When the nominations were announced for this year’s Global Poker Awards, one name many poker fans were hoping to see was Rania Nasreddine. The popular player, who reached two EPT final tables in the past 12 months and has risen to prominence, was a lock. Indeed, her nomination as the Breakout Player of the Year caught no-one by surprise and many expect her to receive the trophy in Las Vegas later in February. We caught up with the rising star to find out what is pushing her along a journey that has captivated the poker world.
An Unforgettable Experience
“Poker is the only sport that anyone with a desire to learn can compete in it at any level.”
Over the past year, Rania has enjoyed an incredible rise in the poker world. Reaching two EPT final tables is something few highly experienced players ever get to achieve, let alone someone who won money in live poker for the first time back in Tulsa in 2008, losing heads-up in a $150 Ladies Event. Rania has won over a million dollars in those two final tables and believes that poker’s inclusivity is key to her success.
“Poker is literally the only sport that anyone with a desire to learn can compete in at any level,” she says. “It’s not like golf where you have to have played since you were crawling or basketball that if you’re not over six feet tall you don’t have a chance to excel. The amazing thing about poker is that anyone can start and anyone can push the limits of success.”
Rania’s own very different history to several poker players is something she considers to be a strength.
“I’m a mom, a lawyer and have a non-math brain… but can compete against the best of the best. While there will be spots I get outplayed, I can outplay also. How did I end up at two final EPT tables when I don’t study poker non-stop or play poker online? When I don’t play cash? This is a sport for all.”
A huge part of poker is building relationships with other players both on and off the felt. Rania naturally fits this aspect of the game with her open, kind-hearted personality.
“Poker is a wonderful place to make friends and develop relationships,” she tells us. “I’m a social person, so when I sit down at a table I want to know about the humans I get to hopefully sit with for ten hours or so. I’ve made some of my dearest friends at the poker table.”
Breaking Out in 2025
“I just sat there smiling like an idiot because I was so happy about just getting to play!”
Rania is up against Boris Angelov, Mark Egbert and Noel Rodriguez in the 6th annual Global Poker Awards this February as she bids to win the Breakout Player of the Year category. Is she confident of winning?
“I’m confident in not winning!” she laughs. “Those guys are all killers and with my volume of play, I can’t make killer status. I am rooting for myself as the underdog but would also be so happy to see Boris win; he’s one of my poker friends after we battled in Monte Carlo and I love his personality and playing style.”
While Rania loves the game, there are many things that more important than poker to her. After an emotional journey becoming a mother, Rania is welcoming another child soon. Her pregnancy journey has given her a resilience that she regularly calls on at the poker felt.
“Being a mom in general gives you a resilience for almost any situation. Try playing while pregnant and needing to pee every twenty minutes! I have to say it gives me a deeper love for poker. I literally sat down at a PokerGO event recently and was just so incredibly happy to have the break to play poker. I’m sure other players were worried about PGT Points and rebuys and all of the other poker worries, but I just sat there smiling like an idiot because I was so happy about just getting to play!”
Following the Action
Rania has featured heavily in PokerStars events in 2024 but also had a great time at WSOP Paradise in December. Mixing it up in different events motivates her to keep winning and meeting new people.
“I try to make as many PokerStars EPT stops as I can. This year I hope to do EPT Monte Carlo, EPT Barcelona and the BSOP (Brazilian Series of Poker) as I love Brazilians and their food! I’m not sure what December will hold for me as I really enjoyed the WSOP Paradise this year.”
Growing up as a ‘poor immigrant kid’, Rania was apt to master the art of debating rather than the poker felt. As she’s grown in the game however, she has met and played with her poker heroes.
“I didn’t really grow up watching poker. Now, I would say these overall wonderful humans and poker players appeal to me, such as [PokerStake players] Stephen Song and David Coleman as well as Maria Konnikova and Lexy Gavin and Nick Schulman. Also, I have to say, the playstyles of Roccoco and Lococo really make me think about how to play differently myself.
Selling action has always been a part of poker, but Rania believes the ease with which players can buy and sell action on sites such as PokerStake have elevated the game in 2025.
“I love to think I have a ‘team’, and though poker is a solo sport, selling action allows others to join my team and have us all rooting for the same result,” Rania says. “Staking allows players a chance to not only decrease financial risk but also have a team behind them. I don’t think we would have such the sport grow without staking and having it on sites makes it more fair for players who aren’t networked as well as others.”
With a bumper year ahead of her, rising star Rania Nasreddine is firing for glory. If she makes a few friends along the way, that would be typical of one of pokers most popular players.
