[6] Orenstein, along with his three brothers and father, had initially fled to Olyka after the German army entered Hrubieszów in September 1939.
[8] Orenstein explained during interviews that his family had built secret hiding spots between double walls, where they evaded authorities.
[citation needed] While at Budzyń, Orenstein had heard an announcement over the loudspeaker one day that any scientists should register with the office.
Their parents were murdered by Nazis in 1942, and their brother, Felix, and sister, Hanka, died during their final days of captivity in separate concentration camps at the end of the war.
[citation needed] Initially finding work with the Libby's canned food company, one day Orenstein noticed a bride doll in a department store window display, on sale for $29.95.
NBC Sports President of Programming Jon Miller said that Orenstein is "single handedly responsible for the success of poker today.
He also produced the popular TV Show High Stakes Poker, which ran from 2006 to 2007 and 2009 to 2011; old episodes can be seen in the United States on GSN.
[citation needed] He won the $5,000 Seven-card stud tournament at the 1996 World Series of Poker (WSOP), earning $130,000 by defeating fourth-place T. J. Cloutier, third-place Cyndy Violette and runner-up Humberto Brenes.
[16] Despite being the oldest competitor (at age 80), he won his first round of NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship against one of the best cash-game players in the world, Chip Reese.