‘Women Can’t Play Poker’ according to Dan Bilzerian
Known more for his lavish lifestyle and objectifying of women than his poker game, Dan Bilzerian took his internet reputation to a whole new level when he decided earlier this week to state that women can’t play the game of poker. Bilzerian took to Twitter to chime in his two-cents in regards to a matchup set to take place between poker pros Cate Hall and Mike Dentale in just a few days. The two poker players have been in a Twitter feud since December and Bilzerian stated this week that he would bet against Hall because ‘women can’t play poker’.
First, let’s get to know the feud between Hall and Dentale. It began last year when Hall made a call during the World Poker Tour Five Diamond World Poker Classic. Holding Ace-10, Hall three-bet pre-flop and then called a 145,600 chip all-in made by Barry Hutter who held pocket Jacks. Hall was down to ten big blinds after Hutter won the hand and knew her call had been a mistake.
Hall took to Twitter to talk about how she went with a read and was pretty confident but wrong in her decision making, and how her decision will look horrible. Brian Reinert then asked Hall on Twitter: “Just wondering if calling off 80 BB’s w/A10 is ever right? Also is Betting 80BB’s ever right w/A10 as well? Serious Q, not needle!”
Hall then responded stating she was getting 2.3:1 and her ‘range assumptions’ said it was the right play. After Hall continued with her response, Mike Dentale decided to chime in and stated that her answer proves to him that she is clueless about the game. Of course, a Twitter fight ensued and now the two are set to duke it out on the felt.
Hall and Dentale will be competing against each other at the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia on March 19th in a $10,000 Heads-up No Limit Hold’em event and it is because of this matchup that Bilzerian felt he needed to make a comment. On March 13th, Bilzerian tweeted @catehall and stated: “I don’t even know who you’re playing, but I want to bet against you because you are a woman and women can’t play poker.”
Ugh. And why even comment? The comment made by Bilzerian set off a series of tweets from people who wanted to bet on Hall in a match against Bilzerian. However, I’m sure that the ‘poker pro’ is too busy with his Instagram fame to take time to actually play any cards.
There are plenty of women who enjoy the game of poker, myself included. Liv Boeree, a top poker pro, even responded to Bilzerian’s comment along with several other pros, men included. It seems the tweet was removed at some point from Bilzerian’s twitter account, so perhaps the backlash was a little too much for him to handle.
In case you need a refresher, there are many successful women in poker, not to mention women who just enjoy playing the game; be it at home, online or at their favorite casino. Such women as Vanessa Selbst, Kathy Leibert, Jennifer Harman, Liv Boeree, Annie Duke and Annette Obrestad have done quite well, creating a career in the profession dominated by men.
