Barry Greenstein

Barry Greenstein Profile
	Nickname: Robin Hood of Poker Pokerstars Username: Web: www.pokerstars.com Birthdate: December 30th 1954 Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Residence: California Tournaments Won: 11 WSOP Bracelets: 3 Total Winnings: $6,599,782

Barry Greenstein plays poker for the money. ‘I don’t love poker, it’s my job,’ he has quoted as saying. Not a particularly unlikely or unusual stance for a professional poker player perhaps, but the fact is, Greenstein’s bank account is merely a conduit for his winnings. For after expenses, one hundred percent of Barry’s tournament profits flow into the coffers of various charitable organisations, hence his nickname, ‘Robin Hood.’ This gives an insight into the man but his complexities and intelligence make him more than just a simple character with altruism at heart. 

Greenstein cuts an unassuming figure at the poker table but this makes him devilishly difficult to read. In a hand on GSN’s ‘High Stakes Poker,’ one of his regular adversaries, Eli Elezra, called his pre-flop raise. Jamie Gold had stayed around to see the flop of 2♣ 3♦ 3♠ also. Greenstein reached for chips and bet 9,000 and Elezra with A♦ 6♦ immediately called. Gold got out of the way at this point and the turn card was a K♦ which Greenstein checked. Elezra with a flush draw and an ace high bet 22,000 chips, almost a quarter of his stack. Greenstein looked at his chips and after slowly deliberating, quietly mumbled, ‘I’m all in.’ Elezra looked across at his opponent but got nothing as Greenstein sat completely still, his head bowed and his eyes focussed on one spot, appearing as solemn as a monk in prayer. Finally, Elezra submitted and threw away his hand. Greenstein without showing his cards, flicked them back to the dealer and mopped up his chips. He had been holding J♣ 6♣.

Barry was born in Chicago in 1954 and taught how to play cards at an early age by his parents. He calmness at the table directly derives from their mentoring as they encouraged him to use his mathematical skills to take an analytical approach to games. By thirteen years old, he was boosting his pocket money sometimes to the tune of $50 a night playing in amateur games in local peoples’ houses. But it didn’t capture his imagination like the thought of becoming a top research scientist or stimulate his intelligence as his burgeoning computer programming talents did. It was in computer science that he gained a bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois before switching to study for a doctorate in mathematics.

All the while, poker remained in the background as a constant source of easy funds. In the early eighties, Barry met and got married to Donna. The couple decided that Greenstein should file for joint legal guardianship of her three children but their attorney told them to forget about it until Barry had got a ‘proper job.’ So, he became one of the five founders of a computer software company called Symantec and began working on a program called Q&A. The new career brought dividends on the custody case but was at the expense of Greenstein’s almost completed Maths PhD. The new software was a success, the firm took off and Barry went back to playing poker to supplement the growing Greenstein family which by now had swollen to five children. By 1990, it was clear that the wages from Symantec could not match what Barry could earn playing poker and with some family health issues requiring extra medical expenses, he quit the day job and the made the casino his office. In 1991, the Greensteins moved again, this time to Las Vegas. Now playing in cash games full time, Barry’s earnings increased accordingly but Donna was not so happy with the change of lifestyle. The pair agreed to divorce with Barry as the children’s’ custodian.

Greenstein entered his first tournament in 1992 at the World Series of Poker but despite finishing in the money it was still cash games that had a hold on Barry and his tournament registrations were only sporadic during the rest of the decade. While continuing to play side games, Barry noticed a new trend, that of a growing influx of players from the Eastern continents. So, when he met Mimi Tran the pair struck a mutually beneficial deal; his poker knowledge in exchange for lessons in Vietnamese. After some time a partnership away from the poker table developed between them. In the new millennium, Greenstein could no longer ignore the growing tournament prize funds and wanted in on the action.

His results improved all the time and in 2003, he won $1million in Larry Flint’s Poker Challenge Cup. It was a life-changing moment and not just for Greenstein either. He decided from then on that all of his tournament cash winnings should go to charity, the main beneficiary being ‘Children, Incorporated.’ Luckily for all the charities involved, Greenstein’s victory was no flash in the pan and he cashed in another fifteen tournaments that year. The following year was even better as he took first prize in the World Poker Open No Limit Hold’em main event at Binion’s and won his first WSOP bracelet in No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball. A second WSOP bracelet came a year later followed by a third at Razz Seven Card in 2008.

