The Poker Divide: Decoding the Gender Gap in a Game of Wits Poker, a game where strategy, psychology, and nerve collide, should be a level playing field. Played in casinos, online platforms, and high-stakes tournaments, it demands no physical strength, only mental sharpness. Yet, professional poker remains starkly gendered: men dominate, with women making up less than 5% of top players (WSOP, 2024). No woman has won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, and women’s tournament earnings, like Efthymia Litsou’s $323,100 in 2022, rarely approach the top 100 (CardsChat, 2022). Why does this gap persist in a game where skill should reign? Why do separate women’s tournaments exist? This essay explores the historical, cultural, psychological, and systemic factors behind the gender divide, drawing parallels to chess and offering a roadmap to equality. A Historical Bluff: The Roots of Exclusion Poker’s roots are steeped in male-dominated spaces. “It was a game of sa...