During a particular stretch of Day 4 in the 2016 World Series of Poker main event, two women held the two biggest stacks in the room with fewer than 500 players left.
This was a big deal.
Maria Ho was the first to surge out in front, with Melanie Weisner picking up a head of steam and charging right past her for a chip lead of her own. They held these positions for upwards of an hour, and it generated quite a buzz.
It’s a big deal because, frankly, there are few professions or endeavors where the gender gap is more evident than the poker industry.