If karma exists, then Barry Greenstein is going to be one of the best poker players in the world for a long, long time.

Greenstein has won over $3.5 million at tournaments, and has given it all to charity. He recently placed in an event and donated the winnings to the hurricane Katrina relief effort.

Given his record as the “Robin Hood” of poker, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Greenstein is one of the most intelligent men in the game. The Chicago native (Scottsdale, to be precise) earned his doctorate in mathematics at the University of Illinois.

He also speaks Vietnamese, courtesy of Mimi Tran, who taught him the language in exchange for poker lessons. Greenstein was one of the first employees at Symantec, but gave up his job in 1991 after seven years to take up poker full-time.

His father having been a poker player of some note in the Army, Greenstein was introduced to the game in his early teens. He eventually found his way to northern California, where he carved out a niche for himself playing high-stakes ring games.

That success, fueled by his aggressive-yet-patient style, allows him to donate his tournament winnings. Although he hasn’t won the main event at the World Series of Poker, Greenstein has one bracelet to his credit (No-Limit Deuce to Seven Draw, 2004) and won the nearly $1.3-million prize at the 2004 World Poker Open.

Greenstein’s preferred charity is Children, Inc.

In 2003, Greenstein won the $1-million stud event at Hustler Casino, then donated $1,000 each to over 440 of the charity’s employees scattered around the globe.

Greenstein, a single parent, also has six children to take care of at home in Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif.