Of all the card games known to us, poker is perhaps the most iconic of the bunch. While it is certainly one of those that have maintained a classic feel, the game has managed to evolve immensely over the years. During the duration of poker’s growth development, different players have dominated the game. This has been at different times and to different degrees.
Essentially, this makes ranking and naming the top poker players a seemingly daunting task. That is just how poker is made. Some people will say that the best poker players are those with the highest-ranking win. Others will point to the number of gamers the players have won. However, these are not the only things that define good poker players. They contribute to it, but the definition goes way beyond that.
That said, people will have varying opinions about who the best players are. We are no different. In our opinion, here are the top 10 poker players that have ever lived:
1. Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu has been one of the most popular names in the world of poker since the late 90s. His reputation as an excellent poker player earned him the “Kid Poker” moniker. Even though he is certainly not a kid anymore, he holds the record for the biggest live tournament poker winner of all time. As if that is not enough, he is the first poker player to be named the WSOP player of the year twice. Negreanu is still an active poker player and contributor to the world of poker, which makes him a very valuable asset.
2. Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth earned a reputation for being one of the most formidable opponents at the poker tables. Many other professional poker players can attest to this. His understanding of the game is exceptional and has seen him win up to whopping 15 World Series of Poker bracelets since he started playing.
3. Phi Ivey
Even though Phil Ivey has had his fair share of controversy, including being accused of cheating, he is undeniably one of the greatest poker players ever. He began his career at a pretty young age back in the early 2000s and has since gone on to win 10 WSOP bracelets as well as the highly-coveted WPT title.
4. Fedor Holz
This German poker professional began his career as an online gamer. His skills at the poker tables were very impressive, and eventually, this led to his transition to live poker games. Unsurprisingly, he achieved a lot of success as a live poker player thanks to his brilliance when it comes to analyzing risks. With over $33 million in winnings, he remains to be a force to reckon with in the world of poker.
5. Bryn Kenney
In addition to being among the highest-ranking poker players in terms of lifetime earnings at the poker tables, Bryn Kenney also has a solid reputation as a highly-respected poker player. He did not start as a poker player, though. Before joining the poker scene back in 2007, Bryn played Magic: The Gathering card game. In a way, this contributed to shaping him to be the great poker player that he is even today.
6. Doyle Brunson
Brunson is one of poker’s greatest legends. He has been in the poker scene far longer than anyone else. In that time, he has seen it all. From underground poker games against very dangerous people to fun high-stakes poker games in various poker rooms across the United States. Now that is experience. He also has 10 World Series of Poker bracelets to his name and a very respectable $6.2 million in tournament winnings.
7. Justin Bonomo
Justin started his poker career playing online, where he happened to land in a bit of trouble. However, we all love a comeback story, and he gave us just that. His return to live poker gaming went so well that it eventually earned him the respect that every leading professional poker player in the world deserves. His unique style of gaming has seen him win many titles, including the Super High Roller Bowl and Triton Poker Series, as well as the Big One for One Drop.
8. Johnny Moss
By the time he passed away in 1995, Johnny Moss had already set himself apart as one of the greatest poker players that have ever lived. Even poker players recognize his contribution to making poker what it is today. Many people in the poker community call him the “Grandfather of Poker.” During his time, he raked in over a million in tournament winnings and a total of 9 WSOP bracelets.
9. Stu Ungar
Right off the bat, Stu remains a legend for being one of only two poker players who won the WSOP Main Event three times. He was also one of the four players two win the title back-to-back. As if that is not enough, he was the youngest player to ever win the WSOP Main Event – this opened the doors for many of the younger players that followed. While his story ended tragically, he remains a key figure in the world of poker. His contributions cannot be erased.
10. Erik Seidel
Even before entering the poker scene, Erik Seidel was already a prodigy at the gaming tables. Unsurprisingly, when he started live poker, he was quick to become a force to reckon with. Perhaps one of the most notable things about his career was his appearance in Rounders, which was arguably one of the most memorable gambling films of all time. In addition to having a few WSOP bracelets to his name, he also has racked up a lot of cash in tournament winnings.