Barry Greenstein Joins Team PokerStars Pro
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press/Analyst contact
Kerry Johnson/Susan Lindner
Lotus Public Relations
kerry.johnson@lotus-pr.com / susan.lindner@lotus-pr.com
212-922-5885
Nolan Dalla
Pokerstars.com
nolan@pokerstars.com
Barry Greenstein Joins Team PokerStars Pro at 2006 World Series of Poker
"Robin Hood of Poker" To Donate All WSOP Wins to Charity
ISLE OF MAN (UK) – JULY 6, 2006 – PokerStars.com, the world's largest poker tournament website, announced the addition of renowned poker player Barry Greenstein to Team PokerStars Pro. Instead of taking from the rich and giving to the poor, Barry Greenstein takes on poker pros around the world dedicating 100 percent of his tournament winnings to charity. Ranked among the highest money winners on the World Poker Tour (WPT) circuit and top cash game players in the world, and he is respected and admired throughout the poker community.
“Since the last three winners of the WSOP main event are on Team PokerStars Pro, and I plan to win it, I decided to show ultimate confidence in myself and join PokerStars ahead of time,” said Greenstein.
The one-time software designer realized many years ago that he could make more playing cards than he could in the software industry. After leaving software company Symantec, Greenstein rose through the poker world to become one of its most well-known players and author of “Ace on the River.” Greenstein brings to Team PokerStars Pro 20 WSOP money finishes, two gold bracelets, and two recent first place finishes at the 2005 World Poker Open and at the 2006 World Poker Tour Invitational.
Known around the poker world as “the Robin Hood of poker,” Greenstein has developed a much-deserved reputation as one of poker’s most prolific philanthropists. His tournament winning donations are distributed to a variety of charities including Children Incorporated, a charity that provides for more than 15,000 children in 21 countries around the world.
“There are few princes in the world of poker, but Barry is one of them,” said Lee Jones, poker room manager for PokerStars.com, “Not only is he a true ambassador for the sport, he brings integrity, talent and true passion for poker to Team PokerStars Pro.”
Team PokerStars Pro is comprised of the most respected and prominent poker players in the world. They include well-known WSOP Champions, leading poker authors, TV commentators, philanthropists, and strategists. Team PokerStars Pro members include:
Joe Hachem
John Duthie
Greg Raymer
Wil Wheaton
Chris Moneymaker
Steve Paul-Ambrose
Barry Greenstein
Vanessa Rousso
Lee Nelson
Luca Pagano
Isabelle Mercier
Victor Ramdin
Tom McEvoy
Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier
To follow Team PokerStars Pro at the 2006 WSOP visit www.pokerstarsblog.com
About PokerStars
PokerStars is the world's most innovative online poker site. PokerStars was the first site to introduce features that became industry standard such as sophisticated multi-table tournaments, integrated game statistics, players' notes, personalized images, time bank for tournaments and big bet ring games, satellite tournaments, multi-table sit and go tournaments, and much more.
To date, PokerStars has dealt out over five-billion hands and run more than 25 million poker tournaments, awarding well over $5 billion in prize money. PokerStars is the world's largest poker tournament room, with over 5 million registered player accounts. PokerStars' support team is truly unique, as help and assistance is available around the clock from people who know and understand the game of poker and the importance of impeccable customer service.
The PokerStars.com site is also one of the most secure. PokerStars uses industry-leading security software to ensure the integrity of the system, including encryption, card shuffle randomness and preventative measures against cheating and collusion. Money covering player's balances is held in segregated accounts managed by the Royal Bank of Scotland, ensuring that PokerStars can fulfill its obligations to players at all times.
In February 2006, PokerStars.com became the first poker website ever to reach the 100,000 simultaneous player mark. That watershed achievement marked the largest poker event in history. Every week, the PokerStars.com "Sunday Million" is played, which the largest weekly tournament on the planet with a $1 million guaranteed tournament prize pool.
PokerStars is an official member of the World Poker Tour, and the title sponsor of the European Poker Tour (EPT) and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. In the fall, PokerStars hosts the world's largest online tournament, the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). PokerStars also sponsors major events around the globe, such as the World Cup of Poker and other exciting tournaments.
During the last three years, PokerStars.com sent more players to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) than any other source or website. A whopping 1,116 entrants (19 percent of the field) qualified to play in the 2005 WSOP via PokerStars satellites. PokerStars is the site where the 2003 and 2004 World Series of Poker champions won their entries into the WSOP. The reigning world poker champion, Joe Hachem, has also been an active player at PokerStars since 2002. He joined Moneymaker and Raymer as official representatives of PokerStars.com, thus fortifying the company trademark, "Where Poker Players Become World Champions."
