Vanessa Selbst - Bio

A Yale University graduate, Vanessa Selbst began playing poker with her friends during her freshman year in college. After honing her game in cash games at the Foxwoods poker room, Selbst developed a super-aggressive style.

At the 2006 World Series of Poker, Selbst took her first real shot at big tournaments and made the final table of a $2,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em event. In 2007, Selbst finished third in the $5,000 buy-in World Championship heads up no-limit hold'em event and final tabled the ladies event. She continued cashing in major tournaments and took down a ladies event at the L.A. Poker Classic. She also came in second at the first-ever World Poker Tour Ladies Championship.

Ready to improve on her previous WSOP performances, Selbst snagged her first bracelet in 2008 in the $1,500 buy-in pot-limit Omaha event for almost $228,000. She followed that win with another third-place finish in the World Championship heads up no-limit hold'em event. Since the buy-in was upped to $10,000, her piece of the prize pool was more than $108,000.