If you want a mix of beauty, intelligence, and No Limit aggression, then the woman you want is Vanessa Rousso. Rousso was born February 5, 1983 in White Plains, NY but spent most of her childhood in Paris, France. As a result, she is a dual citizen of France and the U.S. Her parents divorced when she was 9 and her and her mother moved to the United States.
Throughout here grade school years, Rousso stayed very active with many extracurricular activities besides her academic pursuits. She played Basketball, Softball, and Lacross and was also a member of her school’s debate team. She graduated from high school as Valedictorian and accepted a full scholarship to Duke University in 2001.
At Duke, Rousso still stayed heavily active outside of school while majoring in Economics with a minor in Political Science. She graduated cum-laude in 2004 and entered law school at the University of Miami.
While in law school Rousso started playing more live poker and started to cash in various circuit events and even at the Ladies Event at the 2005 World Series of Poker. 2006 proved to be Rousso’s breakout year in poker. She bubbled the final table at the Five-Star World Poker Classic in 2006, which earned her $263,625. She then signed a sponsorship deal with PokerStars.com and then put together a streak of several cashes before winning a preliminary event at the Borgata Poker Open in September 2006 for $285,450. Shortly after her win at the Borgata, it was announced that she was dating poker pro Chad Brown. They later got engaged and are currently planning their wedding.
After her win at the Borgata, Rousso fell off of the poker map for much of 2007. Other than a 2nd place finish in a televised UPC event, Rousso only had other live cashes for a grand total of around $90,000. It seemed a little of the shine had fallen of the rising stars.
The World Championships of Online Poker are held each year by Pokerstars.com and many top pros will come out and take their shot at the big prize pools and the online bracelets. The Main Event of the WCOOP saw Vanessa Rousso achieve her biggest poker score to date. She made the final table of the event and went on to finish 3rd for $463,940.50. Later, it was discovered that the winner of the event had violated PokerStars rules and was therefore disqualified. As a result, Rousso was awarded 2nd place and her payout now became $700,782.50.
The strong finish at the WCOOP seemed to kick start Rousso as she has had a fantastic 2008 so far. She has had eight cashes this year so far, including a final table at the EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final and her first ever cash in the WSOP Main Event.
In total, Vanessa Rousso sits at around $1 Million in live tournament wins. She is mainly known as a No Limit player but from my personal observation, I have noticed that she is beginning to improve in all facets of poker. It shouldn’t be too long before we see Rousso take down a major poker title or win her first bracelet.
The World Series of Poker Main Event began on Saturday at the Empire Casino in London. 159 players put up £10,000 on this Day 1a to take their shot at this championship, which is the last bracelet of this year. Many of poker’s top names from both the United States and Europe gathered to take their shot at the title. Annette Obrestad is the current defending champion of this event. She became the youngest person in history to win a bracelet last year and the only woman to ever win a WSOP Main Event title.
Big names that participated in today’s event included Andy Bloch, Mike Matusow, Scott Fischman, Andy Black, Erik Seidel, Josh Arieh, Erica Schoenberg, Steve Zolotow, Ross Boatman, Joe Beevers, Phil Hellmuth, Ted Lawson, Kathy Liebert, Vanessa Rousso, Alexander Kravchenko, Chad Brown, Eli Elezra, Freddy Deeb, Patrik Antonius, Max Pascatori, Phil Ivey, David Benyamine, and Howard Lederer.
David Benyamine was the first big name to be eliminated from this Main Event. Apparently he had tangled early on with Andy Bloch and Bloch took around 6,000 of Benyamine’s 20,000 stack before they got tangled in another huge hand. There was a lot of action preflop between the two before the flop fell 4c-4d-6d. Benyamine bet out 2,800 and Bloch raised enough to put Benyamine all-in. Benyamine went into the tank, probably sensing what was about to come. He finally called showing Kc-Ks. As he was probably guessing, Bloch flipped over Ah-Ad. Benyamine was unable to catch a king and his day was done early.
Howard Lederer was the next to exit. Chris Moorman called a raise to 1,000 from Lederer preflop and the flop fell 9-6-3. Moorman checked and Lederer bet 1,500. Moorman check-raised to 4,800 and Lederer called. When the turn fell a 7, Moorman bet enough to put Lederer all-in and Lederer called. Moorman showed pocket sixes for a set of sixes and Lederer showed pocket aces. The river was a blank, and Lederer headed for the door.
