When it comes to poker though, appearance has never been more misleading. Exposed to the game of poker from a very young age, Barry was already making $50 a night when he was 13.

He was one of the few poker professionals who attempted to have a “normal” academic life and then a career besides poker. He sometimes succeeded in this undertaking, other times failed. All in all, he was an extremely successful human being though, both in his poker career and in his life away from the green felt.

He took care of his studies during the day, and played poker during the night. He graduated from Bogan High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois, all the while relentlessly building his poker bankroll.

After having met his wife, Donna, Barry was forced to give up full time poker, and focus more on his family. As Donna came with three children from a previous marriage, and as they wanted to gain full custody of all three of them, playing poker for a living no longer fit into the image of a fully responsible parent he needed to display.

It was then that Barry’s new family packed up and moved to Silicon Valley, CA, where he started a company, together with 4 friends of his, called Symantec (I bet you’ve all heard this name before). The business proved to be a success, and Barry and Donna did gain custody of the three children, and had two more in 87 and 88, respectively.

Barry soon returned to the tables full time though, simply because the money was too good there. He quit Symantec, divorced his wife, kept custody of the children and began building his bankroll up at a mind-boggling speed.

Big results started rolling in too. He placed 22 in the WSOP Main Event in 1992, and constantly cashed in tournaments throughout the 90s.

The big break he had been looking for came in 2003, when he won Larry Flynt’s $1 million 7-Card Stud event. It was about that time that he began donating massively to charity.

The Robin Hood of Poker won 2 WSOP bracelets and finished in the money 31 times in WSOP events.

The WPT saw him take a title, 4 final tables and 14 money finishes.

His career earnings total about $5,700,000.

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