Jennifer Harman

She is one of the only female figures in High Stakes Poker, a legendary player who has carved out a place for herself on the game's Olympus through her playing career, strength of character and community involvement.

Born on 29 November 1964 in Nevada, Jennifer Harman discovered poker thanks to her father, who taught her the game and organised weekly games. From the age of 17, she used a false identity card to play in local casinos, without ever getting caught. She went on to study Biology at the University of Nevada and worked as a part-time waitress, but Jennifer didn't like the pace of life. After her studies, she embarked on a career as a professional gambler.

A beginner's luck

Specialising in Limit Hold'em, Jennifer built up a bankroll by multiplying small buy-in tournaments. Little by little, she established herself on the biggest limits, in MTTs as well as cash games, until she revealed herself to the general public at the 2000 WSOP. It was there that she won her first bracelet, in a $5,000 Deuce to Seven tournament. She admitted after her victory that she had never played this variant, only taking a short five-minute course with Howard Lederer just before the tournament. For her first try, she walked away with a WSOP bracelet and $146,250, which was then the biggest win of her career.

Two years later, Jennifer Harman did it again in her favourite variant, Limit Hold'em. She won the $5,000 event for $212,440 in earnings and became the only woman to win two WSOP bracelets. She would later be joined by Vanessa Selbst (2012), Loni Harwood (2015) and Kirsten Bicknell (2020).

Playing star

These successes propelled her into the media spotlight. Jennifer became sponsored by Full Tilt Poker, appeared in all the gambling magazines and on the most famous TV shows, including High Stakes Poker and on the NBC series Poker After Dark. Accustomed to the high tables of cash games, Jennifer Harman was the only woman to frequent Bobby's Room, the legendary venue at the Bellagio. She would also be part of "The Corporation" a group of professional players, including Phil Ivey, who teamed up to beat billionaire Andy Beal on insane limits ranging from $25,000 - $50,000 to $100,000 - $200,000.

Operation, philanthropy and poker

In 2003, she underwent a kidney transplant which kept her away from the circuit for a year. She subsequently founded an association to raise awareness of organ donation. She also regularly organises charity tournaments, inviting celebrities from the game to raise money for various foundations. In particular, she is heavily involved in animal welfare, serving as an ambassador for the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Back at the tables, Jennifer made her mark with a 4th place finish at the 2004 WPT Five-Diamond in Las Vegas for nearly $300,000. A few months later, she finished runner-up in a $10,000 WSOP-C for $383,840.

She would go on to make a name for herself as a poker player.

She would string together a number of top performances until 2012 before going quiet. Jennifer Harman is always present at the tables, particularly in cash games, but divides her life between her family, community activities and her playing career.