One interesting note was that the seat formerly occupied by David Benyamine was shortly replaced by Erica Schoenberg. Schoenberg is the fiancé of David Benyamine. Also apparently the crews over in Europe aren’t quite sure who Phil Hellmuth is. An intern with ESPN asked Phil Hellmuth to fill out a player profile sheet, which is kind of funny considering that there shouldn’t be a poker fan out there that doesn’t know who he is.
It took a while for the next big name to fall by the wayside, but finally Layne Flack was all in with Ah-Kc against Ac-10s. The flop fell 10c-9c-10h, leaving Flack drawing thin. He was drawing dead after the 8c fell on the turn. Mike Matusow was among the early chip leaders after knocking out Finnish rocker Voittlo Rintala. Around the mid point of the day, Matusow had 75,000 chips.
I’m not sure why Odin is pissed right now, but he must be, because Thor Hansen had a really bad beat put on him at the river. Hansen and Liebert were all in against Liya Gerasimova after a pre-flop raising war. Hansen held Jc-Jd, Liebert held Qc-Qh, Gerasimova held Kh-Kd. Hansen was far behind and fell behind further on the flop of Ad-10h-3d. It must have seemed that Odin smiled upon Hansen when the Jh hit the river, giving Hansen a set. Odin was clearly just teasing Hansen, because the fell the Ks, giving Liebert a straight, and sending Hansen home. Why Odin, why?
Barny Boatman was eliminated later in the day when he moved all in with pocket 10’s. Isaac Haxton had limped in pre-flop with pocket aces and made the call. The board missed both players and Boatman is done. Linda Lee will not be making another final table at this WSOP Europe. She was all in with pocket sixes against the pocket tens of Praz Bansi. Neither player hit the board and Lee was eliminated. Eli Elezra was one of the short stacks the entire day and had survived a few all-in’s. Finally he went all-in with 7h-8h and was called by Andy Bloch who was holding A-K. An ace hit the board, and Elezra hit the bricks.
Phil Hellmuth had been grinding for the better part of the day himself. Earlier in the day he was all the way down to 4,000 after losing to a set holding pocket aces. He had moved up a little over 10,000 and had hovered around there most of the evening. During the last level, Hellmuth was in the big blind and was raised by the small blind. Hellmuth then moved over the top all-in. The call to the small blind was 8,000. After tanking for a while, the small blind made the call. Hellmuth flipped over Ad-Kc and the small blind showed As-Qd. Hellmuth had his opponent dominated. The flop came with two kings on it to give Hellmuth a set. With the hand, he doubled up to 24,800 and remained alive for Day 2. Hellmuth was head saying, “That’s what I’ve been waiting for and I have them dominated. That’s the first time I’ve been all in today.”
Josh Arieh was among the chip leaders when he ran into a big hand against Scott Montgomery. Montgomery went all in preflop for around 40,000 chips and Arieh inexplicably made the call with Ac-Jd. Montgomery flipped over As-Kc. An ace hit both players when the flop fell 7s-5h-Ad. The turn and river fell running 8’s and Arieh was reduced to 43,000 in chips.
86 players remain out of the 159 players that started this Day 1a. Many pros were eliminated on this first day including big names such as Phil Ivey, Max Pescatori, and Patrik Antonius. Justin “BoostedJ” Smith is the Day 1a chip leader with 158,925 in chips. Andy Bloch finished third in chips and will enter Day 2 with 97,100. Many top names remain in contention for this title and Day 2 should prove interesting. Day 1b will commence at 1pm Sunday London Time.
110 players put up £2,500 each to take a shot at the World Series of Poker Europe H.O.R.S.E. event. H.O.R.S.E. is a rotation game consisting of limit holdem, limit Omaha 8 or better, limit razz, limit seven card stud, and limit stud 8 or better. Each game is dealt for 8 hands before switching. Top name pros participating in today’s event include Roland De Wolfe, Chad Brown, Andy Black, Layne Flack, Jens Voertmann, Thor Hansen, Dave “DevilFish” Ulliott, Vanessa Rousso, Erik Seidel, Allen Cunningham, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, David Benyamine, Mike Matusow, John Juanda, Andy Bloch, John Phan, Barry Greenstein, Gus Hansen, Phil Hellmuth, and Phil Ivey. Doyle Brunson was also spotted in the field, making his first appearance at this WSOP Europe.
