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The Hard Rock Poker Showdown ladies event drew a field of 82 women, and one man.
David Hughes, a 70-year-old, male poker player from Florida, was one of the 83 total entries in the $250 buy-in tournament, which is traditionally an event meant only for women.
His unwelcomed presence was almost immediately noticed by others in the field, including poker pro Ebony Kenney, who put a bounty on his head of $300 for anybody who knocked him out. Several others jumped in, including people following the tournament on social media.
By the time the field reached the money bubble, the bounty on Hughes was up to more than $2,100, which was the equivilant of third-place money.
You can see a video of Hughes playing below, taken by Kenney.
Playing the @WPT ladies event today, and Dave here is the only man. (Filmed w/permission!)
While we appreciate the dead money, I really wish men would get what these events stand for.
So I put a $300 bounty on his head and Tamra & Noah Piderit matched it.
Let’s get him. pic.twitter.com/dXVZVlriAP
— Ebony Kenney | Poker & Purposeful Pleasure (@Ebony_Kenney) April 29, 2023
To his credit, Hughes was reportedly unbothered by the bounty, and even threw an extra $100 on top himself. However, Kenney reported that his demeanor changed once he got heads-up with Dayanna Ciabaton, and that he “talked completely disrespectfully to the dealer” while the “nice guy facade crumbled.”
Unfortunately for Ciabaton, Hughes came back in their heads-up match to win the tournament, but as the last-standing women, she did claim the bounty.
The event was part of the World Poker Tour series being held at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. The WPT has made a commitment to growing the game among women poker players, announcing a series of 13 new events for their season XXI schedule that leads up to the WPT Ladies Championship at the Wynn this December.
Of course, men have entered women’s poker tournaments before.
In 2007, former Major League Baseball player Jose Canseco made headlines when he and five other men demanded to be allowed to play in a ladies event at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles.
In 2009, Abraham Korotki won a $300 buy-in ladies event at the Borgata in Atlantic City. In that case, Korotki pledged a portion of his $20,982 to cancer research in honor of the woman he defeated heads-up, who was also battling breast cancer at the time.
Shaun Deeb infamously dressed in drag while competing in the World Series of Poker Ladies Championship in 2011, stating that he would also donate his winnings to charity.
After seeing 11 men enter the tournament overall, the series responded by raising the buy-in for men to $10,000 while keeping the ladies’ buy-in at just $1,000. It was a move designed to get around state anti-discrimination laws.
Despite the 10x buy-in, Tony Roberto played in the event in 2017 after losing a prop bet.
A man by the name of Tom Hammers also entered the tournament in 2021, earmarking any winnings to charity. He did not cash, however, and would have had to finish in eighth place or better in order to profit.
Another controversy occured at the 2019 Battle of Malta poker series, where tournament organizers decided that the women’s event needed topless male dealers at each table. The majority of the ladies in the field were upset by the distraction, and the dealers were asked to put their clothes back on after the first tournament break. To apologize, the tour donated all the tournament fees and rake to a women’s organization.
For his part, Hughes reportedly cited the WSOP’s rule change as one of the reasons why he was competing at the Hard Rock, and would continue to play in ladies events. In this case, his “protest” also netted him a cash worth $5,555, although he did buy into the tournament three times.
The first major ladies tournament played out in 1977 at the WSOP with a $100 stud event.
Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, known as the First Lady of Poker, warned that the bounty could have a Streisand effect and encourage more men to play.
“I love ladies-only poker tournaments,” Johnson wrote. “I would have no problem with them having a men’s-only, and I wouldn’t enter it as I would not qualify for it. I would have no problem if they had a tournament for 26-year-old, motorcycle-riding, mohawk-haircut players and I wouldn’t enter it because I wouldn’t qualify.”
“I don’t think men should play in ladies-only tournaments. That said, I think there is a total overreaction to the few men who do enter. They are usually looking for attention, so why give it to them? I think we should just ignore them and play our best.”
While most of the poker community felt that Hughes should not have played in the event, which is designed to be an outlet for women to learn the game in a more casual, friendly atmosphere, a small minority of players take issue with women’s-only tournaments, and feel that events should be open to everyone regardless of gender.
Meanwhile, the WSOP Circuit ladies event in Tunica, Mississippi also played out this weekend, and was won by Cynthia Compton for her third gold ring overall.
The Poker World Reacts
How would you have done it?
How do we highlight that men keep coming to spaces that are created for women w/o publicly talking about it?
You want us to add extra protections for a man who feels entitled to be in a women’s space?
— Ebony Kenney | Poker & Purposeful Pleasure (@Ebony_Kenney) May 1, 2023
got 3rd in the ladies event!! didn’t run well when it mattered. gg to all the ladies. and to the man that won it? don’t do that again
— Abby Merk (@abbypoker34) April 30, 2023
2/2
…made new friends and cashed for a little cherry on top.
Not gonna debate the trolls but these events are fun and I could tell every single woman was comfortable and having a great time.
The man? He was grumpy
Thanks for a super fun night ladies!
— spicy (@ElleSriracha) April 30, 2023
These guys who enter women’s events have the worst “main character syndrome.” Let other people enjoy things, not everything is about you.
— Jamie Kerstetter (@JamieKerstetter) April 30, 2023
Had a blast connecting with all of the women who played the @wpt ladies event yesterday.
I met so many Embodied Confidence members and had soooo many beautiful convos & moments.
This is what it’s all about.
Period. #poker #safespace pic.twitter.com/wF9fizW1cP
— Ebony Kenney | Poker & Purposeful Pleasure (@Ebony_Kenney) April 30, 2023
How is there not some work around to the Women’s event problem?
Like, men can enter but only get a single 100 chip.
Or, it’s a separate private event you need to get an “invite” for which they do at registration.
Etc.
Has to be some way around it.
— Vanessa Kade (@VanessaKade) May 1, 2023
As much of an anti PC troll as I am you are rat garbage if you are a man and play ladies events
They are meant to make the game more inclusive and less scary for first timers
You are hurting the growth of poker (which makes everyone $) on top of just being a diarrhea weasel— Ryan Depaulo: Degenerate Gambler (@depaulo_ryan) May 1, 2023
So a guy won the Ladies Event at Hard Rock and everyone pissed. I’m sure the guy is an asshole and for sure it’s a dick move. But what I don’t get is if this same guy decided he wanted to ‘identify’ as a woman and then played, nobody would say shit about it. You’d all clam up. pic.twitter.com/bLqJxXS3Wp
— Matt Glantz (@MattGlantz) April 30, 2023
Ladies only events are to create a safe and comfortable space for women. Walking into a poker room full of men can be intimidating to most women. Especially new players. We are helping women to be comfortable in this amazing live game.
— Char (@char47507985) May 1, 2023
With all this talk of women’s poker events, seems like some guys’ heads are going to explode when they find out about women’s chess events and the association of women in math
— sammie g (@thefakesammieg) May 1, 2023
Looking for ladies events? Check out cardplayer.com/women to visit the Women In Poker page for complete schedules, results, and the latest news.
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