In a lot of ways poker tournaments are like golf tournaments. A large number of players enter the field, and the best players don’t win every time. Well tell that to, Vanessa Selbst, who just made history by winning the Mohegan Sun tournament back to back to take home $450,000. In 2010, in this same Mohegan Sun tournament, Selbst beat a field of 716 to win $750,000. This feat of winning back-to-back major live poker events is unprecedented.
Selbst is the first player in the six years of NAPT history to win back to back titles. No one in the 9 year history of the WPT has won the same tournament twice, let alone back to back titles. While not as legendary as Johnny Chan winning back to back WSOP titles, in today’s world of bloated tournament fields, highly trained professionals, and slight edges, Selbst’s accomplishment deserves a slow and steady standing ovation. We’re only in April and Selbst’s repeat Mohegan Sun titles will surely be one of the biggest poker accomplishments of 2011.
This win takes Selbst’s lifetime tournament winnings to $4,115,800 and moves her to third on the all-time women’s money list, behind Annie Duke and Kathy Liebert. Selbst’s signature poker style is super aggressive when the stacks get deep and the money is on the line. For her aggressive play, Selbst’s live tournament results have been absolutely spectacular the last two years. Next year we have our fingers crossed for a historical Vanessa Selbst Mohegan Sun three-peat.
Places & Payouts:
1st: Vanessa Selbst – $450,000
2nd: Dan Shak – $254,000
3rd: Tyler Kenney – $170,000
4th: Thomas Hoglund Jr – $120,000
5th: Vincent Rubianes – $90,000
6th: Joe Tehan – $70,000
7th: Aaron Overton – $50,000
8th: Steve O’Dwyer – $32,330