Melanie Weisner

Biography

Melanie Weisner is an American professional poker player from Houston, Texas. She is known as one of the best female players on the live poker tournament circuit as well as a heads-up and a Sit'N'Go expert. Weisner has a number of ladies' event wins to her name as well as big money finishes in some of the most prestigious heads-up tournaments.

Intro

Weisner was born in 1986. She started playing poker while studying vocal performance at New York University. Weisner's interest in the game was triggered by her younger brother's success playing online. She then started playing poker with her friends and soon appeared at the online tables as well under the nickname “Callisto 5”.

Background

Before she started playing poker Weisner attended the High School for Performing and Visual Arts and doing ballet in a prestigious ballet academy in her hometown of Houston, Texas. She then studied vocal performance at New York University. Weisner entered her first live poker tournament in 2009 which was the $500 No-Limit Hold'em / Deep Stack event at the United States Poker Championship in Atlantic City. She placed fourth in that tournament collecting just over $7,000.

World Series of Poker

Weisner first cashed in the World Series of Poker in 2010 when she collected almost $18,000 in prize money for the 32nd place finish in the $10,000 Heads Up Championship. She collected another money finish that very same summer, while her 2011 World Series was even more successful. Weisner cashed in five events in that WSOP and added another money finish a few months later at the WSOP Europe. It was in 2011 that Weisner scored her best WSOP result when she placed 14th in the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event for almost $25,000. She then collected three more cashes at the 2012 World Series.

Melanie Weisner's Top 5 WSOP Results

World Poker Tour

Weisner has two World Poker Tour money finishes to her name, both of which she scored at the WPT Johannesburg in October, 2012. She first finished in 33rd place in the $500 No-Limit Hold'em event taking home $1,187 and then just a few days later Weisner won the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed tournament taking home $41,289 in cash.

European Poker Tour

Weisner made her European Poker Tour debut by winning the EPT Prague Ladies Event in 2009 which was only her second live tournament money finish. The European circuit has so far been the most successful one for Weisner as she scored 15 of her live event cashes in EPT events. Weisner has a total of two EPT side event wins, both of which came in ladies events. She also made a total of seven EPT final tables.

Melanie Weisner's Top 6 EPT Results

Other Achievements

Apart from her EPT, WSOP, and WPT cashes Weisner also has a couple of final table finishes in some other tournament circuits as well. In 2009 she finished fourth at the United States Poker Championship's $500 No-Limit Hold'em / Deep Stack event taking home $7,140. Then in September, 2010 she finished runner-up in the €2,700 No-Limit Hold'em / Heads Up tournament at the Partouche Poker Tour's Main Event for €23,000. Then in November Weisner scored a sixth place finish at the NAPT's $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em event in Los Angeles collecting $7,665.

Sponsorship

In the past Weisner used to wear Full Tilt Poker colors in live tournaments and play online poker on the site. Then after Full Tilt's seizure in June, 2011 Weisner left the team and after a while signed a sponsorship deal with another poker site, Lock Poker.

Did you know?

• Weisner was named EPT's Season 8 Head-Up Player of the Year.
• She is the only player to ever win two EPT Ladies Championship events.