Vanessa Selbst

{{Short description|American poker player (born 1984)}}

{{BLP sources|date=September 2018}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox person

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|7|9}}

|name = Vanessa Selbst

|image = Vanessa Selbst.jpg

|caption = Selbst after winning the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event at the 2008 World Series of Poker

|occupation = Trader

|employer = Jane Street Capital

|alma_mater = Yale University (BA, JD)

|module = {{Infobox poker player

|embed = yes

|wsop bracelet count = 3

|wsop final tables = 8

|wsop money finishes = 20

|wsop main event best finish rank = 73rd

|wsop main event best finish year = 2012

|wpt titles = None

|wpt final tables = 2

|wpt money finishes = 3

|ept titles = None

|ept final tables = None

|ept money finishes = 4

|updated = 2014-07-16

}}

}}

Vanessa K. Selbst (born July 9, 1984) is a poker player, the only woman to ever reach the number one ranking in the world on the Global Poker Index.{{cite web|url=http://www.globalpokerindex.com/poker-players/vanessa-selbst-68149/ |title=Vanessa Selbst's profile on GPI |publisher=GlobalPokerIndex.com |access-date=May 31, 2014}} She has over US$11.8 million in live poker tournament earnings and used to be a member of Team Pokerstars Pro, where she plays under the username "V. Selbst".

Selbst has three World Series of Poker bracelets and is the only woman to win three WSOP bracelets in open field events.{{Cite web |last=Fast |first=Erik |date=May 30, 2014 |title=Vanessa Selbst Wins Third World Series of Poker Gold Bracelet In $25,000 Mixed-Max No-Limit Hold'Em |url=http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/17306-vanessa-selbst-wins-third-world-series-of-poker-gold-bracelet-in-25-000-mixed-max-no-limit-hold-em |access-date=May 31, 2014 |website=CardPlayer.com}} She is also the only poker player to win the same North American Poker Tour Main Event back-to-back.{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2010 |title=2010 PokerStars.net NAPT Mohegan Sun Main Event – 2010 PokerStars.net NAPT Mohegan Sun |url=https://www.pokernews.com/tours/napt/2010-napt-mohegan-sun/main-event/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=April 13, 2011 |title=Main Event – 2011 North American Poker Tour Mohegan Sun |url=https://www.pokernews.com/tours/napt/2011-north-american-poker-tour-mohegan-sun/main-event/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}} In January 2013 Selbst won the PCA high roller for $1.4 million, which made her the highest-earning woman in poker history.{{Cite web |last=Willis |first=Brad |date=January 14, 2013 |title=2013 PCA: Vanessa Selbst becomes top-earning female tournament player |url=http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2013/2013-pca-vanessa-selbst-becomes-all-time-125882.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116034349/http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2013/2013-pca-vanessa-selbst-becomes-all-time-125882.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |access-date=August 9, 2017 |website=PokerStarsBlog.com}} Her results put her in the top 100 of the overall All Time Money List, with career tournament winnings just shy of $12 million.{{cite web |last1=Peckaitis |first1=Tadas |title=What Ever Happened To Vanessa Selbst? |url=https://www.casino.org/blog/what-ever-happened-to-vanessa-selbst/ |website=Casino.org |date=March 7, 2021 |access-date=March 7, 2021}}

Selbst was born in Brooklyn, New York, into a Jewish family.{{Cite web |date=May 20, 2016 |title=Vanessa Selbst Wins $1 Million Prize At Super High Roller Celebrity Shootout |url=http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/08/11/vanessa-selbst-wins-1-million-prize-at-super-high-roller-celebrity-shootout/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |website=Jewish Business News}} She attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a year{{cite web | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1111471/3/index.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130213083207/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1111471/3/index.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 13, 2013 | title = Online And Obsessed | access-date = June 12, 2012 | last = Habib | first = Daniel G. | date = May 30, 2005 | work = SI.com | publisher = sportsillustrated.cnn.com}} before transferring to Yale University, where she graduated with a degree in political science. After Yale, on a Fulbright scholarship, she spent a year in Spain. On her return to the United States, she worked for consulting firm McKinsey & Company. She later returned to Yale Law School and received her J.D. degree in 2012. During her time at Yale University, she was head of the Yale Queer-Straight Alliance.{{cite web | url = http://www.epicpoker.com/poker/players/bios/v/vanessa-selbst/bio.aspx | title = Vanessa Selbst biography | access-date = June 12, 2012 | work = epicpoker.com}} Selbst was a coach and executive producer for DeucesCracked, an online poker training site.{{Cite web |last=Dalla |first=Nolan |title=Event #19: Pot-Limit Omaha championship – Vanessa Selbst from Brooklyn, NY Wins! |url=http://games.aol.com/canvases/wsop/_a/event-19-pot-limit-omaha-championship/20080613113509990001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624065044/http://games.aol.com/canvases/wsop/_a/event-19-pot-limit-omaha-championship/20080613113509990001 |archive-date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=June 16, 2008 |website=AOL.com}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/players/vanessa_selbst_1/2013/vanessa-selbst-performs-ultimate-double--141540.html |title=Vanessa Selbst Performs Ultimate Double-Range Merge |publisher=PokerStarsBlog |date=September 12, 2013 |access-date=June 1, 2014 |archive-date=December 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230235450/http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/players/vanessa_selbst_1/2013/vanessa-selbst-performs-ultimate-double--141540.html |url-status=dead }}