The poker world was never able to come to a consensus as to who the best of the best is, but if you are a poker player, you probably have your favorite poker players. While the debate is one that never seems to stop, this article investigates some of the biggest names in the poker world of all time and brings you an insight into their lives and careers.

Our goal was to introduce the young poker generations to some players they may not be familiar with, while comparing them to the well known household names like Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu.

If you can’t make up your mind on who the best poker player is, this article may help you out, so keep reading, get familiar with the lives and works of the biggest legends of the poker community and get the inspiration you need to follow in their footsteps.

• The most famous poker players from around the world are active in both online and live tournaments
• Some of the biggest names in the industry hold several WSOP bracelets
• Poker as one of the leading names in the industry has produced a number of remarkable professionals over the years

1. Stu Ungar

Born: 8 September 1993 – 22 November 1998
Nickname: The Kid, The Comeback Kid
Specialty: Poker tournaments

We begin this list of the most famous poker players from around the world with Stu Ungar who is better known by his nickname The Kid. Despite his short career, Stu Ungar has managed to build a respectable name for himself. In fact, he is often times regarded to as a prodigy in the purest form.

• Five-time World Series of Poker Main Event winner
• One of the most successful, professional Texas hold’em players of all times
• Used to play gin rummy before transitioning to poker

In addition to being a professional poker player, The Kid was also active at gin rummy, and blackjack tables at the time. However, his remarkable poker skills and supreme talent has earned him a title of the most successful Texas hold’em player of all times.

It should be noted that Stu Ungar is one of only two people in the history of the game to have won the WSOP Main event three times. Moreover, he is also the only poker player to win the world’s second most important poker title, Amarillo Slim’s Super Bowl of Poker three times.

What is even more impressive is that Stu Ungar won consecutive titles in the World Series of Poker Main Event along with Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson.

The Kid won his very first gin tournament at the age of ten. He then decided to drop out of school and focus on gin rummy full-time. After moving to Las Vegas, Ungar decided to focus on poker and shortly after arriving there, he defeated Billy Baxter.

Several years later in 1980, Stu Ungar competed at the World Series of Poker and this was his very first time to compete in a Texas hold’em poker tournament.

The Kid won the Main Event after defeating his opponent Doyle Brunson. After this remarkable success, Ungar was titled the youngest WSOP champion in history while in 1989, he was surpassed by Phil Hellmuth. The very next year, Stu Ungar defeated his WSOP title at the World Series of Poker 1981 by defeating his opponent Perry Green.

During his extremely fruitful career which was interrupted by his sudden death, Stu Ungar won five World Series of Poker bracelets and a number of other notable titles.

2. Doyle Brunson

Born: 10 August 1933
Nickname: Texas Dolly
Specialty: Live poker tournament

Doyle Brunson is definitely one of the most prominent names in the poker industry. Doyle has been present in the industry for more fifty years. He has won ten World Series of Poker bracelets, one World Poker Tour title and a number of other notable titles in his extremely fruitful career.

• His fruitful career has spanned over fifty years
• Won ten World Series of Poker bracelets, one World Poker Tour title
• One of the most influential names in the history of professional poker tournaments

Considering his legendary status among professional poker players, Doyle is a Poker Hall of Fame member. It should be noted that Brunson was the very first professional poker player to win $1 million from poker tournaments.

With ten World Series of Poker bracelets, Brunson is tried with two other legendary names, Phil Ivey and Johnny Chan behind great Phil Hellmuth who has fifteen WSOP bracelets. It should be noted that Doyle Brunson is one of four poker players to have won the WSOP Main Event several times back in 1976 and in 1977.

This legendary player has also won World Series of Poker tournaments four times consecutively while he is the very first player to win the World Series of Poker Main Event and a WPT title.

As one of the most influential names in the poker industry, Doyle Brunson definitely deserves his spot in this list of the most famous poker players from around the world. After fifty years of playing professionally, Brunson decided to retire in 2018.

He is often times regarded as the grandfather of Texas hold’em and his legendary reputation is earned not only through his supreme skills, but also through his long-lasting career, his willingness to help the younger generation and his very pleasant demeanor.

