Jennifer Harman – One of the Best Female Poker Players of Her Generation
Jennifer Harman is one of the best female players of all time and is only one of four women who managed to win multiple World Series of Poker bracelets.
She is among the best gamblers in the world and one of the most prolific female cash game players. Harman has been a regular in some of the highest-stakes games, including the televised series High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark.
In 2015, Harman was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame for her poker achievements.
Full Name
Net Worth
Source of Wealth
Famous for
BornIn this article, we look at Harman's extraordinary journey to becoming one of the best poker players of her time. We break down her ups and downs, Jennifer Harman net worth, interesting poker stories, and winnings.
Jennifer Harman Highlights
- Won 2 gold WSOP bracelets in her career
- One of four female poker players with multiple WSOP bracelets
- Had two kidney transplants
- Authored the limit Hold'em chapter for Super System II
- Was a member of the "The Corporation"
- Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2015
Jennifer Harman's Upbringing and Early Years
Jennifer C. Harman was born in Reno, Nevada, on November 19, 1964. She was first introduced to card games when she was eight years old after begging her father to teach her how to play poker, a game he was very passionate about.
It was clear from the start that she had a natural talent for the game, as she mastered the rules in no time.
The event that would shape her life happened when she was 17 as Jennifer lost her mother and needed a distraction since she was going through a rough time. She decided to buy a fake ID so she could play poker in the local brick and mortar casino, and after seeing how much poker helped her, she fell in love with the game even more.
This played a big role in choosing her career path after getting a degree in biology from the University of Nevada since she decided to become a professional poker player instead of finding a regular job. However, her family was less than pleased with her choice, especially her father, with whom she had a rocky relationship from that point on.
In one of her interviews, Harman stated that she shares her father's views on life and that she would not want her children to pursue a career in poker.
Jennifer Harman WSOP Wins
At the 2000 World Series of Poker, Harman won her first bracelet in the No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven event. While this feat is impressive by itself, it is even more impressive that this was the first time she played this variant of the game.
According to her and multiple other players that were present, she got introduced to the game by Howard Lederer just a few minutes before the event started. In this short period, Lederer explained to her the rules and some general strategies she should implement.
Ultimately, Jennifer won the $5,000 buy-in tournament and walked away with $146,250.
Just two years later, at the 2002 World Series of Poker, the Nevada native would win another WSOP bracelet. This time she was triumphant in the $5,000 Limit Hold'em event and won $212,440 after outlasting some of the best poker players in the world, including Mimi Tran, Humberto Brenes, and Allen Cunningham.
At this point, she was the only female poker player to record multiple WSOP wins in open events.
"Coming in second in a tournament is like coming in second in a boxing match."
A Break From Poker and Kidney Transplant
Jennifer's mother died from kidney failure when she was 17, but unfortunately for the 2 times WSOP winner, this is not where her problems with the disease ended. Both she and her sister have had kidney problems since they were young.
After having a kidney transplant early in her life, Harman had to take a break from poker in 2004 while waiting for her second kidney transplant. Thankfully, everything went well, and she made a full recovery.
In an effort to raise money and spread awareness about two terrible kidney diseases, Nephrotic Syndrome and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), Harman founded a non-profit organization called The NephCure Foundation in 2004.
She and some other poker pros, including Jason Young and Frank Vizza, donate a part of their poker winning to the organization.
Jennifer Harman Return to Poker
Harman returned to poker late in 2004 with a big score. She took 4th place at the Five-Diamond World Poker Classic World Poker Tour Championship - No Limit Hold'em event for $299,492.
Just a few months after this, in march of 2005, she hit big once more, finishing in 2nd place at the $10,000 + 200 WSOP Circuit Championship Event at the Rio Las Vegas Poker Festival and went home with $383,840.
In 2007, she participated in the Poker After Dark $20,000 Week 8 - Killer Table, where she went up against the likes of Patrik Antonius, Phil Gordon, Jennifer Tilly, Phil Ivey, and Erick Lindgren. In the end, she outlasted all five of her opponents and won $120,000.
She also participated in the $9,600 + 400 No Limit Hold'em - Championship, a WPT event that took place in San Jose, where she won $ 330,000 after coming 3rd.
While there is no denying that Jennifer Harman is one of the greatest female tournament players of all time, she is best known as one of the female players who played the world's biggest cash games.
She is the only woman who was a regular in the high-stakes games at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and the "Big Game" in the famous Bobby's Room. A typical buy-in in these games ranges from $200,000 to $300,000.
For her poker achievements and contribution to the game, Jennifer Harman was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Corporation vs Andy Beal
As Micheal Craig called it in his 2005 book, Jeniffer Harman was also involved in the richest poker game of all time. This poker was played over the course of several years between Andrew "Andy" Beal, a Texas billionaire, and a group of professional poker players called "The Corporation."
Andy Beal was an amateur, but very rich poker player, so when he decided to play the best gamblers in the world, they had to merge their bankrolls to participate in the match.
In addition to Harman, Ted Forrest, Minh Ly, Doyle Brunson, Todd Brunson, Howard Lederer, David Grey, Chip Reese, Gus Hansen, Phil Ivey, Barry Greenstein, and Lyle Berman were all a part of this group.
In total, they played for three years, during which Beal got the better of "The Corporation" until Phil Ivey sat to play him. Ivey won an estimated $16 million from Beal in only two days and forced Beal to give up the match and retire from poker for the next couple of years.
Jennifer Harman Net Worth & Winnings
Most of the information that can be found online states that Jennifer Harman's net worth is around $15 million.
With $2,765,348 in live tournament winnings, she is in 695th place on the Poker All-time Money List.
However, since she played in some of the highest stake live poker games in Las Vegas, where results are not tracked, there is a chance that she won way more money in cash games than in tournaments.
All in all, if we also take into consideration that she was a Full Tilt sponsored pro, the information about her net worth that is available online is likely correct.
Where Is Jennifer Harman Today?
She has played less than a dozen tournaments in the last few years, so Harman is not grinding as hard as she used to.
The two-time WSOP bracelet winner is married to Marco Traniello; a stylist turned poker professional. According to their social media accounts, their focus has shifted away from the green felt and onto their twin sons in the last decade.
Although Harman still has a passion for the game, like most of the poker professionals of her generation, her priorities have changed with time. Now she is enjoying the financial freedom she earned through poker, which allows her to spend most of her time with her family.
FAQ
What Is Jennifer Harman Net Worth?
Jennifer Harman is 695th on the Poker All-Time Money List with $2,765,348 in winnings.
However, since she was primarily a cash game player, it is estimated that her net worth is somewhere around $15 million.
How Old Is Jennifer Harman?
Jennifer Harman was born on November 29, 1964, which makes her 59 years old at the time of writing.
How Tall Is Jennifer Harman?
According to her IMDb profile, Jennifer Harman is 5′ 2″ or 1.57 m tall.
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