Phil Hellmuth. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s tricky to deny the reputation that Phil has gotten over time; eleven bracelets, nearly eleven million in tourny earnings, a W.S.O.P Main Event title, a NBC Heads Up Poker Championship title, and along with that, a marketing and advertising apparatus which has made him probably the most identifiable and polarizing figures inside the sport. Past that, however, Hellmuth’s play has allowed him to win bracelets in an eighteen year span, showing his adaptableness in the evolution of the experience itself. Clear of the Poker Brat personality is a shrewd, good poker player that appears to be winning titles for a few years to come.

Chip Reese. The hold em world lost a master in 2007, when Chip died. A fixture at the Bellagio, Chip was welcomed into the poker Hall of Fame in 1991, the youngest ever player to get inducted. Even with just three World series titles, Chip was a feared high stakes money game ninja, and amongst his 3 titles came inside the inaugural $50,000 WSOP players Championship considered by some to be the best award apart from a Main Event title at the WSOP. With $3.5 mil in tournament prize money, and tens of millions more made at Bobby’s Room, Chip’s legend will always be with players at the World series of poker; the Player’s Championship award will now be named the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy.

Doyle Brunson. A fifty year trained poker player, the “Godfather of Poker” has molded how each one of us play the overall game with his poker strategy tome, Supersystem/Supersystem 2. Past the definitive book on hold em, he also carries a robust tourny and cash game record of his own; 10 wsop wins, a WPT win, nearly $6 mil in mtt income, and numerous televised big wins in high stakes cash games. He also is a constant figure at Bobby’s Room, and at 76, shows no signs of slowing down any day we can see. You can even get rakeback at the site that bears his name.

Let’s talk about Stu Ungar. In forty five years, Stu executed a lot more than most of us daydream of inside poker world. He also wasted such a massive portion of the natural skills he has at the card tables, in spite of that, when he was focused and on his game, he was purely untouchable. Winner of 5 bracelets, including a record 3 Main Event titles, the impression of Stu Ungar; overconfident, brash, and odd, made it difficult for opponents, friends, and family to ever get a bead on what he was thinking. Stu allowed his existence to be cut back by drugs and problematical living. Had he been unpolluted, the results that he would’ve and would even now be posting would likely be insane. As such, it’s a tragic wonder cut back earlier than his time.

No list would be complete without Phil Ivey. Who else? Ivey is the all-time leader in tourny spoils at almost $13 mil, has eight wsop wins, has finished inside the top twenty five inside the WSOP Main Event four times in the modern era from 2002 on, is known for a WPT title, plays in Bobby’s Room and the nosebleed no limit games on the internet, and on top of everything, is merely 34 years old. When he plays it’s like poker free money. He has stated that, in his lifetime, he expects to win thirty bracelets. There are a lot players who may construct claims that appear outrageous and not viable to attain. But the man, Phil Ivey? I wouldn’t bet in opposition to him.