Unlike some of the other games one might find in the casino, poker is one about strategy and skill. However, like other casino games, poker involves an element of luck. But when it comes to skill-based casino games, poker takes the cake. This is why there are some very experienced and successful poker players and some who simply struggle.
In fact, professional poker tournaments broadcast all around the world right now. These tournaments contain some of the best and most popular poker players. They showcase their talent and prowess at the table, sometimes taking home winnings that sceptics would never believe could be won playing poker.
Naming a list of the best-ever poker players will be a tricky ask, simply because there are so many to choose from! However, when thinking about the best poker players, a few names will come to mind. This article will take you through five of the most successful and skilful poker players in history.
Pay attention to the strategies and tactics used by the players on this list. You’ll become a professional in no time! Let’s begin.
Phil Helmuth
Many poker experts consider Phil Helmuth one of the most underrated and underappreciated poker players of all time. He must be on this list to curb that trend. He deserves due respect for the exploits and victories he’s had throughout his long and storied career. As is customary, Phil Helmuth has a name that he uses at the poker table. The Poker Brat.
In his pomp, Helmuth was among the most feared and spoken about poker players around the world. Not many people who avidly watched and followed professional poker wanted to title him as the best at the time. No one is quite sure why Phil was never given that title, especially when considering the sheer amount of money he won at the table.
He currently holds a whopping 15 World Series of Poker Bracelets, with total winnings of around $23 million. Many professional poker players, who now play at great online casinos like Jumba Bet, could only dream of one day earning winnings like that!
Phil Ivey
In comparison to Phil Helmuth, Ivey is one of the most notorious and popular poker players in the world. People refer to Phil as Tiger Woods of Poker because of his skill and prowess. Aptly, that became his table nickname. Anybody who is nicknamed the Tiger Woods of X must be good at what they do right? Right, and Ivey makes this abundantly clear.
Back in the early 2000s, no one was doing it quite like Ivey. He was by far the most talked about and most feared poker player during that time period, and the most impressive thing was that he was only in his early 20s.
Honing your poker skills to be the best takes years and years of experience and practice. Phil Ivey, on the other hand, entered the poker world young and never looked back. He quickly became one of the best. He won his first ever World Series of Poker bracelet when he was only 23 years old. His current total winnings stand at a whopping $26 million.
Bryn Kenney
Bryn Kenney, despite not being considered the most skilful player in poker history, has to be included on this list. Why? Because of the sheer amount of live winnings that Kenney had taken home throughout his career. His current total winnings kitty stands at an incredible $52 million, which is double what the two previous entries on this list have mustered.
But how does one who is not the most skilful take home such big earnings?
Well, it’s simple, he entered the right tournaments at the right time and made a name for himself on the biggest of stages. His career went exactly as planned. He stuck to his guns and never changed his plan or play style for anybody. His nickname is apt for his style of poker play, which was fast, rough, and tumble poker. He didn’t take any nonsense at the table and was a tough cookie to crack. This earned him the feared nickname of the Mega Crusher.
Dan Smith
Dan Smith is one of the most loved and popular poker players of his generation. His personality and wit at the table are what sets him apart from his competitors. Well, that and his undeniable understanding of the game of poker. He’s been nicknamed Cowboy Dan. Nobody has a good time when they sit down at the table with the Cowboy.
His success if reflected in his prize earnings which currently sit at around $33 million. A hugely respectable total for someone who has been in the game for quite some time now.
Most people love Dan Smith because of his interesting and creative story in the world of poker. He dropped out of college to pursue a career in gambling, which was lauded by experts in the industry who recognized his undeniable talent.
His family, on the other hand, could not have been happy or proud of that decision. Needless to say, all that has surely been forgiven now as Dan become just about as popular and successful as you can be in the gambling industry.
There is one other thing that also sets Cowboy Dan apart from any of his peers in the industry. That is his sheer commitment to charity work and giving away large chunks of the winnings he makes at the poker table. He has founded several charity organisations and continues to fund many social works even well into his retirement.
Wrapping Up
So, when reading about the names on this list it’s clear to see that success can be earned in the poker world. These are some of the most popular and successful names in the history of poker. If you want to have similar success, be sure to read up on their tactics, watch their poker games, and practice as much as you can yourself.
