Introduction
In the poker world, this age-old question has existed for decades of who is the best player ever to play. This is a hot topic which has been challenged by all poker players from the casual ones to this serious veterans. Wether it be their World Series of Poker (WSOP) results or how they had dominated the cash-games, some were poker legends that have changed the landscape of poker for eternity. But then, what earns someone the title of “the best”? Their feelings of finding a winning side? Is it winning the WSOP Main Event or more so their impact and legacy in the game?
There are so many in contention for the label of best poker player ever, and with good reason. Poker is filled with incredible players, from legends like Phil Ivey who has collected WSOP bracelets to the present day stars of poker such as Daniel Negreanu. These aren’t just poker players, they are some of the standard bears who have helped shape (and reshape) all of professional poker. They played and beat prolly as high recently one gets in the cash streets, conquered WSOP Main Event fields just like playing Fellows at their stake level here, racking up some giant fucking tourney scores. And still we discuss: who really IS the best poker player?
Criteria for Greatness
In order to end this long lasting debate of who the greatest poker player of all time is, it helps if we can establish what exactly that makes one a great in our sport. The first metric is that they can win both in cash games and tournaments. A lot of the top poker players have become proficient in both tournaments and cash games showing how adaptable they are to poker. Another very important factor is that of consistency over time. Even if a flash in the pan really did make someone one of poker’s greats, it still would not be enough. The likes of Phil Hellmuth (who has more WSOP bracelets than anyone in history) and Doyle Brunson, the 2-time winner of the Main Event at different points have successfully proclaimed their dominance on series poker fields.
But not the money — it is more than just the winning. Impact on the game is a big deal. Johnny Moss: Johnny Moss became known as the “Grand Old Man of Poker,” and played a prominent role in helping to legitimize poker for fans. The players with the most success have fundamentally altered poker and made history in doing so. The best poker players have evolved the game in new ways, whether it’s by bringing innovative strategies to life or embarressing high-stakes tournaments. Their success has earned a reputation and revolutionized poker, particularly as it relates to topflight tournament play such as at the World Series of Poker. He decimates any table he sits down at, rendering Phil Ivey an elit canadate for the title of best poker player.
Top 10 Best Poker Players of All Time
The legends who have made the game what it is today are among the greatest poker players of all time. Read on for our look at the top 20 poker players of all time, made up each and every single player that has their own combination of skill, strategy or longevity in both cash games and tournament play from a variety World Series of Poker holdover throughout history to make this list. We will break down that list of the top 10, and what makes each player an icon/superstar in poker.
Johnny Moss:
The Grandfather of Poker, Johnny Moss was also a very dominant figure in the first years that the WSOP took place. Moss actually won the WSOP Main Event multiple times and was thought of as very knowledgeable about poker. His legacy in poker can still be seen to this day, mostly because he helped elevate the status of poker from a seedy backrooms card game. Moss has won both tournament play and cash games, thus cementing his status as one of the richest poker players ever. The game owes a ton of its prestige to his contributions towards it and the WSOP today.
Doyle Brunson:
Any talk on poker just isn’t complete using that guy purebred person Doyle Brunson. Brunson, nicknamed “Texas Dolly,” has won the WSOP Main Event twice and he is past his legendary status in poker for years. Even today, Super/System is still considered one of the best poker books for strategy by Brunson. Not only is he recognized as one of the finest poker players ever due to how many individuals attribute their realization that they loved Texas Holdem or another variant game, Brunson even continued competitive with younger gamers into old age. He is an icon of the game and one whose legacy can be found in anyone who studies live poker strategy, after all.
Phil Ivey:
Phil Ivey, often credited with being the scariest player in poker. Ivey is known by just about every poker player around the globe with all of his WSOP bracelets under his belt. He top this topic all list of the best poker players and he can to assert himself as in nhl superstars beckett belonged, cash-games or tournaments. While Ivey is a fearsome player because of his results, he also knew the game like few others. High-stakes cash games are one thing, but Ivey has shown his skills in some of the biggest tournaments on earth time and again.
