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Brian Rast is an American professional poker player and a 2023 Poker Hall of Fame inductee. A master of mixed games and high-stakes survival, Rast is one of only two players to have won the prestigious $50,000 Poker Players Championship three times. His reputation as a “generalist” who can compete at an elite level in any format has made him a permanent fixture in the world’s most exclusive poker circles.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings surpassing $29,585,000 (according to The Hendon Mob), Rast ranks among the top 20 on the United States All-Time Money List. His career-best live score of $7,525,000 came from his victory in the inaugural 2015 Super High Roller Bowl at the Aria. Rast is a 7-time WSOP bracelet winner, achieving his seventh title in the 2025 $10,000 Razz Championship after a miraculous short-stack comeback. He is a three-time champion of the $50,000 Poker Players Championship (2011, 2016, 2023) and also holds a World Poker Tour title from the 2013 WPT Five Diamond $100K High Roller. His sustained success across the Triton Poker Series and PGT circuit contributes to an estimated poker net worth of over $30 million.
Biography & Poker Background
Born in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Poway, California, Rast was a standout student who attended Stanford University. It was during his college years that he discovered poker, eventually dropping out to pursue the game full-time after building a substantial bankroll. Starting as an online cash game specialist under the handle “tsarrast,” he quickly transitioned to the live arena, becoming a protégé of poker legends Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari. Known for his intellectual approach, Rast spent years grinding the high-stakes games in Macau and Las Vegas, earning a reputation for having “steel balls” in the world’s largest cash games. In 2023, his career reached its pinnacle when he was voted into the Poker Hall of Fame.
Play Style & Strategy
Rast is celebrated for being a “true generalist,” possessing a world-class understanding of every poker variant, from No-Limit Hold’em to Razz and 2-7 Triple Draw. His strategy is built on extreme discipline and a “calm under fire” demeanor that allows him to navigate high-stress final tables with technical precision. Unlike many specialists who rely solely on solvers, Rast emphasizes the psychological and physical elements of the game, a skill set he honed in the high-stakes cash games of Macau. He is particularly renowned for his short-stack strategy and his ability to remain competitive against younger GTO-focused generations by constantly evolving his mixed-game foundations.
Social Media & Online Presence
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