| Author: Damien Chambers |
Jennifer Harman is a professional poker player from the United States. She has been called the best female poker player in the world, and many people consider her one of the best players around, regardless of gender.
Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, Harman started playing poker at eight years of age. She was taught the rules by her mother and would often sit in when her father played cards with his friends.
Jennifer was plagued by kidney problems as a child, eventually requiring her to undergo a live-saving kidney transplant. Fortunately, she made it through the surgery and experienced a full recovery. However, this medical problem would return to plague Jennifer later in life.
Upon graduating from high school, Jennifer took a job as a cocktail waitress at a casino. This allowed her to be near the game of poker, and she practiced at every opportunity. She enrolled at the University of Nevada and majored in Biology, using her winnings at poker to help pay her way.
After graduation, Jennifer decided to pursue poker full-time instead of going into her field of study. This caused tension in her personal life, and her father disowned her. Fortunately, she was eventually able to convince him that she could make a comfortable income playing the game she loved, and the two reconciled after years of little to no contact.
In 2000, Jennifer won her first World Series of Poker bracelet in the No Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball event. What made the win even more impressive was that she had never even played the game prior to her entry into the tournament.
In 2002, she won her second bracelet at the $5K Limit Hold'em event, making her the only woman to hold two bracelets in the WSOP open events (meaning events open to both men and women). She also ranks third in the women's all-time money list and has 19 money finishes in the WSOP.
In 2004, Jennifer took a year off from poker after learning that she would require another kidney transplant. Her niece donated a healthy kidney, and Jennifer once again made it through the surgery.
Since returning to the game, she has placed in the money at the World Poker Tour Five- Diamond World Poker Classic, Professional Poker Tour, and the WSOP Circuit Championship.
She is also a writer, having authored the Limit Hold'em chapter for Doyle Brunson's SuperSystem II, considered by many to be the bible of the poker world.
Jennifer is very passionate about the subject of organ donation, having recently founded CODA (Creating Organ Donor Awareness), a group devoted to raising both money and awareness.
She is married to stylist Marco Traniello, and the couple owns four dogs. She is close friends with poker pro Daniel Negreanu and formerly dated poker players Todd Brunson and Howard Lederer.
When Harman is not on the tournament circuit, she can be found playing high-stakes cash games at the Bellagio Casino, running on her trampoline, playing with her dogs, or hanging out with her friends.
As of 2006, her total live tournament winnings exceed $1,600,000. |
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