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Women Power – Smita Agarwalla

When you think poker, you think Texas, Saturday boys night in. So, women in poker, is brand new right! Throw in an Indian woman who’s mother to a teenager is taking it too far! Well that’s me, my life as a poker player. I got introduced to poker by my husband played recreationally for years before taking the plunge to play some serious poker. Online, depositing real money, playing with real pros and stuff.

Why poker for me?

Well for the longest time I was just a stay at home mom. I used to play poker with fake chips till my daughter got back from school as a pastime. Again, the flexibility and love for the game made me consider taking it up seriously. My mom used to always ask me what I wanted to do with my life. She’d encourage me to do something, anything even charity work just to have a little life of my own besides, my home, husband and daughter. Nothing interested me. When I was finally ready to take the plunge my parents were kind of surprised and shocked with my choice. Well one should always follow their passion right? So here we were, taking poker seriously for the first time. Making a user name on real money sites, depositing real money. With nothing but a dream.

The shock 

I started poker online with tons of excitement and quite a little bit of trepidation. I remember the first few times I played. I thought everyone playing online was pro except me! Just because they were there before me haha. So here we were in a brand new online world a bit naive and super friendly. Simply looking for conversation always.I’m still friendly but I got to know so much about what people thought of me once they got to know I’m a woman.

From being bullied by a gang of 3 players from the same stable to players telling me, on my face, that I could sit around and spew all day as I married a well-to-do guy. I even had the privilege of being called some of the choicest Hindi abuses. At the same time, I got all those hearts and kisses and people calling me ma’am, ma’am. Tons of respect from the well brought up guys 🙂

Some people will always be sore losers and not have enough forbearance to treat you with respect. As a poker player one has to take it all with a pinch of salt…as a woman poker player even more so.

My life as a player

So, I don’t have the luxury of firing up 8 tables, putting on headphones, and shutting off from the world. I still have a house to manage, a daughter to take care of and my husband who needs my attention too. I cannot mention how often, I’m narrating recipes to my maid in the middle of hands, ordering groceries while playing poker, listening to my daughters important events, helping friends select the colour of their walls all while playing all those important hands. So 2-4 tables it is. When the world needs my attention more the tables reduce to 2 at times.

Is poker important?

Like heck it it. It gives me financial independence, a chance to spoil my daughter without asking my husband, and doing a lot of things that I might not be have been able to otherwise and I’m proud of it. I’m proud of taking the unusual path. Having the luxury of having a job that allows me to choose my own hours and on top of everything calling it my own. I did it!

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Smita Agarwalla is one of the phenomenal ladies in the Indian Poker circuit. She has been making headlines in this male centric industry. Agarwalla is our guest writer and will be contributing articles every time when there’s a need for a revolutionary women’s voice to be heard. For more interesting content from this poker powerhouse, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on our social handles Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram.

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