Vanessa Selbst left the professional poker market nearly two years ago – but, it seems like she couldn’t stay away for long. This week, she’s been spotted playing in the Borgata Poker Open, where she has finished in 15th place.
When asked why she’s chosen to return to the poker world for this event, she casually replied:
“It was close to home, and I love this tournament. So, I decided to give it a whirl”.
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A Long and Prosperous Poker Career
Selbst enjoyed a successful poker career for 12 years. During that time, she amassed over $11 million in tournament winnings. She has three WSOP bracelets to her name, and is one of the most well-respected players in the game.
Known for her aggressive playing style, Selbst challenges her opponents and has taken down some of the best players in the game. She’s the only woman to have made it to the Number 1 spot of the Global Poker Index.
While she has yet to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, I can imagine it’s something that’s bound to happen in the future. After all, you have to be 40-years-old to be eligible and Selbst is just 35.
Even if she continues to only play poker occasionally, it’s likely that she’ll be considered. As one of the most successful female poker players of all time, Selbst has certainly had a significant impact on the poker market. She fits all of the criteria and, even in retirement, it’s likely that she’ll “stand the test of time”; especially since we always make a fuss whenever she returns to play tournaments from time to time.
Selbst’s 2018 Retirement
Back in January 2018, Vanessa Selbst announced her retirement from professional poker. She stated that her passion for the game had started to wane, as poker started to feel more like work and she became less inclined to put in the hours required to remain a top poker professional.
It wasn’t a cushy retired lifestyle that awaited her, though. Selbst moved on to an even more challenging career, managing a hedge fund.
The first time she returned to poker was during the 2018 World Series of Poker. It was only about half a year after she retired and she, unfortunately, failed to cash in the event.
This time around, she was much more successful. In a pool of over 1,100 runners, Selbst finished in 14th place and landed herself a prize worth $39,950.
About the Borgata Poker Open
The Borgata Poker Open is an exciting event with a $3,500 buy-in. This year, David Maloney won the Borgata Poker Open, earning $616,186 in prize money. Second place went to Uke Dauti with just over $410,000 while Kevin Albers received £303,000 for his third place finish. The rest of the final table runners received payouts ranging from $61,000 to $227,000.
Over the course of her career, Selbst has cashed in the Borgata Poker Open three times, but she’s never won the event. The closest she came was landing in second place in 2013, receiving a prize worth $492,000.
While she didn’t take down the tournament this year, she netted a decent prize. It’s her second-largest payout from a major event at the Borgata, so it’s definitely worth celebrating.
It’s always a pleasure to see Vanessa Selbst back at the felt. Since she’s only playing recreationally at the moment, it will likely be a while before she returns again, but hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.
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Bethany has been working in online gambling for over 13 years. She got her start in the industry as her first job after graduating from the Professional Writing Program at York University. Having written for many online gaming publications and worked with top casino operators, she has unique insight into the gambling market. Bethany maintains a personal interest in iGaming as she continues to play poker online as a hobby.