Beth Shak (born November 8, 1969) is an American professional

poker player Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, with varying rules in different places. While the earliest known form of the game was ...

, active in the professional circuit since 2004. Shak is also well known for her philanthropy efforts and extensive shoe collection.

Poker career

During her career, Shak has made it to two World Series of Poker final tables. At her first final table in 2005, she lost to

Jennifer Tilly Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American-Canadian actress and professional poker player. Known for her distinctive breathy voice and comedic timing, she is the recipient of a Saturn Award, and a GLAAD Award, ...

. She placed 8th in the

2005 World Series of Poker The 2005 World Series of Poker opened play on June 2, continuing through the Main Event No Limit World Championship starting on July 7. The conclusion of the Main Event on July 15 marked the close of play, and the largest prize in sports and/or t ...

Ladies' event. At the

2007 World Series of Poker The 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) began on June 1, 2007. The $10,000 ( US) no-limit Texas hold 'em Main Event began on July 6 and was completed on the morning of July 18th. All events were held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las ...

Shak placed 2nd in the $3,000 No-Limit Hold ‘em event. Shak signed on as a Red Pro for Full Tilt Poker in 2007. Shak made it to the final day of Season 5 of the

European Poker Tour The European Poker Tour (EPT) is a series of poker Poker tournament, tournaments created by John Duthie (poker player), John Duthie, winner of the inaugural Poker Million tournament. It began in 2004 as part of the worldwide explosion in Texas ...

(EPT) finishing 31st out of almost 600 players, according to the European Poker Tour season 5 results. As of 2024, her total live tournament winnings exceed $480,000.

Personal life

Shak married to fellow poker player Dan Shak. They later divorced in 2009. On June 9, 2016, Shak married Rick Leventhal in

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

Philanthropy

Shak is the founder and chair of the Deal Me In For Jed Poker Event benefitting The JED Foundation, a non-profit organization working to promote emotional health and prevent suicide among college and university students. Shak and ex-husband Dan co-founded the ''"All in" for Kids Poker Tournament'' in 2008. An annual charity event benefiting the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that ran until 2017. Shak was recognized for her contributions as a celebrity donor for the Wish Upon A Hero Foundation, a charitable organization inspired by the aftermath of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

and the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

Shoe collection

Shak owns approximately 1,200 pairs of shoes, including 700 pairs by designer

Christian Louboutin Christian Louboutin (; born 7 January 1964) is a French fashion designer. His stiletto footwear incorporates shiny, red-lacquered soles that have become his signature. Initially a freelance designer for fashion houses, he started his shoe salo ...

. Shak was featured in the documentary, `God Save My Shoes`, directed by Julie Benasra

Media appearances

References

External links

Hendon Mob profileWSOP profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shak, Beth 20th-century American Jews Living people American female poker players American poker players 1969 births 21st-century American Jews 20th-century American sportswomen