Stu Ungar:
Stu Ungar – Stuey by his friends, was a poker genius there is no disputing it and he particularly excelled at no limit Hold’em where if I may be so bold as to quote him “Nobody can beat me heads-up; the only one that could probably scare me would be myself. Those three WSOP Main Event wins are an illustration of his abilities and he is often described as one the best natural poker talents ever to play. At his best, Ungar was almost unbeatable due to a blindingly aggressive style and the ability (all but supernatural) he displayed in reading opponents. Ungar was one of the best poker players ever, and although his career ended prematurely, he left quite a legacy. His talent, along with his slew of WSOP wins means he is etched into poker history.
Daniel Negreanu:
Daniel Negreanu may not only be one of the best poker players in history but is also a global ambassador for our game. Thanks to his lucrative live tournament wins and charismatic personality, Negreanu has gone on to become one of the most well-known figures in poker. His prowess at reading opponents and his consistency in big tournaments have helped him win quite a few titles, including several WSOP bracelets. He is also responsible for more than just what happens on the felt, as he continues to spread the good word of poker all over the world which places him firmly in a category above most others when it comes to modern day poker.
Erik Seidel:
Erik Seidel was a living rock of poker – solid, steady and steadfast over the course of time. Seidel is one of the more successful tournament and cash players in poker history, with a bevy of major titles (including several WSOP bracelets) to his name. His unflappable temperament and his cool, meticulous style of play have earned him the respect of poker players worldwide. For decades Seidel has been one of the best poker players in history by adjusting to the consistently shifting sands of professional play.
Phil Hellmuth:
Phil Hellmuth: The player many have heard of, holds the most WSOP bracelets to date and is one of poker’s most decorated players. If Hellmuth had the more infamous meltdown in poker, it was because his sometimes obnoxious personality [] has been one of tournament pokers most dominant forces for many years. This WSOP success, and his one-of-a-kind playing style are what led to him being called “The Poker Brat.” As cocky as Hellmuth seemed, his actions on the felt produce results and with his unparalleled achievements at WSOP nobody can doubt that he is one of all-time best.
Chip Reese:
Chip Reese was considered the best all-around poker player for many years, he had success in both cash games and tournaments. Reese was considered the best all-around poker player that ever played and many of his peers believe him to be the greatest who has ever lived. Reese was no stranger to crushing in cash games either, as he also terrorized some of the highest stakes out there when not competing for tournament titles. His mastery of several different poker disciplines made him a verifiable legend in the game.
Tom Dwan:
One of the legends to emerge from online poker’s golden age is none other than Tom Dwan, aka “Durrrr.” Dwan was a force the poker world had never seen before and he took aggression to another level of innovation. Dominik turned it around and earned a reputation as one of the highest-stakes cash game players in history, regularly besting some of poker’s biggest stars.
Fedor Holz:
Fedor Holz is one of the best tournament players of his generation. Holz is a formidable figure in the world of poker having amassed quite some tournament winnings from an early stage. Many would argue that, thanks to his great skill and ability to crush so many big events (such as WSOPs), Phil Ivey should have risen through the poker ranks much faster than he in fact did. Even at such a young age though, Holz has established himself as one of the best in poker history.
Honorable Mentions
According to those numbers, we humbly submit our version of the 12 greatest poker players in history (we couldn’t narrow it down just ten), which include legends Doyle Brunson and Daniel Negreanu. Like Justin Bonomo He is one of the highest earners in terms of tournament winnings having won millions including winning several high roller events and world series poker tournaments that showcasing his dominance. Sporting an impeccable ability to read opponents and employ the optimal strategy, Bonomo has solidified himself as public enemy No. 1 at any tournament he plays in.
Liv Boeree is another key favorite, and pairs her smarts with a love of the game. Her educated background in Astrophysics may seem unrelated to gambling, but her your head forentusiastic. has seen a WSOP band (bracelet) In addition to this, outside of the tables Liv Boeree has shown that she is helping life more women into one competitive poker environment. She has fewer titles to her name in comparison with some of the top 10 players but she certainly left a mark on tennis.
