Barry Greenstein - Modern-day Robin Hood

One look at Barry Greenstein and you intuitively know that this is not an ordinary guy. There is something about him that reminds you about an old world that has seemingly gone by … a quaint era of humbleness and self-effacement. While working on Barry’s biography and reading up on the interviews and various profiles written about him, I came to realize why, to begin with, he is called a “modern-day Robin Hood” in poker circles.

While the others find happiness in looking at the swelling number of their bank balance every night before they sleep; Barry seeks happiness in giving happiness to thousands who haven’t known what happiness is. Barry Greenstein was born a Capricornian in 1954, when there were two days left for the year to sign out. His father was an army man who enjoyed playing the game with his buddies. The same joy was transmitted to young Barry who soon began earning $35 to $50 playing poker in home games. The family would play poker almost every day after Barry returned from school.

Barry was good at computers, and completed his B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Illinois. He was preparing for a doctoral degree in Mathematics from the same University, but fate kept postponing the moment when he would don the mantle of a Doctor. In the interim, he met and fell in love with Donna, married her, and took her and her three children to Palo Alto.

Circumstances forced him to take up a job with Symantec. Circumstances again forced Barry and Donna to break the marriage, and Barry asked for and got custody of their children. He soon met Mimi Tran, $3-$6 hold’em player and a Vietnamese who would teach him her native language, in exchange for learning poker from Barry. Another woman, Alex Vuong entered his life after some time, and became Barry's and the kids'; supporting pillar.

Barry has helped people all over the world, from United States to Sri Lanka. Helping fellow human beings has been paramount in Barry Greenstein’s mind possibly since his late teens. When his children began growing up, he wanted to instill in them the same love and regard for helping those less fortunate as his parents instilled in him. To this end, Barry researched charities until he discovered Children, Inc. Barry and his kids began their relationship with Children, Inc., by sponsoring a boy and a girl who were the same age as his youngest children. Most, if not all, of Barry's poker tournament winnings go to charity.

Barry first burst on to the poker scene when he came 22nd at the WSOP $10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championship in 1992, and took home $8,080 in earnings. After putting the divorce proceedings with Donna and health problems of one of the children behind him, Barry launched a frontal attack on the rankings once again in 1996, and got himself the 5th position in the WSOP $1,500 Ace to Five Draw game, winning $10,710. The next year, he picked up $36,500 and a 4th position in the WSOP $5,000 No Limit Deuce to Seven Draw, along with a 10th position and $8,520 in the WSOP $2,000 No Limit Hold’em event. His winning streak has continued since. The first big bang came in March, 2003, when Barry held the Cup high in the Larry Flynt’s Poker Challenge Cup at Gardena. The $125,000 Million Dollar Seven Card Stud tournament and its $1,000,000 prize was scripted only for Barry. After a series of smaller – in comparison to this – wins, the second big bang came in January 2004, when Barry held the cash – an entire $1,278,370 worth of paper – in his hands after winning the WPT $10,000 Main Event at Tunica, playing the No Limit Hold’em event.

It was as if the universe wanted to egg on its favorite child to accumulate more and more riches, so that the same can be equitably distributed to those who didn’t have it. Barry has earned over four million dollars. In terms of gratitude from fellow human beings from all around the earth, Barry must count himself amongst the richest. Poker Baron salutes Barry Greenstein, and wishes that his run of success continues forever and ever.