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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.
Official Website
Vanessa Selbst PokerWikipedia
Vanessa SelbstWorld Series Of Poker
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Vanessa SelbstPublished 13 years ago
NAPT Mohegan Sun: Vanessa SelbstNAPT Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT, April 2010. Highlights from Vanessa Selbts dominating performance at the Main Event final table.
Published 14 years ago
NAPT Mohegan Sun 2010: Champion Vanessa SelbstCongratulations to Vanessa Selbst, the newest PokerStars.net North American Poker Tour Champion after taking down a field of 716 p...
Published 9 years ago
Meet the Pokerstars Proteges 2014Joe Stapleton introduces the winners of the 2014 WCOOP protege competition who are also joined by the Pokerstars team pros.
Published 7 years ago
Math or Instinct - Vanessa Selbst InterviewAmazing interview with Pokerstars Team Pro Vanessa Selbst from the 2017 Pokerstars Championship Bahamas
Published 9 years ago
Kurganov straight flush vs Vanessa SelbstIgor Kurganov turns the straight flush against Vanessa Selbst.
Published 11 years ago
EPT9 London: Vanessa SelbstTeam PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst is now the highest earning female poker player of all time.
Published 9 years ago
EPT11 Prague - Vanessa Selbst Catches BreakVanessa Selbst catches a lucky break in a big pot
Published 9 years ago
EPT Prague - Kanit at Risk vs Vanessa SelbstMustapha Kanit at risk but ahead against Vanessa Selbst
Published 8 years ago
EPT Barcelona - Selbst Owns NikovTeam Pokerstars Pro Vanessa Selbst goes for maximum value against Dobromir Nikov in this hand from the feature table of the 2011 E...
Published 11 years ago
EPT 8 Barcelona - Nikov vs SelbstDobromir Nikov (Bulgaria) and Vanessa Selbst (USA) in action at EPT Barcelona, September 2011
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