Top Ten Greatest Poker Players of All Time
Who are the greatest poker players of all time? It’s a question that will cause a lot of debate in poker circles, and as with any discussion of this nature, the answer will differ greatly depending on the age and experience of the person you’re asking.
In this guide, we’ll showcase our top ten list, which isn’t just about who has the most WSOP bracelets or the most TV appearances but who has the biggest impact on the game and has displayed the most skill at the table.
10. Johnny Moss
Known as the “Grand Old Man of Poker”, Moss was a trailblazer for the game who never lived to see the online era. He won the first-ever World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in 1970, which only had a handful of players, and defended his title a year later before winning again in 1974.
9. Stu Ungar
Ungar is one of just two players to have won the WSOP Main Event three times, with Moss being the other. He amassed several million in career earnings but could have won more due to his incredible talent.
8. Bryn Kenney
Kenney once topped the all-time poker winnings list due to his skill and consistency. At the time of writing, the New York native has finished in the money 50 times at the WSOP, and while he only has one bracelet to his name so far (a 10-Game Mix Six Handed event that earned him $150,000 in prize money), that will surely change soon.
7. Stephen Chidwick
Like Kenney, Chidwick only has one WSOP bracelet right now but has also cashed many times in major events. The Englishman regularly appears at final tables across Europe and North America, including over a dozen money finishes at WPT and EPT events and 50+ at the WSOP. He is one of the best players the United Kingdom has produced and fittingly comes from a town called Deal.
6. Erik Seidel
Seidel has been a prominent feature on the poker scene for several decades and has accumulated many big wins. He has ten WSOP bracelets and has made it to an incredible 51 final tables at the annual event.
5. Daniel Negreanu
Negreanu, known as “Kid Poker”, has been around the circuit for a long time and has picked up some massive wins. Our Negreanu net worth article noted that he was upfront about his losses. He is an excellent player and a fantastic advocate for the game, and he deserves a place on any list of the best poker players of all time.
4. Doyle Brunson
Sadly, Doyle Brunson is no longer with us, but the Godfather of Poker left his mark in the form of the Brunson hand, which led him to two WSOP Main Event wins. He was a regular on TV tables and poker shows and is one of the most beloved professional players ever to play the game.
3. Phil Hellmuth
Some experienced players would exclude Phil “The Poker Brat” Hellmuth from a list of the greatest poker players ever. He has garnered somewhat of a love-hate relationship in the game due to his outbursts at the table, and he has a lot of detractors. But regardless of what you think about his personality and his approach to the game, you have to admit that he is an excellent and very accomplished player.
He has won more poker bracelets than anyone else, after all. Excluding him would be akin to saying that Tom Brady doesn’t deserve to be mentioned on a list of the best-ever football players.
Of course, if you ask Hellmuth himself, he’ll probably tell you that he is the greatest poker player of all time, and while he hasn’t taken our top spot, we wouldn’t argue with that statement.
2. Justin Bonomo
Bonomo is a poker sensation who has taken down some huge high-roller events over roughly the last five years. He has also accumulated the most cash game winnings, leading many to christen him the world’s greatest poker player. Still in his thirties, Bonomo keeps going from strength to strength and is a regular feature at WSOP final tables and other big events.
1. Phil Ivey
With 11 WSOP bracelets to his name, 36 WSOP final tables and tens of millions in live poker winnings, the man they call “the Tiger Woods of Poker” is our pick as the greatest poker player ever.
Ivey is a formidable force at the poker table and is the last person you want to be facing if you find yourself in a heads-up battle at the end of a long and grueling tournament. If you are perusing the poker betting markets for any major event, you can’t go wrong by wagering on this man.
Summary: The Greatest Poker Players of All Time
Poker has had its fair share of big personalities and huge winners. It also attracts a lot of interest from celebs— as discussed in our Ryan Garcia poker blog — who often buy their way into big cash games. We think all the famous poker players above deserve their place on this list, but it’s tough to pick the best poker player ever, so we’re sure many fans will disagree with us.
Poker Common Queries
Who is the best poker player in the world?
It’s debatable, but many give that honor to Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, or Justin Bonomo.
Who are the best poker players in the world?
In addition to the three mentioned above, Daniell Negreanu and Erik Seidel also deserve a mention on the list of living greats.
Who is the best poker player of all time?
Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson are two players who should be included on every list of the best poker players of all time.
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