poker pro Daiva Byrne, a fervent advocate for women in poker, wanted to build a community that could support but also encourage women to play more poker.
Byrne’s group now consists of more than 5,700 members. Byrne and FLIP are now also GGPoker community partners. GGPoker promotes FLIP events, and Byrne is able to host numerous online tournaments, freerolls, and promotions.
FLIP just hosted its first live event in honor of International Women’s Day 2022, with a tournament at Manchester235 Casino in the UK.
Facebook: Fantastic Ladies in Poker
Twitter: @flip_ladies
Twitter: @baltic_blonde
Globetrotting Poker Ladies
Longtime poker player Maureen Blöchlinger started this group in 2016 from her home base in Switzerland. She has long worked to bring more women to poker. She founded Globetrotting Poker Ladies to provide a one-stop space for all women-only events around the world. If there is a tournament series with a ladies’ event in it, she will put it on the group’s FB page.
Women in the group play a wide range of buy-ins. She encourages women to coordinate trips to play poker and work together to create a better playing environment.
Website: Globetrotting Poker
Facebook: Globetrotting Poker Ladies
Twitter: @mjbloech
Hearts of Queens
The newest female-focused group in poker, this is different from the rest in that it focuses on charitable endeavors. Hearts of Queens is the brainchild of Natalie Bromley, UK native, lawyer, and longtime poker player. She just launched the group this month.
The goal of Hearts of Queens is to raise awareness, items, and funds for women’s charities.
The first live kickoff event was at Manchester235 Casino in the UK in partnership with the inaugural FLIP IWD celebration. Women brought cash, toiletries, sanitary products, and Easter egg kits for children – all items needed for Manchester women’s charities. Specifically, Emmeline’s Pantry (food bank) and the Pankhurst Trust (domestic violence victims) benefited.
Facebook group: Hearts of Queens
Twitter: @Natalie_Bromley
Herzdamen Club
In late 2019, just before the pandemic, poker players Natalie Hof Ramos and Mila Monroe started the Herzdamen Club. (In German, the word “herzdame” means queen of hearts.) They created the group to connect and empower women. They wanted to study the game together while also supporting and investing in each other. Maureen Blöchlinger is now on the group’s board.
While most conversation is in German, the group has grown to include 114 international members. However, the group has twice that many Facebook followers and nearly one thousand Twitch followers. Several members stream games regularly.
Website: Herzdamen Club
Facebook: Herzadamen Club
Twitter: @Herzdamen
Twitter: @mila_monroe33
Twitter: @HofNatalie
Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS)
The oldest of the women-focused poker groups is the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS), founded by Lupe Soto. Today, the group focuses solely on tournaments in the United States. They host tournaments around the US several times each year, the most prominent of which is the Nevada State Ladies Poker Championship in Las Vegas in April.
A newly-revamped website and updated blog on that site appears to indicate a more active group in the months to come.
Website: Ladies International Poker Series
Facebook: LIPS Tour
Twitter: @PokerLupe
Poker League of Nations (PLON)
Since 2017, Poker League of Nations (PLON) has been encouraging women to play live poker…and to do so in open events, not just ladies-only tournaments. Lena Evans founded the group in 2017, and it now consists of more than 7,500 members.
The group partners with entities like the World Poker Tour for tournament opportunities and seminars, but the group also sometimes stakes women in live events. PLON recently started a weekly tournament in Las Vegas as well.
Website: Poker League of Nations
Facebook: Poker League of Nations
Twitter: @PokrLeagNations
Twitter: @LenaEvans88
Poker Power
Originally started as Poker Powher, this group grew out of a desire to use poker lessons to empower women in various aspects of their lives. Poker Power is dedicated to teaching women poker, from the basics to more complicated strategies. The goal is to increase its (free) membership to one million women.
Poker education remains the primary focus of this group, though numerous members have taken their poker skills and represented Poker Power in live tournaments. And with well-known poker pros Jennifer Shahade, Xuan Liu, and Melanie Weisner as the group’s Advisory Board, they keep their pulse on the core lessons to be learned through poker.
Website: Poker Power
Facebook: Poker Power
Twitter: @JoinPokerPower
Women’s Poker Association (WPA)
The Women’s Poker Association (WPA) is a global organization developed as a nonprofit group to support women in poker. From highlighting women in the game to helping educate and develop new players, the group hosts everything from seminars to social events, all with the goal of bring poker’s women together and attracting more to the game.
The WPA recently partnered with Poker Power for the poker education component.
The advocacy group does more than support its members, it actively tries to implement programs that will benefit women. Raise It Up is a program that will certify poker rooms that vow to enforce a zero-tolerance policy toward abuse at their tables. Further, the Purple Tie Guy program gives men the opportunity to show their support of women in poker.
Website: WPA Poker
Facebook: Women’s Poker Association
Twitter: @WPAGlobal
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