Five Questions With Poker Player Jennifer Harman

Our interview with the two-time bracelet winner reveals her thoughts on straight flushes, High Stakes Poker, and Andy Beal

1.  If you could go back in time and change one decision you made at the poker table, what would it be?
To throw away those queens last year (against Corey Zeidman’s rivered straight-flush at the World Series). Just to throw them away before the flop, or to make a great laydown on the flop. I don’t have any regrets about the way I played it, though. On the turn, I wanted him in, I didn’t want him out. I thought that I was raising enough to keep him in. So I don’t have any regrets.

2.  Most players have a favorite starting hand. What’s yours?
I don’t have a favorite starting hand anymore. It used to be 6-4 suited, but I’m not doing very well with that hand, so I have to throw it away. I’ve made probably five straight-flushes with it, that’s why it was my favorite hand, but the luck has run dry.

3.  What’s the best poker show on TV, and what’s the worst one you’ve seen since the poker boom started?
I think the best show is High Stakes Poker. It’s fun to play in and it’s fun to watch. It’s just a good show. The worst one is Celebrity Poker. When I watch poker, I like to watch good poker. Celebrity Poker Showdown is a fun, entertaining show, I guess, but it’s not for me.

4.  You’re pretty good friends with Daniel Negreanu. Has his perceived bad luck over the past year or so affected the quality of his play at the table?
Well, what bad luck are we talking about? I don’t think he’s getting unlucky, I think he’s just running normal. He actually won a tournament this year, he’s made it to a final table this year at the World Series, he came in 11th in a big event, he’s making it deep. He’s going through what everybody goes through. I don’t think he’s necessarily unlucky, it’s just fluctuation. I mean, he’s winning in the Big Game. I think he’s had an okay World Series. He hasn’t won a bracelet yet, but they’re hard to win. As far as being unlucky, it’s what all poker players go through over the course of time. In 2005 he ran unlucky, but what about 2004? There’s a standard deviation. It all goes to where you’re supposed to be. He won how many tournaments in 2004? Plus a lot of high finishes. That’s running pretty lucky for anybody. I just think it all evens out, and that’s probably why he had a bad year in 2005. You can’t just win all the time in poker, and we all know that. He’s an incredibly great player, and he’s going to have his amount of fluctuation too.

5.  Do you think Andy Beal has challenged the Corporation for the last time?
It’s tough to say with Andy. Andy’s so busy with his work. I think he likes the enjoyment and the excitement of playing poker. So do I think it’s the last time? Probably not. But it might be a while before he decides to play poker again, because he’s so busy.