Play progressed somewhat slow to begin with but soon picked up as the structure for this even seems a little fast. Phil Ivey took down a nice three way pot during a stud 8 round against Jason Newitt and Thomas Bihl. Ivey led the action on fourth and fifth streets. Bihl caught a pair of queens on sixth, and bet out showing a board of (X-X)Jc-9s-Qd-Qc. Ivey raised showing a board of (X-X) 6c-5s-6s-Jd. Newitt folded. Seventh Street was dealt face down and Bihl checked to Ivey, who fired out a bet. Bihl made the call. Ivey showed 6d-5c for his down cards for the full house and Bihl mucked. At this point in the event, Ivey was around 18,000 in chips.
Several tables had very strong lineups but none compared to table 8. Table 8 had Doyle Brunson, Chad Brown, Max Pescatori, Thor Hansen, John Juanda, Chris Bjorn, Jean-Robert Bellande, Robert Wiliamson III, and some unknown guy. Oh wait, the unknown guy is the dealer.
Chad Brown ended up being the first big name eliminated from today’s H.O.R.S.E. event. In an Omaha 8 or better round, Chad Brown made it two bets to go on a flop of 5h-2c-7h. Both Robert Williamson III and Jean-Robert Bellande made the call. The turn of the Qc and the river of the 10h were checked down. Williamson showed 8h-6c-3s-Ac for the nut low and Bellande showed 6d-3h-2h-Kc for the flush. Brown mucked his hand and headed out of the tournament area.
Andy Black was the next big name to hit the door. During a stud round, Black made a raise on Fourth Street showing a (X-X) Jd-4h. The original bettor, Ivo Donev, made the call showing (X-X) Jh-5s. Black caught a 3c on fifth and Donev caught the 3s. They both checked. On sixth, Donev fired out a bet after catching an Ah. Black only had three 25 denomination chips and made the call after catching the 2c. Donev showed Js-9h for a pair of jacks. Black showed A-Q for a wheel draw. Donev caught a nine on the river for jacks up and Black only caught a king, and Andy faded to Black.
Phil Hellmuth has been really holding his own today. He has been near the top of the chip lead for most of the session. In an Omaha 8 hand between himself, Layne Flack, and Neal Friets, Hellmuth bet out on a board of 5h-6s-4h-6d and Flack moved all in. Hellmuth and Friets called along. The river fell the Jd and Hellmuth bet out. Friets made the call. Friets showed 2s-3d-9c-7s for a seven high straight and a 6 low. Hellmuth then flipped over Ac-3c-6h-6c for quad sixes and second nut low. Flack commented, “Quad sixes and the second nut low, is that all you got?” He then mucked his hand and departed from the tournament area.
Shortly afterwards Mike “the Mouth” Matusow started razzing Hellmuth about the fact that Hellmuth has not won a bracelet in a non-holdem event. This is actually true. Hellmuth has 11 gold bracelets, but all in one form of holdem or another. Norman Chad has been quoted as saying, “He is a one trick pony, but boy, what a trick.”
H.O.R.S.E. is not the only thing being played today. During the breaks Mike Matusow, Doyle Brunson, John Juanda, and Phil Hellmuth decided to play some $1,000 a point Chinese Poker. Unfortunately for Matusow, he didn’t win a hand. The crowd could hear his tirade across the room after the break.
Thor Hansen again could not summon help from Odin and busted out from today’s event, although we do not have the details of his bustout. Dave “DevilFish” Ulliott busted out shortly after losing a big stud pot against Gary Jones “ace high.” Michael Binger was eliminated by David Williams when Binger’s buried queens could not outdraw Williams split aces. Chris Ferguson and Mike “Timex” McDonald were also casualties of the last level.
After a 12 and ½ hour session, the first day of the H.O.R.S.E. event concluded with Phil Ivey in the lead. This should come as a shock to noone since Ivey is considered by many to be the best overall poker player alive. In a shocking development to all, Phil Hellmuth is in second place with 54,200 chips. Woody Deck is third in chips at 37,500. Daniel Negreanu and Howard Lederer are both hovering around the 30,000 chip mark. At present it appears that Richard Ashby is the short stack at 3,200 in chips. For some unknown reason, Mike Matusow did not report the amount of chips he had remaining, but he is indeed still in this event. It also appears that Doyle Brunson busted somewhere around the end of the day, but we do not have any information on how this occurred.
56 players survived Day 1 of this £2,500 H.O.R.S.E. event. Tomorrow promises to be a long day as we are expected to play to the final table. With the fast structure of play, expect a lot of early bustouts and then play to slow to a grind as we approach the money bubble. Only 16 players will be paid in this event with 16th place paying £4,812. The winner of this event will take £76,999 and the coveted gold bracelet. Day 2 of this event will start Sunday at 2 p.m.
