This summer, Star City Casino will host the UK’s inaugural live women’s poker championship, which promises an estimated prize of £100,000. This is another proof of how women are breaking into the world of poker that used to be only for men.

Mark Ross, director of Star City said: "A lot of women are starting online and then deciding they want to play with real people. I think women who have never been in a casino before but have played with friends or online will enter the championship."

Malcom Harwood, a 68-year-old regular player at the World of Poker Website, came up with the idea for the women’s championship. However, he believes women don’t match up to the men because they don’t have it in them to be aggressive at the table.

Cherie Joy, 26, disagrees. She says she loves playing against men because they think women are easy to beat. “I sit at a table with 10 men and they think they've won before we start”, she said. "Every day of my life I'm judged as a mum, but here it's nice to be seen for myself."