The poker world is full of excitement, entertainment and skill. As one of the most sociable games out there, it’s enjoyed by millions of players around the world every year.

However, most estimates place women as making up approximately 5% of all poker players, and PokerStars is determined to change this.

So would you like to learn a new game packed with excitement, entertainment, and skill?

Have you ever fancied playing poker, but not been sure how, or felt daunted by the rules?

As part of a PokerStars campaign to get more women in poker, we’re looking for enthusiastic participants for an 8-week poker bootcamp in partnership with Poker Power. The bootcamp, now in its second year, will see novice women players from around the globe learn gameplay skills that translate to real world success including negotiation, strategic decision-making and capital allocation.

The bootcamp will feature eight different learning modules focusing on a separate part of the game of poker. They are:

1. determination
2. discipline
3. ambitious
4. calculated
5. resilient
6. fearless
7. visionary
8. indomitable

It also features 1:1 sessions with PokerStars Ambassadors, and plenty of opportunities for complete beginners to fully embrace the game of poker.

Eventually, a select group of Bootcamp participants will compete in the PokerStars x Poker Power Showdown at EPT Cyprus, with one lucky winner walking away with a package to EPT Prague.

Last year, PokerStars started a sustained campaign to tackle the barriers facing female players in its community. By leveraging live events, ambassadors and partners, we were able to tell the stories of inspiring women and re-engage with the wider female poker community.

In collaboration with Poker Power, Canadian Mounted Police Roxanne Johnson, from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, won a poker trip of a lifetime to the Bahamas. Bootcamp participants honed the skills, before a lucky seven were selected from around the globe to play in the ‘PokerStars x Poker Power Bootcamp Showdown’ tournament at EPT Prague for the chance to win a coveted ‘Platinum Pass’, worth $30,000.

Roxanne joined the bootcamp as the intricacies of poker and the thrill of the game had always interested her and she was inspired by the opportunity to play at a live event.

“It’s a game that everybody can play,” Johnson said. “You do have to study a bit. It’s not just luck. There’s a lot of math in it and there’s a lot of other things. You do have to study.”

“But it’s super fun to play poker. It’s something that keeps your mind going, there’s so many factors to it. It keeps you young.”

We spoke with notable female poker players and got their viewpoint on the current issues surrounding women in poker and what can be done to combat them.