Poker Masterminds – Mastermind 1 – Barry Shulman

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Poker Masterminds – Mastermind 1 – Barry Shulman

I recently started looking into what makes a winning poker player. You would know this if you have been following my blogging and on air broadcasts. If you haven’t followed be sure to look at the blog post from last month “Winning Poker Players”. This research along with a quick mail message to a friend prompted me to write throughout the next twelve months about Poker Industry and Poker Player Masterminds.

I decided to start with a man that more than impresses the industry; although he is very humble about his successes. This man is one I have met, talked with and worked with on a very small level; this is no other then Barry Shulman. I have recently had the chance to look into the poker life and successes of Barry Shulman. After careful research I decided to place him in this Mastermind category which should never be done in my opinion without serious consideration. Mastermind is not a title I would hand out too often! Barry Shulman is a mastermind of a player and also one in the poker industry. Here is the definition of Mastermind:

Genius: Someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality; Someone who creates new things; Plan and Direct.

Let me show you how Mr Shulman fits this title.

I have notated Barry’s success both on and off the felt and he is not only what makes a winning poker player (as previously blogged) but also industry leader in hard cover publications with Cardplayer and Subscription Poker Sites such as Spadeclub. He has exceptional intellectual ability in the field of poker and its related components, original in what he does, is someone who creates new things and plans and directs them. I guess that’s why he is the CEO of the world’s biggest poker magazine!

I personally always saw Barry as a brilliant live poker player. Looking back at just the last few months this should be obvious to everyone after him winning the WSOPE (World Series of Poker Europe) and coming third the PCA Paradise Island. It is noted that Barry has had $4,325,695.00 in live tournament cashes. Now that’s one hell of a poker player and certainly not a one hit wonder! I am also under the assumption that all his wins are not recorded as Barry Shulman has been playing poker since college in the 1960’s.

It was only yesterday that I discovered that Barry had beaten 1098 competitors in an online tournament on poker stars just the day before; taking with him in excess of USD$93,000.00. Wins like these we don’t often hear of. It made me realise that Barry’s poker game was ACE both on and offline. One can only imagine how many more games he has won online that few know about. This ladies and gentlemen is a winning poker player, a poker player mastermind!

Barry’s knowledge and ability in the game of poker goes far beyond playing on the felt though. I myself am a poker journalist and I can tell you it isn’t an easy job, it is time consuming and tiring work. Being the CEO of the world’s biggest hard cover publication Cardplayer as well as its online sibling cardplayer.com has got to have abilities beyond belief. That’s no easy task to say the least.

In addition Barry has a sound investment in Spadeclub, the new way to play! Spadeclub is a subscription site and is changing the way people online game. Barry is also a well renowned poker book author.

Barry Shulman if you ever read this blog post; may you class yourself as the first of the inductees into my little collection of Masterminds of the poker industry both on and off the felt.

Poker Mastermind Number 1 – Barry Shulman!