Though Greenstein is not one of the most recognised pros on the circuit his profile has been raised by television appearances on shows such as ‘High Stakes Poker’ and ‘Poker Superstars Invitational.’ Though reluctant, he was also persuaded to write a chapter for ‘Doyle Brunson’s Super System 2,’ sequel to the highly influential original tome. He had expected it to be a chore though when it turned out to be a pleasure, he decided to pen his own book, ‘Ace on the River,’ and also writes amusing anecdotes about his fellow players on the internet. Greenstein’s computer knowledge has a been in demand too and when he joined Team Pokerstars, it was as software consultant as well as poker professional. Though in 2006, he had to change the way he donates his tournament winnings to charity through rising playing fees and now shares out his yearly net profits to various good causes as opposed to making donations throughout the year, don’t expect Barry to go broke any time soon. As a regular in ‘the Big Game’ at Bellagio’s, he still brings in enough for him and his family from cash games while still managing to keep up with his unique project for redistributing the wealth. 

You can play online poker with Barry Greenstein at Pokerstars.

Barry Greenstein Tournament Wins
	Event* Date Position Winnings 39th WSOP 2008 Event 45 - WSOP H.O.R.S.E World Championship Jun 25th 2008 6th $355,200 39th WSOP 2008 Event 39 - WSOP Jun 21st 2008 108th $4,084 39th WSOP 2008 Event 33 - WSOP 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Championship Jun 17th 2008 14th $12,267 39th WSOP 2008 Event 26 - WSOP Razz Seven Card Jun 13th 2008 1st $157,619 39th WSOP 2008 Event 23 - WSOP Jun 12th 2008 46th $7,583 39th WSOP 2008 Event 18 - WSOP No Limit Deuce-Seven Lowball Draw Jun 9th 2008 3rd $225,553 North American Poker Championships WPT Event Season 6 Championship Nov 2nd 2007 4th $291,798 Legends of Poker WPT Event Season 6 Aug 18th 2007 9th $9,500 38th Annual WSOP Event 39 - WSOP H.O.R.S.E World Championship Jun 24th 2007 7th $259,296 38th Annual WSOP Event 30 - WSOP  Short Handed Jun 18th 2007 47th $5,260 38th Annual WSOP Event 21 - WSOP Shootout Jun 12th 2007 61st $6,757 38th Annual WSOP Event 14 - WSOP 7 Card Stud Jun 8th 2007 4th $33,698 Mandalay Bay Poker Championships WPT Event Season 6 Event 8 - WPT Championship Jun 2nd 2007 7th $54,655 Poker NetCast Heads-Up Challenge Poker Pages Ranking Heads Up - Championship Feb 8th 2007 2nd $107,500 Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic WPT Event Season 5 Event 7 Dec 7th 2006 5th $31,940 37th Annual WSOP Event 42 - WSOP Aug 6th 2006 29th $1,977 37th Annual WSOP Event 23 - WSOP Limit Hold'em Jul 15th 2006 21st $5,647 37th Annual WSOP Event 20 - WSOP No Limit H.O.R.S.E Jul 14th 2006 12th $205,920 37th Annual WSOP Event 16 - WSOP Pot Limit Omaha Jul 9th 2006 13th $20,492 37th Annual WSOP Event 14 - WSOP Jul 8th 2006 53rd $5,447 37th Annual WSOP Event 5 - WSOP Short Handed Jun 30th 2006 87th $3,790 Caesars Las Vegas Poker Tournament WSOP Circuit Event Event 11 May 6th 2006 4th $22,892 Five-Star World Poker Classic WPT Championship Season 4 Apr 9th 2006 2nd $210,990 World Poker Challenge - WPT Season 4 WPT Main Event Mar 30th 2006 6th $85,370 National Heads Up Poker Heads Up Mar 6th 2006 5th $75,000 WPT Invitational WPT Season 4 Feb 24th 2006 1st $100,000 LA Poker Classic WPT Event Season 4 Event 23 - No Limit Feb 10th 2006 10th $7,857 Festa al Lago IV WPT Event Season 4 Doyle Brunson North American Championship Oct 21st 2005 10th $41,380 Aruba Poker Classic WPT Event Season 4 Oct 1st 2005 9th $30,000 36th Annual WSOP Event 37 - WSOP Jul 4th 2005 7th $94,000 36th Annual WSOP Event 29 - WSOP Jun 28th 2005 25th $9,860 36th Annual WSOP Event 19 - WSOP