今回、コメント欄＆写真は①だけっす。よろしくです。
In third-world countries in South America and places like Sri Lanka and India, $1,000 is so much money that the recipients couldn't even cash the checks! Either there wasn't a bank that could cash such a big check or the people feared they might get killed over $1,000. They sent the checks back and other arrangements had to be made.
One woman wrote from Bolivia saying that she cried tears of joy that someone in another part of the world would care about her. She prayed that Barry would reap as much kindness as he has sown.
When I read the letters and told Barry how overwhelmed I was by his generosity, he frowned and said: "The people all over the world who give their time and effort are the real heroes." Barry just feels fortunate to be in a position to help. He invites you to visit the Children, Inc. website located at http://www.children-inc.org/.
On Jan. 29, 2004, Barry Greenstein won $1,278,370 at the fifth-annual Jack Binion World Poker Open championship event at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, and was afforded another opportunity to donate all of his tournament winnings. He explains: "These contributions are the best things I have ever done in my life."
His explanation of the win is a sweet one. For the last 10 years, there have been two women responsible for his happiness, both of whom still add untold value to his life. One is his longtime girlfriend and now most treasured friend, Mimi Tran; the other is Alex Vuong, his cherished live-in girlfriend until recently.
When Barry met Mimi, she was someone he could talk to at a tough time in his life. Mimi was a $3-$6 hold'em player. Barry made a deal with Mimi. Barry would teach Mimi how to play poker and Mimi would teach Barry how to speak Vietnamese. Barry wanted to be able to communicate with the Vietnamese players who frequent the California casinos.
Barry and Mimi would go for long drives. On one part of their route, Barry would teach Mimi poker; on the way home, Mimi would teach Barry Vietnamese. After Mimi became a fabulous poker player, Barry and Mimi had an ongoing debate. Barry said he speaks Vietnamese at the level of a $3-$6 poker player, but she has become a successful high-limit player. He says he is clearly a better teacher than she is, but Mimi says it is because she is a better student than he is.
Mimi and Barry were two fiercely independent people. They were sounding boards for one another and their relationship eventually grew into a lifelong, dedicated friendship.
Another woman came into Barry's life, Alex Vuong. She was devoted to Barry and took care of him and his children. Alex was Barry's behind-the-scenes helper. She loved him unconditionally and helped him in all of his endeavors. Last year was Barry's biggest year in poker. He won millions, and believed that Alex was largely responsible because she took such good care of him. Because Alex's life revolved solely around Barry, eventually she felt unfulfilled and they lovingly parted.
Subsequent to that day, Barry did not do well in any tournaments. He went to three World Poker Tour events without Alex and got knocked out on the first day each time. He seemed to lose even when he went in with the best of it. In Tunica, he was expecting the same result and made arrangements to fly home. Then, something happened. Down to $2,500 with an hour to go in the first day, Barry moved in with a straight draw, got lucky, and won. Two more drawouts later and Barry ended the first day with almost $30,000. He sent a message to Alex asking if anything different had happened to her. She called him and he explained that he just didn't feel like playing poker, even though he wanted to win for charity. Alex asked him to win the tournament for her. They made a deal that if he made it to the final table, she would fly out. For the next few days, Barry played well enough to remain in the tournament, and by his own accord, he got lucky every single time there was a matchup. Instead of taking risks that might increase his chance of winning, he was playing conservatively in order to maximize his chance of making it to the final table. And that he did.
Alex flew out to support him and he could do no wrong. Humbly, he says he won because he was lucky and not because of his skill. During a crucial hand, Barry had A-K, James Tippin had Q-Q, and Chip Reese, who was short-stacked, had the K 5 . There was $2.4 million in the pot and Barry won it, busting both men. Barry believed that with Alex behind him, he was unstoppable. With fine-tuned skill and his lucky lady in the audience, he became the next million-dollar victor.
In third-world countries in South America and places like Sri Lanka and India, $1,000 is so much money that the recipients couldn't even cash the checks! Either there wasn't a bank that could cash such a big check or the people feared they might get killed over $1,000. They sent the checks back and other arrangements had to be made.
One woman wrote from Bolivia saying that she cried tears of joy that someone in another part of the world would care about her. She prayed that Barry would reap as much kindness as he has sown.
When I read the letters and told Barry how overwhelmed I was by his generosity, he frowned and said: "The people all over the world who give their time and effort are the real heroes." Barry just feels fortunate to be in a position to help. He invites you to visit the Children, Inc. website located at http://www.children-inc.org/.
On Jan. 29, 2004, Barry Greenstein won $1,278,370 at the fifth-annual Jack Binion World Poker Open championship event at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, and was afforded another opportunity to donate all of his tournament winnings. He explains: "These contributions are the best things I have ever done in my life."
His explanation of the win is a sweet one. For the last 10 years, there have been two women responsible for his happiness, both of whom still add untold value to his life. One is his longtime girlfriend and now most treasured friend, Mimi Tran; the other is Alex Vuong, his cherished live-in girlfriend until recently.
When Barry met Mimi, she was someone he could talk to at a tough time in his life. Mimi was a $3-$6 hold'em player. Barry made a deal with Mimi. Barry would teach Mimi how to play poker and Mimi would teach Barry how to speak Vietnamese. Barry wanted to be able to communicate with the Vietnamese players who frequent the California casinos.
Barry and Mimi would go for long drives. On one part of their route, Barry would teach Mimi poker; on the way home, Mimi would teach Barry Vietnamese. After Mimi became a fabulous poker player, Barry and Mimi had an ongoing debate. Barry said he speaks Vietnamese at the level of a $3-$6 poker player, but she has become a successful high-limit player. He says he is clearly a better teacher than she is, but Mimi says it is because she is a better student than he is.
Mimi and Barry were two fiercely independent people. They were sounding boards for one another and their relationship eventually grew into a lifelong, dedicated friendship.
Another woman came into Barry's life, Alex Vuong. She was devoted to Barry and took care of him and his children. Alex was Barry's behind-the-scenes helper. She loved him unconditionally and helped him in all of his endeavors. Last year was Barry's biggest year in poker. He won millions, and believed that Alex was largely responsible because she took such good care of him. Because Alex's life revolved solely around Barry, eventually she felt unfulfilled and they lovingly parted.
Subsequent to that day, Barry did not do well in any tournaments. He went to three World Poker Tour events without Alex and got knocked out on the first day each time. He seemed to lose even when he went in with the best of it. In Tunica, he was expecting the same result and made arrangements to fly home. Then, something happened. Down to $2,500 with an hour to go in the first day, Barry moved in with a straight draw, got lucky, and won. Two more drawouts later and Barry ended the first day with almost $30,000. He sent a message to Alex asking if anything different had happened to her. She called him and he explained that he just didn't feel like playing poker, even though he wanted to win for charity. Alex asked him to win the tournament for her. They made a deal that if he made it to the final table, she would fly out. For the next few days, Barry played well enough to remain in the tournament, and by his own accord, he got lucky every single time there was a matchup. Instead of taking risks that might increase his chance of winning, he was playing conservatively in order to maximize his chance of making it to the final table. And that he did.
Alex flew out to support him and he could do no wrong. Humbly, he says he won because he was lucky and not because of his skill. During a crucial hand, Barry had A-K, James Tippin had Q-Q, and Chip Reese, who was short-stacked, had the K 5 . There was $2.4 million in the pot and Barry won it, busting both men. Barry believed that with Alex behind him, he was unstoppable. With fine-tuned skill and his lucky lady in the audience, he became the next million-dollar victor.