Jennifer Harman is an American professional poker player who grew up in Reno, Nevada. She is widely regarded as one of the best poker players today and one of the best female players of all time.
Harman begin playing poker at age eight and was instantly hooked on the game. She played in her father's home games and often won him his money back if he was down. Around this same time, she required a kidney transplant due to genetic health issues. At 16, she began sneaking into poker rooms through the use of a fake ID. She did not fare to well against the regulars in the game and had a hard time making a profit.
After high school, she went to the University of Nevada and pursued a degree in biology. She was a cocktail waitress during her time there and often used her earnings at the poker table after her shift. She had some moderate success in the games, but to her poker was still just a hobby.
After she graduated she went to LA to bartend, but soon got caught up in poker once again. A friend recommended the Bike Casino to her and within less than a week of playing at the Bike; she quit her job and went full time as a poker pro.
Although she has had serious ups and downs throughout her career, Jennifer Harman has won millions playing in the world's biggest cash games. A regular in the Big Game, she is the only woman to consistently beat the best in the world. Doyle Brunson even thought highly enough of her play to let her author the limit hold'em section in Super System II.
Though Jennifer has accumulated the vast majority of her wealth playing in high stakes cash games, she has also had success on the tournament circuit. She's a winner of two WSOP bracelets and has over $2.5 million in tournament cashes.
Harmon was forced to take time off poker in 2004 to undergo a second kidney transplant. After she fully recovered, she created a charity. The organization is called CODA, Creating Organ Donation Awareness which raises money for organ transplant victims.
She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband Marco Traniello, who is a hair-stylist turned poker professional. She has two twin boys from her marriage to Marco. She was married once before but divorced in 1993. She is also close friends with fellow poker pro, Daniel Negreanu.
