Hi Poker friends!

It’s time for another update on my Most Famous Poker Player top-100 list. It’s been a while, I know but I was very busy. First I had a student internship for two weeks. Besides that I was beaten up once I came back from a drink and stayed in the hospital for 4 days with two broken ribs, a tough concussion and face fracture. As that was not enough my girlfriend decided to leave me for my best friend after four happy years and my dog died, when he commited suicide by jumping of the bridge right on the railway. But the most important and time-consuming reason for my absence is that I was occupied every day by playing an Online Poker Tournament.

For now, let’s meat the following two players of my list, which are two old school rocks, being regulars at the High Stakes Cash Games

(18)   =>   ELI   ELEZRA

> Eliahu Ilan Elezra

> born 24/12/1960, Jerusalem (ISR)

> resides now in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) with wife and 5 kids.

> Nickname: ‘ Mr. Vegas ‘ or ‘ Wizard ‘

> won 1 Bracelet (’07 WC Seven Card Stud Hi-Low)

> won 1 WPT-title (’04 Mirage Poker Showdown)

> plays online at Full Tilt Poker

> has Live Tournament Winnings of almost $ 2,000,000 (until 2009)

Eli is a former lieutenant in the Golani Brigade of the Israelian Army. He began playing poker after a leg injury. He also worked in Alaska for several years. He says he’s more a family man than a poker pro. He owns the successful Vegas nightclub Seven and several retail stores. Eli is very well-known for many years as a Regular in ” The Big Game” in Vegas. He also appeared during different seasons of Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament and GSN’s High Stakes Poker, sometimes together with his good, old friends Barry Greenstein and Doyle Brunson. Mr. Elezra won his first Bracelet after beating Scotty Nguyen heads-up in the World Championship Seven card Stud Hi-Low. He won even more, $250,000, in a side bet with Barry after he made a $25,000 bet laying 10:1 that Eli couldn’t win a WSOP Bracelet in 2007. Eli’s appearance is always recognizable because of his Maffia look and accent, which makes him a perfect and fearless poker character.

(17)   =>   BARRY   GREENSTEIN

> born 30/12/1954 in Chicago, Illinois (USA)

> resides now in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

> has 2 children and 4 stepchildren, incl. Joe Sebok

> Nickname: ‘ The Robin Hood of Poker ‘ or ‘ The Bear ‘

> won 3 Bracelets (’04 NL 2-7 Draw/ ‘05 PLO/ ‘08 Razz)

> won 2 WPT-titles ( Fifth Annual Jack Binion World Poker Open/ ‘06 WPT Invitational at Commerce Casino)

> plays online at PokerStars as member of TeamPokerStars.

> has Live Tournament Winnings of almost $7,000,000 (until 2009)

Barry earned a bachelor degree in computer science from the University of Illinois and studied for a PhD in Mathematics. He started to play poker then but he took a job for Symantec because of it would improve his chances for adoption, in stead of playing poker. He retired there at the age of 36. He also started PokerRoad, a poker website, with his stepson Joe Sebok, who’s also a very good and respected professional poker player. Barry is a well-known and respected Big Gun who’s one of the most successfull and fearless high stakes cash game players. He showed that with his appearances during different series and seasons of Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament and High Stakes Poker. But he also showed he can be a great tournament player. He won 2 other special events at the WPT, besides his Bracelets and WPT-titles. Mr. Greenstein is the author of the 2005 book: ‘ Ace on the River ‘, which is one of the most successful and best poker books out there. He gives a copy to every player that busts him out of a tournament. Another famous fact about him is that he taught former girlfriend Mimi Tran how to play poker in exchange for her learning him to speak Vietnamese. Barry has some famous oneliners such as ” LOL, Donkaments“, which gave him $10,000 after a bet from 2+2 Poker Forums, and ” Math is idiotic” after his well-known 550k suckout win against Tom Durr Dwan during High Stakes Poker. But as of 2008, Barry began to donate his net winnings to charities, primarily Children;Incorporated.

So we’re yet a step closer to the top Ten. I’ll make a quicker update this time, regardless any set-backs. Btw If you’re looking for fish, come play at Everest. I’m just playing there for a month and I’ve already doubled up my stack. Just by playing in the lowest PLO Cash Game, waiting for the hand and the moment and the fish will donate you easy money. Hehe, Life is good !

Cheers,

J.M.

2 Responses to “MFPP : Elezra – Greenstein”