Brian Rast

Brian Rast was born on November 8, 1981, in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Poway, California. He graduated as valedictorian from Poway High School in 2000 and attended Stanford University. He began playing poker at the Stanford Poker Club in spring 2003 and soon dropped out in 2004 to pursue poker full-time after a successful first summer.

Known online as 'tsarrast', Rast primarily played cash games on Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars. Although he played few tournaments online, he achieved notable results: third in the FTOPS III Main Event for $114,203.50 (2007), third in the PokerStars Sunday Million for $73,490 (2008), and third in a $2,100 NLHE SCOOP event for $155,600 (2016). He also produced training videos for Poker VT and RunItOnce.

Rast made his first WSOP cash in 2005. He has won seven WSOP bracelets:

• 2011: $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em ($227,232) and $50,000 Players Championship ($1,720,328), defeating Phil Hellmuth heads-up for the second bracelet. The Players Championship field of 128 players competed in eight-game mix before switching to no-limit hold'em for the final table. Rast overcame a 5-1 chip deficit heads-up to capture the David 'Chip' Reese memorial trophy.
• 2016: $50,000 Players Championship ($1,296,097), beating Justin Bonomo heads-up.
• 2018: $10,000 No-Limit 2–7 Lowball Draw Championship ($259,670).
• 2020: Event details not fully specified, but Rast won his fifth bracelet.
• 2021: Sixth bracelet in an undisclosed event.
• 2023: $50,000 Poker Players Championship ($1,324,747), making him one of only two players to win the event three times (alongside Michael Mizrachi). He also became the third player to win the $50,000 Players Championship more than once.

Other notable WSOP results include:

• 6th place in the 2012 $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop ($1,621,333)
• 9th place in 2008 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha with Rebuys ($84,863)
• 14th in 2009 $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($128,665)
• 537th in 2010 WSOP Main Event ($24,079)
• 6th in 2012 $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Re-entry ($137,632)
• 2nd in 2024 $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Eight Max ($1,497,824)
• 24th in 2024 WSOP Main Event
• 2nd in 2025 $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. ($586,539)
• 4th in 2026 $10,000 Eight Game Mixed Six Max ($132,880)
• 18th in 2026 $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo ($6,016)
• 25th in 2026 $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. ($20,210)

Rast's largest career cash came in 2015 when he won the inaugural $500,000 Super High Roller Bowl, earning $7,525,000. This event, organized by Poker Central, featured a 43-player field and remains his biggest single tournament score. In 2023, he won the PGT Mixed Games Championship in February 2026, adding to his high-stakes resume.

In 2023, Brian Rast was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame at age 41, one year after becoming eligible. He was recognized for his sustained excellence at the highest levels of tournament and cash game poker, particularly in mixed games. The induction placed him among legends of the game.

Rast is widely regarded as one of the most versatile players in poker. He excels in mixed games, as evidenced by his three wins in the $50,000 Players Championship, which features an eight-game rotation. His ability to switch between no-limit hold'em, Omaha, stud, and lowball variants has been a key to his success. Rast is also known for his analytical approach and has contributed training content for aspiring players through Poker VT and RunItOnce.

Rast married Juliana Karla Carlos da Silva in 2011. The couple resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, and does not have children. Outside poker, Rast is a vocal advocate for cryptocurrency, particularly Ethereum and Bitcoin, and has invested significantly in the space. He is active on social media under the handle @tsarrast, where he occasionally discusses politics and crypto.

As of 2025, Brian Rast's live tournament earnings exceed $29.5 million, placing him among the top 35 on the all-time money list. His winnings include over $12.6 million at the World Series of Poker alone. He has 173 recorded cashes as of 2026, with 23 WSOP final tables. His total earnings from online and live events are estimated to be significantly higher when including cash game profits.

Rast continues to compete at the highest levels. In 2025, he narrowly missed an eighth bracelet, finishing runner-up in the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. at the WSOP. In early 2026, he won the PGT Mixed Games Championship, demonstrating his ongoing dominance in mixed formats. He also cashed in multiple events at the 2026 WSOP, including a fourth-place finish in the $10,000 Eight Game Mixed Six Max.

In 2016, Brian Rast participated in a charity boxing match against fellow poker professional Sorel Mizzi. The fight, part of a poker industry event, ended with Mizzi winning by decision after a competitive bout. The match garnered significant media coverage and highlighted Rast's competitive spirit beyond the poker table.

While Rast has not won a World Poker Tour (WPT) main event title, he has recorded two final tables and eight WPT cashes. His best WPT finish came in Event 2 of the 2008 World Poker Fest, where he placed 7th. His total WPT earnings exceed $357,000. Rast's versatility extends to WPT events, though his focus has been primarily on WSOP and high-roller tournaments.