Jen Harman: a living legend
We profile the first woman to win two WSOP bracelets in open events.
Father's home games
Jennifer Harman was born on November 29, 1964 in Reno, Nevada. At the age of eight, Harman began sitting with her father during his home games. This was her first exposure to poker.
Fake ID
Like her friend Phil Ivey, as a teenager Harman used a fake ID to get into various card rooms.
Tough decisions
Having graduated with a degree in biology, Harman decided to pursue a poker career. This decision alienated her father against her for several years, but since then they reconciled.
WSOP bracelets
Harman won her first World Series of Poker bracelet in 2000 at the No-Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball Event. She had never played that game prior to the event, but received a five-minute tutoring session from Howard Lederer before playing.
She won her second WSOP bracelet in 2002 at the $5,000 Limit Texas Hold 'em event.
She was the first woman to hold two bracelets in WSOP open events, joined by Vanessa Selbst in 2012.
The Corporation and The Big Game
Harman is the only woman who is a regular player in the "Big Game", the high-stakes cash game at the Bellagio. She was also an active participant in "The Corporation", a group of high-stakes poker players who played Andy Beal for limits of up to $100,000/$200,000.
Super System II
Harman authored the Limit Hold'em chapter for Super System II. In the 2000s she was widely considered one of the best limit players in the world.
Hall of Fame
In 2015, Harman was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame along with John Juanda.
Kidney transplant
In 2004, Harman took a year off from poker to have her second kidney transplant. She then founded Creating Organ Donation Awareness (CODA), a non-profit organization to raise money for the cause. Problems with kidneys come in her family. Her mother died of the same illness when Jennifer was 17 years old.
Romantic life
Harman was married to stylist Marco Traniello, who since became a professional poker player as well. They have twin boys. Traniello and Harman have since divorced.
The two jobs
Currently she plays cash games and tournaments in the casinos of Las Vegas and raises her kids trying to find a balance between these two jobs.
More fun & facts
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