There’s a cheating controversy in the world of high-stakes poker and everyone in that world is jabbering about it, which is normal, but people who are unfamiliar with poker are also pontificating and some of them really really shouldn’t.
Solid quantitative analysis, but I think your article flubs the qualitative analysis. The misogyny claim is based not on how statistically good her had was—after all, we all agree on the numbers and arithmetic—it's based on how unusual her playing was. Garrett has been playing at this level a long time and he's definitely been on the losing end of a "hero call" before. The fact that there's a term for it shows that while it's uncommon, it's not so unusual that it's never been done (and talked about) before. In fact, I'd bet money that been on the winning end of a few "hero calls" himself in his long career.
In the video the announcer says "I'm speechless, usually Garrett would be fairly congratulatory if somebody made a hero call…like that. But he seems somewhat disturbed here by what just happened. It's literally the most disturbed look I've ever seen Garrett give.” Notice that this is happening while someone says "that is some fucking poker right there." And another person tips their hat off to her and congratulates her. Somone says "call of the year right there."
If he'd said anything like "you got lucky" or something passive aggressive like "good job winning with a bad hand" then it wouldn't have been a problem. It's just be a dude who lost and was, maybe, a little sore about it. It's the aggression and the accusation of cheating that's misogynistic, not the correct analysis that she had a bad hand and most people would not have bet the way she did.
I’ve known gamblers, big and small, my entire life. Professionals. You get a feel. My feeling is she cheated. Her behavior is consistent with indecision and fear. Still, just a guess.
Solid quantitative analysis, but I think your article flubs the qualitative analysis. The misogyny claim is based not on how statistically good her had was—after all, we all agree on the numbers and arithmetic—it's based on how unusual her playing was. Garrett has been playing at this level a long time and he's definitely been on the losing end of a "hero call" before. The fact that there's a term for it shows that while it's uncommon, it's not so unusual that it's never been done (and talked about) before. In fact, I'd bet money that been on the winning end of a few "hero calls" himself in his long career.
In the video the announcer says "I'm speechless, usually Garrett would be fairly congratulatory if somebody made a hero call…like that. But he seems somewhat disturbed here by what just happened. It's literally the most disturbed look I've ever seen Garrett give.” Notice that this is happening while someone says "that is some fucking poker right there." And another person tips their hat off to her and congratulates her. Somone says "call of the year right there."
If he'd said anything like "you got lucky" or something passive aggressive like "good job winning with a bad hand" then it wouldn't have been a problem. It's just be a dude who lost and was, maybe, a little sore about it. It's the aggression and the accusation of cheating that's misogynistic, not the correct analysis that she had a bad hand and most people would not have bet the way she did.
I’ve known gamblers, big and small, my entire life. Professionals. You get a feel. My feeling is she cheated. Her behavior is consistent with indecision and fear. Still, just a guess.