Risky Business with Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova Best of Risky Business: Life After Poker (with Vanessa Selbst)
Jan 3, 2026
Vanessa Selbst, a former top-ranked poker player and now a quantitative trader at Jane Street, shares her fascinating journey from the poker table to finance. She reveals how televised bluffs shaped her reputation and strategic approaches in the game. The conversation dives into the psychology of decision-making and how her poker skills translate to trading. Vanessa also recounts a humorous story about keeping a stash of pennies at her first finance job, highlighting the quirky moments of her transition. Reflecting on her legacy, she discusses women in poker and her future pursuits.
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Reputation Changes The Game
- Being on TV created a durable public image that changed how opponents played against Vanessa.
- She exploited that reputation by tightening preflop and using occasional aggression to maximize profit.
Time Amplifies Emotion In Decisions
- Decision time often shifts choices from analytic to emotional modes in poker.
- Vanessa argues long tanking invites emotion and reduces the ratio of math to emotion in decisions.
Exploit Opponents' Familiarity Gaps
- Identify where your edge comes from and exploit opponents' predictable mistakes rather than chasing perfect GTO.
- Put rivals into unfamiliar spots repeatedly to extract larger edges.
