Famous Poker Players:
Vanessa Rousso

Well guys, it's time to take a look at another poker hottie gal--this one's been in "Sports Illustrated" in a swimsuit, in fact! This gal is not only a beauty among female poker players, she's a fast-rising star among professional poker players and destined to become one of the world's famous poker players. I give you Vanessa "Lady Maverick" Rousso, speaker of three languages.

The Lady Maverick was born in White Plains, NY, but then wound up growing up in Paris, France. After her parents divorced, she came back to the United States when she was 10 and for a time she and her mom were something of nomads, living all up and down the East Coast and a few other places. Eventually, they settled in Wellington, FL.

Always an overachiever and known for achieving her personal objectives in Speed Racer time frames, Vanessa was found to be an academic standout in her high school--in fact, she was her class valedictorian and received a full scholarship to Duke University. Once at Duke, she decided that four years was far too long to take to get a degree, so she got her Bachelor's in just two-and-a-half years. While at Duke, she majored in economics, minored in political science, and found herself fascinated by game theory. In order to practice her game theory knowledge, she took up chess and backgammon. But then, she rediscovered a game that her game-oriented family had started teaching her when she was five years old: poker.

Poker brought together game theory mathematics and psychology in the perfect blend to appeal to the Lady Maverick's intellectual tastes, so she started playing the game in avidly, usually online, while she applied at different places to attend law school. (By the way, she now has her law degree as well as her poker career, guys...so don't try any dealing off the bottom of the deck with her, or you'll be sued out of a bank account!)

She finally went to the University of Miami and, turning 21 while there, started playing live poker for money. With the Hard Rock Seminole Casino just a short drive down the highway, Vanessa became a regular, as she built her bankroll and gained needed experience playing $65 single-table sit-'n'-goes. Then, in May of 2005, having completed her first year of law school, she traveled to New Orleans and won a cool $6, 400 in a World Series of Poker side event. That Summer, she entered the World Series of Poker, cashing 45th in the ladies event and winning another event to give her a few thousand dollars more.

Even though she continued going to law school, Vanessa was now playing poker whenever possible. In 2006, she was the winningest female poker player in professional tournaments for the year. This included a win of $17,550 in No-Limit Hold'em Event at Atlantic City's Harrah's Casino WSOP-Circuit stop, three cashes at that year's WSOP, and a win of $285, 540 at the Borgota Poker Open's $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event.

Now only 26, this beauty among female poker players has earned over $2 million already. Yes, she achieves her objectives fast. She will be one of the world's famous poker players before she's through.

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