Poker Hall of Famer Jen Harman shared the classic story of being slow-played by Cory Zeidman at the 2005 WSOP, and the crazy experience of winning a huge pot at the Bellagio the following year due to "tipping".
Poker Hall of Famer Jennifer Harman was a regular on television poker shows and a fan favorite in the 2000s. While she has stepped away from the spotlight in recent years, high-stakes poker remains a part of her life.
The two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner returned to the WSOP this summer with a "positive" mindset, hoping to win her first bracelet since the Moneymaker era. The Las Vegas native, Harman, spoke to PokerNews during a break on the first day of the #9:$10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, her first event of the summer.
“You know, I’m in a really positive state right now. So, I feel good about it,” Harman said, referring to the possibility of playing more bracelet events than usual this summer. “I’m a little nostalgic, you know. I love cash games, and I miss tournaments.”
Harman stated that she has been playing "a lot of cash games," primarily in private games at the Aria or Bellagio, both top poker rooms in Las Vegas. However, it seems she may be somewhat eager to play some tournaments at this year's WSOP, chasing her first gold bracelet since 2002.
Superstars of the Poker Craze
Harman was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2015 along with fellow former Full Tilt Poker pro John Juanda, and she fondly remembers the era of the poker craze.
"High Stakes Poker was really fun back then. I miss it. I really miss it. I was a beginner in No-Limit Texas Hold'em back then. I still am now, because I mainly play mixed games," Harman explained.
Harman was a frequent guest on shows like *High Stakes Poker* and *Late Night Poker*, two of the most famous cash game shows of the 2000s. She also occasionally appeared at the televised or side tables during ESPN's coverage of the WSOP. In a 2005 WSOP broadcast, she became the victim of one of the most notorious slow-play incidents in poker history.
The infamous slow-play poker incident
Harman made a full house on the river and placed a big bet, forcing her opponent, New York pro Cory Zeidman, to go all-in. Zeidman miraculously hit a straight flush with only one live card on the river, but instead of calling immediately, he went into deep thought for some unknown reason, putting on a show before calling, doubling his chips and leaving Harman short-stacked.
This hand has been recounted millions of times in the poker world. Decades later, Zeidman pleaded guilty in October 2025 to wire fraud charges for operating an illegal sports betting business and is currently serving 46 months in federal prison. Does Harman believe Zeidman's eventual imprisonment is retribution for that slow play?
“No, this isn’t karma,” she replied. “Maybe I’ll feel frustrated for a moment, but I’ll forget about it quickly. I’ll throw a little tantrum, and then it’ll be fine. Was I frustrated then? Yes, but once I let him bet everything and he started talking, I thought, okay, I’m okay.”
Harman said, "Someone came to me and said, 'You know, he (Zeidman) did it on purpose.'" She then told a perhaps lesser-known story about the following year's WSOP, where the two were once again seated at the same table.
“Day 1, the tournament had just started,” she began. “He eliminated me, about 30 minutes later. So, I was out, but I was furious. Then I went to the Bellagio, sat down, and played. I paid the big blind. It was PLO. I remember the cap was $125,000, and I went all-in in a three-way pot with bottom two pair. I hit top trips and top straights, and we got dealt two hands. Both times I made a backdoor flush on the river and won the pot.”
"I grabbed a few chip racks and cashed them out. That's how I calmed down."
For years, Harman, like many high-stakes players, typically spent much of the summer chasing huge prizes at the Bellagio's cash tables (primarily mixed games). But even 21 years after that infamous slow-play incident, she remains passionate about the World Series of Poker.
“You know what, my sons just took out my two gold bracelets a week ago, and they felt it,” Harman said. “They said, ‘Wow, these are heavy.’ I said, ‘One is for you, and one is for your brother.’”
There was only one problem: she needed a third gold bracelet because her two sons had a friend living with them.
"I said, 'Oh my God, I have to win you a gold bracelet too.'"
The third gold bracelet won't come from this $10k Omaha High-Low tournament. She was eliminated on the second day. But it seems she still has many opportunities before the summer ends.
Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?
If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：
The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)
Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.
▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.