Isuldur1 is the screen name for a yet-to-be-named poker player, assumed to be a European young male. When he first came to the attention of the poker community, it was in the last few months of 2009 and the player appeared at the highest stakes tables on Full Tilt Poker. By November, there were millions of dollars on the table between Isildur1 and Tom Dwan. Other players took on the new mystery player as well, including Phil Ivey, David Benyamine, and Patrik Antonius. High-stakes players of that ilk were pleased as punch to have found a new and unpredictable player with whom to compete, and poker fans were enthralled to watch the action. What made it all the more exciting for everyone involved was the mystery surrounding Isildur1, as the only thing anyone knew for certain was that the player seemed to be based in Sweden.

Though no one knew anything about the person with the Isildur1 moniker, it was assumed that it belonged to a male player.

Rumors swirled about Isildur1’s real identity, and every single one pointed to men. Most assumptions were aimed at young men, possibly in the late teens or early twenties. I must admit that I even referred to Isildur1 in articles as “he” and “him.” Looking back on it now, though, I wonder why everyone - including this humble writer - took it for granted that the high-stakes mystery player was a man.
Obviously, the answer lies in poker stereotypes. In order to have that much gamble, be willing to risk a million or more dollars on the turn of a card, and take on some of the most accomplished players in the world, Isildur1 had to be a man. Only men play at those stakes. Only men compete at that level.

While it is true that most people in that player category are male, it should be noted that Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad has competed at some very high stakes and found success. Jennifer Harman has for many years - and continues to - play in the “Big Game” in Las Vegas with stakes that often put hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table in any given hand. Both of those women have that gamble, not to mention the ability and proven success to compete in games of that caliber. But there wasn’t one mention of the chance that Isildur1 could be a woman.

At some point in 2010, Tony G and others claimed to know Isildur1’s identity and had spoken to him, and referred to him as a male player. No one was shocked . . . or even thought twice that any other possibility had been available.
Let’s look at a different scenario, though. What if Isildur1 had been revealed to be female?

Most likely, there would have been a collective sound of surprise throughout the poker community. Not only would the astonishment come from the fact that a woman would play at such high stakes, having risen through the ranks of online poker players to accumulate such a solid bankroll and then risk it on hands that could cause a complete bankroll bust, but people would be in awe that the woman had the courage - dare say, nerve - to take on some of the best players in the world. Isildur1 also won a fair share of the heads-up matches, and to know that a woman beat players like Dwan and Antonius at their own game would make for interesting fodder for poker fans, if not the needling of those players for having lost to a woman.

If Isuldur1 was a woman, other questions would emerge that would never be broached with regard to a male player. Does she have a child or children to take care of? In light of that, was she risking money that should be put away for her child’s education or to ensure a good life for her family in the future? Did she start her bankroll with money loaned to her by a boyfriend or husband? (It is often assumed that there is a man behind a woman’s poker success, despite that being a moot point with many of today’s top female pro players.) Did Isildur1 fade from the spotlight after losing her bankroll because she just couldn’t take the pressure of the industry? Women do tend to be emotional, after all.
Be assured that Isildur1 as a mystery woman would have also sparked tremendous debate - on forums, blogs, and “reputable” media outlets - as to her looks. Is she hot? If so, is she single? Who would she date in the poker industry, or who has she dated already?

It seems that these questions are moot, as Isildur1 is accepted to be a man and having been recently signed to the PokerStars roster, will have his identity revealed in the coming months. But note that none of these questions or concerns were raised when the poker community was debating Isildur1’s identity over the past year. Assuming he was a young man, no one questioned where his bankroll started, whether he had a family to support, or his emotional status after having lost the majority of his money in high-stakes online poker matches. And most certainly, his weight, height, or level of attractiveness was never mentioned.

Not much comes of peculation and second-guessing in most cases, but this instance serves as a reminder of the gender differences that are highlighted in the poker community. Though the game itself is one in which gender shouldn’t matter, many in the industry are so prone to antiquated views of perceived gender inequalities that it does matter.

See Also He Said: Isildur1 Had to Be a Man, Didn’t He?