Vanessa Selbst has defeated Kevin Pollak to win the winner takes all $1m prize in the Super High Roller Celebrity Shootout, and Vanessa Rousso makes it to the last 11 in Big Brother 11.
Vanessa Selbst is $1m richer after taking down the winner takes all prize at the Super High Roller Celebrity Shootout.
The made for TV show is currently being aired on NBC Sports and will be shown on the only TV show dedicated to poker, Poker Central, when it opens for business Oct 1.
The format saw five celebrities, and five professional poker players, play in two five-max Sit n Go’s. The winner of each match faced off in a best of three heads-up matches for the million dollar first prize.
57-year old actor, Kevin Pollak, came out on top of a field that comprised of Hank Azaria, Don Cheadle, Norm Macdonald and Brad Garrett, and Vanessa Selbst did likewise from her heat containing Doyle Brunson, Antonio Esfandiari, Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu. Selbst went on to beat Pollak in the heads-up confrontation.
Selbst’s victory means she has now earned $11.6m in live tournament earnings, catapulting her above the likes of Joseph Cheong, Bertrand Grospellier, Tom Marchese, Peter Eastgate, Sorel Mizzi, Greg Merson, Mike McDonald and Allen Cunningham to nestle nicely in 20th place in the Hendon Mob all-time live tournament charts.
The three-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner has been in California, alongside Daniel Negreanu, where she has been promoting the game and raising support for a fully regulated and legalized iPoker network in the state.
On 29 Sep she will host a charity event in Manhattan’s Current in Chelsea called Blinds & Justice. All proceeds will go towards the Urban Justice Center. A non-profit that serves the vulnerable and needy residents of New York City – offering legal aid, system advocacy and education. Selbst serves as a board member for the entity.
Vanessa Rousso Remains in Big Brother
For fans that don’t have access to CBS, you will be interested to hear that Vanessa Rousso remains in the Big Brother household.
The reality TV show started with 17 contestants. There are 11 left. The last man/woman standing will walk away with $500,000. Interestingly, nobody in the house is aware that Rousso is a professional poker player. That includes LA poker dealer Da’Vonne Rogers.
Going into the house Rousso said she was a, ‘game theorist and strategist at heart’ and that the opportunity to enter the house was ‘an exciting idea.’
“Being in the house for 100 days will be my biggest mental challenge,” Rousso told reporters before going into the house. “I will need mental endurance, to make good decisions and avoid being overly emotional.”
Rousso said her game plan was to avoid telling them she was a professional poker player, but would be honest about her girlfriend Mel, whom she said she has been dating for two-years.
