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Today in the 3-Bet we find the WSOP conference call portending a Colossus explosion, the 2015 PokerStars SCOOP blitzes out of the blocks and Jessica Dawley foresees a golden age of poker for women.

1) Gargantuan Colossus, 3-Day Nov. 9

Get ready for a Colossus.

Excited for the 2015 World Series of Poker?

We’re now just 15 (!) days out from the annual summer poker extravaganza and, with every passing year, the expectations keep getting bigger.

The annual WSOP media conference call happened this AM and, by the sounds of it, bigger is exactly what we can expect.

In particular for the WSOP’s lowest-ever open buy-in event, the aptly named Colossus, as WSOP TD Jack Effel is predicting the biggest poker tournament ever held.

Not just biggest WSOP event – biggest poker tournament EVER.

In fact, Effel says, with pre-registration ongoing (and trending at 5x previous years) it may already be the biggest. Which is kind of awe-inspiring.

Up to 24,000 players over several flights are expected beginning May 27 which would make it one hell of an opener for the summer. Other notes:

• This year’s Nov. Nine will play out over three days Nov. 8-10. Playdown from 9-4, 4-2 then heads-up. All live on ESPN2.
• 60 (of 68) final tables will be live streamed on WSOP.com on 30-minute delay with cards-up and commentary
• WSOP.com software available for both iOS and Android with more deposit options than ever
• Still no WSOP facilitation of chops and deals.

2) 2015 SCOOP Off to Blazing $12m Start; Mercier + Mizzi Win

Speaking of gargantuan poker affairs …

Someone playing Badugi over there?

The 2015 Spring Championship of Online Poker at PokerStars is just 6 or so events in and, well, it’s already been pretty spectacular.

Total prize pools have topped an absurd $12 million. Jason Mercier has another SCOOP title (SCOOP 05-H $2,100 FL Badugi). Sorel Mizzi has another one, too (SCOOP 03-H – $2,100 NLHE).

EPT Grand Final champ Mohsin Charania has a win, Chris Moneymaker has a final table, Pratyush Buddiga has a runner-up. All in all, it’s been notable from beginning to end each and every day.

With three levels of buy-ins it’s also accessible to every bankroll level. And there’s only, oh, another 40 or so events to go.

Check the full rundown of winners so far here; open a new PokerStars account and get in on the action yourself right here.

3) Jessica Dawley: Women Can Be Every Bit as Prominent as Men

Fantastic piece on Philly.com today with poker pro Jessica Dawley.

Golden age coming … if we can just cut the creep factor.

After six years in the Kentucky Air National Guard with service in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Dawley can more than hold her own in a field made up mostly of men.

The poker table, however, is still a hostile place for women, Dawley says, and it’s driving them away from the game.

“I give it right back to them,” she says, “but, unfortunately, other females shy away from that. I can understand that. You’re going there to have a good time, and you get berated at the table.”

Still, she says, the number of women in the live game could increase dramatically – up to 25 or 30% from its current 4% – if casinos (and poker players) create a less sexualized environment:

“I’m trying to get casinos to be more female-friendly, to not have the sexualized cocktail waitresses or sexualized massage therapists …

“And when men do [harass] a female at the table, to [have] someone stand up to them and say, ‘Hey! This is inappropriate. This won’t be tolerated.’

Given some other natural advantages women have at the poker table (analytical nature, less ego), a “golden age” of female poker might even be on the horizon:

“I think they can be every bit as prominent as men, and more.”

Brilliant stuff.