Vanessa Selbst

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Vanessa Selbst has gone on to establish herself as one of the world’s most formidable tournament players.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Vanessa Selbst has gone on to establish herself as one of the world’s most formidable tournament players. Selbst developed her competitive spirit from a young age, as she excelled both academically and on the sports field playing tennis, field hockey and rugby.

After achieving excellent results in school, Selbst attended MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for one year, before transferring to Yale. Although she began playing poker in home games in high school, Selbst has credited much of her poker education to her time at Yale, where she began to discuss the intricacies of the game, and became involved in the 2+2 forum.

While still a student, Selbst began to dedicate her summers away from study to play poker, participating in her first World Series of Poker in 2006. Her first WSOP could be considered a success, as she final-tabled the $2,000 No-Limit Hold ‘Em event finishing 7th for $101,285. Selbst would continue her success at the WSOP in the following years as she finished in 3rd place in the 2007 $5,000 World Championship Heads-Up event for a $128,968 cash, before winning her first bracelet in the 2008 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. In the heads-up section of the Pot-Limit Omaha event, Selbst’s opponent Jamie Pickering, who had been drinking alcohol throughout the tournament, was shoving all-in blind and Selbst survived the madness to pick up her first WSOP bracelet.

Selbst managed to win her 2nd WSOP bracelet in 2012 when she won the $2,500 10 Game Six Handed event for $244,259. Selbst’s biggest career win to date is her first place finish in the 2010 Main Event of the Partouche Poker Tour, as she took $1,800,000 for her win.

In January of 2013 Selbst took down the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller event for $1,424,402. Selbst had proposed to her partner the night before the event began, making the tournament an extra special win for her. Unlike many other professional players who drop out of education after realising they can make money playing poker, Selbst is unique in that she has continued on with her studies.

Selbst returned to Yale after graduation to pursue a law degree, graduating in 2012. She has since stated that she would like to pursue a career in civil rights: economic equality, racial justice and against the government’s abuse of authority.

Read More
9 years ago14,886Sherminator,

Published 9 years ago

PCA 2014 - $50k Super High Roller Ep03

The highest stakes in tournament poker - the $50k PCA Super High Roller. Featuring Vanessa Selbst, Dan Shak, Antonio Esfandiari, P...

9 years ago9,558PokerTube,

Published 9 years ago

Vanessa Selbst - One Word

Vanessa Selbst - What's the first word you think of?

9 years ago6,411PokerTube,

Published 9 years ago

Vanessa Selbst playing the Main Event

Vanessa Selbst is today the leading lady of poker. With uncontested results over the last couple of years, she was just recently r...

9 years ago21,194Sherminator,

Published 9 years ago

PCA 2014 - $50k Super High Roller Ep02

The Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure 2014 - $50,000 Buy-in Super High Roller Event featuring the biggest live players in poker.

9 years ago6,191RPFC,

Published 9 years ago

Vanessa Selbst - An Image Game

A presentation given by Vanessa Selbst discussing the ways in which a players' image can affect their game.

9 years ago5,026welovepoker,

Published 9 years ago

Kurganov straight flush vs Vanessa Selbst

Igor Kurganov turns the straight flush against Vanessa Selbst.

9 years ago6,408welovepoker,

Published 9 years ago

Top 5 Vanessa Selbst Hands

5 of the most entertaining hands featuring Vanessa Selbst.

9 years ago5,112welovepoker,

Published 9 years ago

The Big Game - Top 5 hands with analysis

The professionals talk us through their lines of reasoning in these big hands.

10 years ago14,658ThePokerAces,

Published 10 years ago

Vanessa Selbst chops pot with amateur then berates him

Vanessa Selbst clearly isn't one of those people who say you shouldn't berate or abuse the fish at the table!

10 years ago5,379

Published 10 years ago

PCA 2014: Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst

This time last year Vanessa Selbst was recently engaged and about to win a High Roller. Sarah catches up with her about where she ...

Is This Allowed? Genderswap at the WSOP

A female poker player is willing to risk disqualification and play the next year’s WSOP Main Event disguised as a man.

James Obst Quitting Poker To Play Wimbledon

James Obst went after his childhood dream of going pro, not at poker but tennis.

Jason Mercier Leaves PokerStars

In the second big departure of the week, 5-time WSOP bracelet winner Jason Mercier has decided to part ways with PokerStars.

Live Poker Events, 6 years ago

Justice is Blinds Returns With Vanessa Selbst, Olivier Busquet and Ingrid Weber

Vanessa Selbst will host the third edition of her Justice is Blinds, a charity poker event benefiting the non-profit advocacy organization Urban Justice Center.

Live Poker Events, 6 years ago

Maria Lampropoulos Wins PCA Main Event for $1,081,100

Maria Lampropulos navigated through a field of over 500 players to take down the 2018 Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure.

Matusow Criticised by Selbst Over Weinstein Hollywood Tweets

Mike ‘the Mouth’ Matusow was once again at the centre of controversy when he shared his thoughts on the Harvey Weinstein alleged rape and sexual abuse scandal.

Mercier Sees Chance To Cash In On Huge Prop Bets

The stakes got a lot higher though when Vanessa Selbst joined the sweat party. She gave 180-to-1 odds to win three WSOP bracelets this summer. If Mercier takes down three events, he will get $1.8 million.

Negreanu Versus Trump: Hurricane Edition

Negreanu had something to say about the Commander in Chief’s wildly solipsistic handling of the Texas hurricane disaster.

Patrick Leonard Responds to Angle Shoot Accusations

A reasonable explanation and much deeper than the simple ‘scummy angle shoot’ claims which were flying all over the internet.

Phil & Farah Galfond Are Expecting A Baby!

Phil Galfond has had every player waiting with baited breath for updates on RunItOnce poker site – and when it came - it was an entirely unexpected one…