That said, we must not fail to mention the ever charming and entertaining Antonio Esfandiari. One of the largest cashes in poker history, Esfandiari took down over $18 million on winning Big One for One Drop. Just missing the top 10 was a player who rivals Bicknell’s skill in both tournaments and cash games, this time with enough of an onus on success that he became one of poker’s elite.
Female Poker Players
While the poker world is male-dominated, we have seen a number of very successful female poker players – Vanessa Selbst and Liv Boeree just to name two. Best known as the most successful female player of all time having earned over $11 million in career tournament earnings, Vanessa Selbst is a formidable opponent with three World Series Gold bracelets to her name. Opponents, regardless of whether they were male or female themselves, respected her aggressive style and fearless play at the tables. Selbst has worked hard in poker, but she also showed and inspired countless other women to start playing as well, e.g. it was a man’s world!
Another heavy-hitting poker figure is Liv Boeree. Boeree had a background in science and that likely influenced her playing style of cold, calculated logic. She has a lot of success in both cash games and tournaments, she even holds a WSOP bracelet. In addition to her poker successes, Boeree has worked to further enhance her role model profile by promoting causes and missions unrelated to the game. Vanessa Selbst and Liv Boeree are living proof that poker is a game for all of us as well, with their influence showing up generation after sired next.
Poker Players by Decade
Poker has changed a lot over the years, and the best poker players have tended to mirror how that game is currently being played. Going back to the very beginnings, players such as Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson were figureheads in a poker world that simply isn’t available today. Those pioneers were around before the game blew up in popularity internationally, and they killed it with success that was a little simpler to get when cash games combined into tournaments in one single tight-knit poker community. With their World Series of Poker glory days, they were one in bringing poker to the realm of competitive sport.
During the 2000s poker was moving more towards Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu. They shut down the live poker tournaments, but they also killed it in one of their new offsprings: online Ivey was one of the most fearless players in the highest-stakes games and Negreanu arguably could read an opponent better than any other player alive. Television and online poker aided in the globalization of poker, creating new avenues for these pros to explore.
The 2010s and beyond saw the rise of even younger players like Fedor Holz, proving that there’s yet more to come as poker continues to evolve. The rapid and unprecedented success witnessed in a short period by Holz represents the new age of poker, where players augment their traditional knowledge with advanced strategies that are data- and tech-driven. These individuals are the future of poker so they embody in some way how the game is speeding up and getting tougher from decade to decade.
Legacy and Influence
The best poker players of all time will always be remembered for more than just how much they won in tournaments and WSOP bracelets. Doyle Brunson to Phil Ivey — these players not only won their victories, but also influenced the strategies and tactics of countless poker devotees. Brunson changed the game with his contributions, and through writing in books like Super/System he educated a new breed of poker players to strategy.
The most celebrated talent of his for any generation has become Phil Ivey, and due to the ensuing innovative developments in no-limit hold’em…. His fearlessness and making tough calls have started to be accustomed by the upcoming players to play an aggressive game. Thus, with his unstoppable charisma and remarkable performances at the tables he has gained a reputation as an ambassador for poker worldwide,committed to opening up this universe.
Every one of them made an impact on the game that will be felt for generations to come, as they are remembered each year by new poker pros. Their legacy is visible in both online poker and live tournament play, as the game continues to be played that way.
Conclusion
Deciding who the greatest poker player from all time is an arduous objective. There have been many great players in the history of poker, from Johnny Moss to Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu. And each of them has left their mark on the game, whether it be WSOP bracelets, cash-game demolishing and/or high-stakes tourney domination. Their influence on strategy, how much they won in tournaments or just their ability to inspire others — it all played a part in writing these stars into the annals of poker history.
So now, who do you consider the best poker player of all time. From one of the OG legends to present-day, fans come in all shapes and sizes. What are your thoughts, and keep the conversation flowing!
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