Pot Limit Omaha Jun 19th 2005 1st $128,505 36th Annual WSOP Event 14 - WSOP Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Jun 15th 2005 36th $1,625 36th Annual WSOP Event 7 - WSOP Jun 8th 2005 20th $11,010 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic II WPT Event Season 3 Pot Limit Omaha Dec 12th 2004 9th $5,471 Five-Diamond World Poker Classic II WPT Event Season 3 Dec 7th 2004 10th $9,856 2004 Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge Oct 28th 2004 4th $1,600 2004 Festa al Lago III WPT Event Season 3 Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship Oct 16th 2004 4th $28,589 Legends of Poker WPT Season 3 Event 19 - Limit Hold'em Aug 15th 2004 7th $3,065 Festa al Lago II Jun 28th 2004 10th $3,099 35th Annual WSOP Event 32 - WSOP No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball May 20th 2004 2nd $44,700 35th Annual WSOP Event 16 - WSOP No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball May 7th 2004 1st $296,200 35th Annual WSOP Event 13 - WSOP May 4th 2004 12th $14,320 35th Annual WSOP Event 7 - WSOP Apr 28th 2004 54th $3,160 35th Annual WSOP Event 5 - WSOP Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Apr 26th 2004 11th $6,200 Five-Star World Poker Classic WPT Championship Season 2 Apr 15th 2004 1st $215,969 PartyPoker Million lll WPT Season 2 Main Event Mar 18th 2004 5th $194,763 LA Poker Classic WPT Season 2 Event 15 - Pot Limit Omaha Feb 12th 2004 2nd $30,590 5th Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open WPT Season 2 Main Event - Jan 29th 2004 1st $1,278,370 2003 Five Diamond WPT Season 2 Pot Limit Omaha Dec 13th 2003 8th $5,941 World Poker Finals WPT Season 2 Limit Hold'em Nov 10th 2003 9th $2,850 World Poker Finals WPT Season 2 Limit 7 Card Stud Nov 7th 2003 4th $7,905 First Annual Tropicano Poker Championship Series Limit 7 Card Stud Sep 23rd 2003 1st $32,400 2003 United States Poker Championship Sep 16th 2003 1st $38,805 Grand Slam of Poker Event 18 - Limit 7 Card Stud Jul 29th 2003 2nd $8,000 California State Poker Championship Event 14 - Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Jun 19th 2003 2nd $16,330 California State Poker Championship Event 11 - Pot Limit Hold'em Jun 16th 2003 5th $5,080 California State Poker Championship Event 9 - Limit Hold'em Jun 14th 2003 8th $6,740 California State Poker Championship Event 7 Jun 12th 2003 1st $100,815 34th Annual WSOP WSOP World Championship May 23rd 2003 49th $20,000 34th Annual WSOP Event 7 - WSOP Limit 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo Apr 21st 2003 11th $3,980 Five-Star World Poker Classic WPT Championship Season 1 Limit Hold'em Apr 2nd 2003 2nd $59,073 Larry Flynt's Poker Challenge Cup Limit 7 Card Stud Mar 9th 2003 1st $1,000,000 Grand Slam of Poker Tournament Event 9 - Limit 7 Card Stud Jul 28th 2002 3rd $12,000 33rd Annual WSOP Event 13 - WSOP Limit Hold'em Apr 30th 2002 3rd $43,700 LA Poker Classic Event 14 - Pot Limit Omaha Feb 14th 2002 9th $1,600 31st Annual WSOP Event 25 - WSOP World Championship May 18th 2000 31st $25,000 31st Annual WSOP Event 19 - WSOP Limit 7 Card Stud May 11th 2000 9th $7,575 29th Annual WSOP Event 10 - WSOP Limit 7 Card Stud Apr 30th 1998 16th $3,800 29th Annual WSOP Event 9 - WSOP Pot Limit Hold'em Apr 29th 1998 16th $3,664 California State Poker Championship Limit Hold'em Jun 25th 1997 1st $29,000 28th Annual WSOP Event 16 - WSOP No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball May 4th 1997 4th $36,500 28th Annual WSOP Event 7 - WSOP Apr 25th 1997 10th $8,520 27th Annual WSOP Event 14 - WSOP Limit Ace to Five Draw May 4th 1996 5th $10,710 23rd Annual WSOP Event 20 - WSOP World Championship May 11th 1992 22nd $8,080

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