Looks can be deceiving

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When it comes to poker, looks can indeed be deceiving. If you look at Barry Greenstein, dubbed as the Robin Hood of Poker, you will think that he is someone who plays poker just for fun. You wouldn’t even feel threatened by him because he has an ability to be inconspicuous and modest. Only when the two of you are left on the table will you realize that this small person is a force to reckon with. With four first place finishes in various professional poker tournaments and over three million dollars in winnings, there is really something more than meets the eye in this pro poker veteran.

Barry Greenstein grew up in a happy and supportive family in Chicago, Illinois. Born on December 30, 1954, Barry showed potential for being a good card player ever since he was young. In fact, his father was the one who taught and exposed young Barry to card games, particularly poker, rummy, gin, and hearts. Although this poker prodigy was already making big bucks even at the tender age of 12, Barry decided to leave the green felt to pursue further studies. Even if he knew that his great analytical skills and calm demeanor will make him a good professional poker player, he was bent on finding another career that would bring pride and glory to his family.

Barry Greenstein is one of the poker players with a very sharp mind. Aside from skipping one level in elementary school, he also graduated from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) with a computer studies degree within three years. After that, Barry immediately enrolled in a PhD program in mathematics. While he was studying for his doctorate degree, Barry also used his skills in poker to boost his finances. However, he had to give up his studies and full-time poker career when he decided to get full custody of his children with then wife Donna. In order to win the court proceedings, Barry had to have a steady job. So he and his family went to Silicon Valley to form Symantec with his friends. Among his greatest achievements in the computer group was the Q&A software, which made Symantec a popular software company.

In the 90’s, Barry Greenstein decided to quit his job to become a professional poker player. Although he earned a lot of money from both No-Limit Hold’em and Limit Hold’em games, he got his break when he won Larry Flynt’s $1M Seven-Card Stud. In 2005, Barry Greenstein’s Ace On The River, a book about how to make a lot of money from playing poker, was published.