Inside Professional Poker

If you were to write up a top-10 list of the greatest poker players in the world, would Barry Greenstein be on it? Probably not. Why would he be? He hasn't played many tournaments, so you probably haven't heard of him (until the last issue of Card Player ), and it's most likely that you aren't familiar with who plays (and wins) in the highest-stakes games in the world.

Well, if Barry Greenstein isn't on your list, put him on it. And don't pencil in the name, put it in black ink and at the top of the list.

Over the past few years, he has had tremendous success playing poker. He is a big-time high-stakes cash game player and has made lots of money doing so. He also won $1 million in a stud tournament at the Hustler Casino last year.

In the last few years, Greenstein has been more successful than three-time World Poker Tour champion Gus Hansen, poker greats Doyle Brunson and Chip Reese, WPT stars Howard Lederer and Phil Ivey, World Champion Chris Moneymaker, and anyone else you can think of. The amazing thing is, this isn't what he will be known for in the poker world – and it's not why I'm writing this story.

Greenstein is 49 and the father of six children, and lives in Rancho Palos Verdes , California . He grew up in Chicago and went to the University of Illinois . He got a bachelor's degree in computer science and spent 10 years in his Ph.D. program in mathematics while procrastinating and gambling around the world.

Because he plays such high-stakes poker, playing tournaments has never interested him. He really had no reason to play them. Now, because of the acceptance and class the World Poker Tour has brought to poker, he wants to play the Tour . The difference between him and everyone else is that he is playing WPT events strictly for the benefit of others. He donates 100 percent of his prize money to charity! He knows that winning will garner him publicity and could generate more money for his charities.

The answer to what you're thinking is, "No." He didn't inherit millions and this isn't a publicity stunt. Greenstein, a guy who goes quietly about his business, accumulated the vast majority of his wealth by playing poker (and making investments from his poker winnings). He wanted to take a nonproductive lifestyle and make it productive – and he has certainly done that! Incidentally, he also has a book coming out soon about high-stakes poker. It will be a must-read.

He recently won the Jack Binion World Poker Open in Tunica, Mississippi , an event with the most entrants and the largest prize pool in the history of the WPT . First place was a whopping $1.3 million! His primary concern was how to divide the money up between charities.

A few days after his win, I asked Barry exactly what he did with his winnings from Tunica. He said, "So far, from the $1,240,000 check I received after tipping the dealers, I have given $620,000 to Children Inc. (this charity helps 15,000 kids in 21 countries who are orphans and who need clothes, backpacks, and so on); $150,000 to Guyana Watch (which is like "Doctors Without Borders," and the money goes for needed medical supplies); $170,000 to my alma mater Bogan High School – I advanced them $110,000 a month earlier, telling them it would come out of my next big tournament win; $100,000 to the University of Illinois math department; $75,000 to Rainbow Shelter (for battered women and children); and $60,000 to the Peninsula Education Foundation, which supports programs in the schools my children have attended." That's a total of $1,175,000, so far.

His generosity could open doors for the poker world that we can't imagine. It could also lead other people (and corporate America ) to make additional contributions to his charities every time he wins something in a poker tournament, via some percentage of matching funds. Even the most radical anti-gambling groups would be hard-pressed to criticize poker, as money would be going to charities that otherwise wouldn't.

Greenstein's story is incredible, and will hopefully be picked up by mainstream media. Frankly, I'll be surprised if he doesn't go on the talk show circuit. He would be a sensational guest on any talk show. Oprah, are you listening?

Barry Greenstein is a diamond in the rough for the poker world. He is not only a credit to poker, he is a credit to mankind. Thank you, Barry, for what you're doing for the less fortunate. And thank you for playing the World Poker Tour .

Take care.

Mike Sexton is the host of PartyPoker.com and a commentator on the World Poker Tour, which can be seen every Wednesday on the Travel Channel.