Barry Shulman

Barry Shulman was born on May 8, 1946, in Seattle, Washington. He first learned to play poker while studying accounting at college in the 1960s. After graduation, he built a successful career in real estate for 25 years before relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada in the early 1990s. Though he originally planned to retire, his passion for poker drew him back into the game. In 1999, he used his retirement funds to purchase Card Player Magazine, transforming it from a small publication into a leading poker media company.

Shulman first cashed in a World Series of Poker (WSOP) event in 1997, finishing in the money in the $3,000 pot-limit hold'em event. His first bracelet came at the 2001 WSOP, winning the $1,500 seven-card stud hi-lo split 8 or better event for $123,820.

His most celebrated victory occurred at the 2009 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) Main Event in London. Competing against a strong field, he defeated Daniel Negreanu heads-up to claim the £10,000 no-limit hold'em championship and the top prize of $1,305,542, earning his second WSOP bracelet. This victory also placed him among the elite players with multiple bracelets.

Shulman came close to a third bracelet in 2019, finishing as runner-up in the $1,000 Super Seniors event for $222,295.

Beyond the WSOP, Shulman has performed well on other major tours. In January 2010, he finished third in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event, earning $1,350,000, his largest single cash to date. He made a World Poker Tour (WPT) final table in 2003, placing fourth in the Ultimatebet.com Poker Classic II in Aruba. He also finished second in a Professional Poker Tour (PPT) event in 2005. As of 2024, his total live tournament winnings exceed $6.3 million, with 68 WSOP cashes accounting for over $2.3 million of that sum. Shulman is ranked among the top 200 all-time money earners from the United States.

As CEO of Card Player Magazine, Shulman has been a pivotal figure in the poker media landscape during the poker boom. Under his leadership, the magazine expanded its coverage and became a trusted source for tournament results, strategy, and industry news. Shulman is also an author, having published two strategy books: 52 Tips for Texas Hold 'em Poker (2005) and 52 Tips for No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em Poker (2006), both aimed at improving players' fundamental skills.

Shulman describes himself as a "businessman who plays poker" rather than a full-time professional, but his results reflect a disciplined and analytical approach. He favors a tight-aggressive (TAG) style, emphasizing selective hand selection and aggressive betting when entering pots. His background in accounting gives him a strong understanding of risk versus reward and the mathematics of the game. Shulman is known for his calm demeanor and patience, particularly in deep-stack tournaments, where he leverages position and reads to make well-timed bluffs and value bets.

Poker runs in the Shulman family. His wife, Allyn Shulman, is also a talented player and WSOP bracelet winner. His son Jeff Shulman is a professional poker player who famously made the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table as part of the November Nine—the same year Barry won his WSOPE bracelet. Another son, Michael Shulman, is a writer and owner of the online magazine ShulmanSays. Barry also has two stepchildren from his second marriage. The family resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.