Vanessa Selbst

Childhood

Born on July 9, 1984, in Brooklyn, New York, into a Jewish family, Selbst's early life provided a foundation of intellectual curiosity and academic pursuit. This strong educational background would later prove to be a significant asset in her strategic approach to poker.

Career

Vanessa Selbst began playing poker at Yale, where she sharpened her skills in underground games. After graduating, she earned a Fulbright scholarship to study in Spain and later worked at McKinsey & Company before fully committing to poker.

Her pro career took off in 2006, with her first WSOP bracelet win in 2008. She dominated high-stakes tournaments, becoming the only player to win back-to-back NAPT Main Events (2010-11) and claiming a €1.3M victory at the Partouche Poker Tour. In 2013, she won the PCA High Roller for $1.4M, briefly making her the highest-earning female player.

A trailblazer, she became the only woman to win three WSOP bracelets in open events and reached #1 on the Global Poker Index. After retiring in 2018 for finance, she made occasional returns, cashing in WPT events. Selbst remains one of poker’s most accomplished players.

Personal life

Selbst's personal life reflects her multifaceted interests and commitments. She pursued higher education with rigor, culminating in a J.D. degree from Yale Law School in 2012. Her time at Yale was marked by her involvement in social advocacy, as evidenced by her leadership of the Yale Queer-Straight Alliance.

Revenue

As of her official retirement in 2018, Vanessa Selbst's total live poker tournament winnings exceeded US$11.85 million. Her consistent high-stakes cashes and multiple tournament victories placed her among the top 100 on the overall All Time Money List. She has achieved 21 live poker tournament results with six-figure payouts or higher, demonstrating her ability to consistently perform at the highest levels of the game.

Interesting facts

Selbst is the only woman ranked number one in the world on the Global Poker Index.

She is the only woman to have won three World Series of Poker bracelets in open-field events.

Selbst is the only poker player to have won the same North American Poker Tour Main Event back-to-back (2010 and 2011 at Mohegan Sun).

Her most considerable single tournament cash was €1,300,000 (approximately $1.82 million) for winning the 2010 Partouche Poker Tour.

She holds a law degree from Yale Law School.

Before her full-time poker career, she worked for McKinsey & Company.

Legacy

Vanessa Selbst's legacy in the world of poker is significant. She is widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential female poker players of all time. Her aggressive and strategic playing style challenged conventions and earned her the respect of her peers. Her achievements at the WSOP and on various high-stakes tours have inspired countless aspiring players, particularly women, to pursue their passion for the game. Selbst's success demonstrated that gender is no barrier to achieving the highest levels of accomplishment in poker. Her transition to a successful career in finance after retiring from professional poker further highlights her exceptional intellect and adaptability.