If Sia is young, then it is possible that men play back at her with overaggression and not respecting her bets/raises.

If she's older, then I highly disagree with her assessment, especially at events like the WSOP where most people have at least somewhat of a clue nowadays.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard discussions in the hallway like, "Normally I loved QQ in that spot pre, but when that 50-year-old housewife went all in, I was like... damn... can I actually fold this? Anyone but her I'm snap calling..."

What image in your opinion is worse for tournament players than a weak image (i.e an image that you will fold your blinds a lot and fold your opens when 3-bet)?

I would say any image is an asset which can be exploited.

But all players have an image, and some images are more exploitable than others.

As has been mentioned in this thread several times, most people already play very exploitably, and they most often play exploitably in a passive direction. So an image which causes players to play more aggressively against you will be less exploitable than an image which causes players to play their default, passive style.

If you are saying that some players have a neutral image and that any non-neutral image is exploitable asset....well, this is only true against players whose play against neutral-image opponents is already GTO.

In tournaments you want people to fold, and you want to be feared.

If you are not feared and they call you more often, is the correct adjust to tighten up, keep the pot cheaper preflop, then pound it when you connect?

As I've said like 5 times in this thread already. YES, that's obviously true -- but in tournaments specifically, you really need to get every chip possible, you do not want to RELY on showdown to pick up chips. If you're unable to chip up without having the best hand, even if you get paid off more often than others you're likely to be at a disadvantage.

In a cash game, yes you very much want people to be over-aggro all the time.

I don't see her suggesting she would need a mask to make her look male. It's much easier to do than you might think.

"Some of these guys she had been playing tournaments with for years in her home area of Los Angeles. There were times Sia had to go to extreme measures to deflect looks of suspicion – "

Yes, this is her "perspective" and not fact based research. Writing about her opinions and perspective is totally fine as long as it doesn't position it as fact.

As a female player I don't necessarily encounter any greater bullying or disparaging comments than would be made to another male player. Some players like to belittle other players period - male or female. With that said, women players are perceived as easier, weaker, softer targets. A really astute female player knows how to actually take advantage of this perception!

At the poker table (as in life) you earn respect. A very good tough player becomes recognized and respected by their actions - whether male or female.

Thank you for your feedback and perspective.

Thank you for thanking the above poster.

Thank you for thanking the person who thanked the poster.

Thank you for thanking the thanker whom thanked the person who thanked the poster.

In her interview with Gambling With An Edge, Sia even acknowledges exactly this. She even likens it to martial arts (specifically aikido) where you use your opponent's strength and momentum against him. Sia gave an example of playing a hand like AQ, making top pair, then having someone put her all-in with nothing but air.

Before I dug deeper into this story, I remember thinking, "If players are trying to blow you off your hands, can't you just adjust to it?"

Then when I heard that part of the interview, I thought, "Wait... why would you ever want to change this??"

Selling books, not reality.

You’re so kind, thank you

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_and_Gaston

Alphonse and Gaston was an American comic strip by Frederick Burr Opper, featuring a bumbling pair of Frenchmen with a penchant for politeness. They first appeared in William Randolph Hearst's newspaper, the New York Journal on September 22, 1901,...

Their "After you, Alphonse.", "No, you first, my dear Gaston!" routine entertained readers for more than a decade. Alphonse was short and grotesque; Gaston was tall and grotesque. The strip's premise was that both were extremely polite, constantly bowing and deferring to each other. Neither could ever do anything or go anywhere because each insisted on letting the other precede him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv0ooa7Bcsg

Fast forward 100 years or so, and we have The Great Cornholio.

Whom? Grammar fail.