3. Phil Ivey

Born: 1 February 1977
Nickname: The Tiger Woods of Poker
Specialty: High roller poker tournament

With a number of notable achievements, Phil Ivey also known as The Tiger Woods of Poker deserves our attention. Just like Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey has won ten WSOP bracelets as well as one WPT title. At the peak of his professional poker career, Phi Ivey was regarded as the best poker player in the world.

• Fifty-nine World Series of Poker money finishes and ten bracelets
• One World Poker Tour title, nine final tables and thirteen money finishes
• His total earnings exceed $26 million as of June 2019

Hence, there is no wonder why he was elected to the most notable Poker Hall of Fame back in 2017. Ivey is also one of the most respected players in the industry who has graced us with his professionalism and supreme talent which eventually helped him to achieve enormous success at such a young age.

Phil Ivey was introduced to poker by his grandfather during his teenage years. He refined his poker skills back in the 1990s while he was working for a New Jersey-based telemarketing company. After winning three WSOP bracelets back in 2002, Ivey was nicknamed The Phenom.

Thanks to his amazing success at the World Series of Poker 2002, Ivey is tied with Puggy Pearson, Ted Forrest and Phil Hellmuth for most WSOP tournament wins in one year. It should be noted that he has also won bracelets in 2005 in Pot Limit Omaha.

In addition to his great success at World Series of Poker tournaments, Phil Ivey has had amazing success in the World Poker Tour tournaments with one title, thirteen money finishes, and nine final tables. As of 2019, his total earnings exceed $26 million.

4. Daniel Negreanu

Born: 26 July 1974
Nickname: Kid Poker
Specialty: High roller poker tournament

This list including the most famous poker players from around the world would be incomplete without Daniel Negreanu also known as Kid Poker. This legendary Canadian poker player has won six World Series of Poker bracelets, two World Poker Tour titles and a number of other remarkable achievements throughout his rich career.

• Won six World Series of Poker bracelets and one World Poker Tour title
• The best live cash worth $8 million
• His total earnings exceed $39 million as of 2019

Due to his amazing accomplishments in 2014, he was recognized as the best professional poker player of the entire decade by the Global Poker Index.

That same year, Kid Poker was elected into the most notable Poker Hall of Fame. His current total live earnings exceed $39 million so he is the second poker player earnings-wise. He started playing poker at a very young age of sixteen.

At the age of twenty-two, he decided to leave Canada and move to Las Vegas in order to pursue his big dream of becoming a poker player. Later on, he was forced to move back to Canada due to financial issues.

When it comes to his World Series of Poker accomplishment, his very first WSOP cash won was also his very first World Series of Poker bracelet won. He was crowned the winner in the $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em tournaments in the 1998 WSOP.

At the time, he became the youngest World Series of Poker winner in the history of the tournament. Daniel held this record until Scott Fischman took it back in 2004. Later on, he captured five more WSOP bracelets, appeared at thirty-nine WSOP final tables and a number of other accomplishments.

5. Chip Reese

Born: 28 March 1951 – 4 December 2007
Nickname: Chip
Specialty: High stakes poker tournament

Chip Reese is another legendary professional poker player from the United States with a remarkable career record. Thanks to its amazing skills, Chip Reese is often times regarded to as the most prominent cash game poker player of all times.

• One of the greatest cash game professional poker players of all times
• Collaborated with Doyle Brunson on his book Super/System
• Won three World Series of Poker bracelets and had twenty-three money finishes

With three World Series of Poker bracelets and twenty-three WSOP money finishes among many other accomplishments, Chip surely deserves this fifth spot on our list of the most famous poker players from around the world.

Before deciding to focus on building his career as a professional poker player, young Chip was accepted to Stanford University where he studied law. By the time he was to begin classes at university, he had already amassed staggering winnings of $100k which was huge for your Chip.

This was the motivation for him to pause his studies and enter the world of poker tournaments. Over the next ten years, he has managed to establish himself as the master of seven-card stud poker.

Reese’s playing style was characterized by his gentleness, affability and extremely important calmness under any kind of pressure. Thanks to its remarkable talent especially on the seven-card poker, he collaborated with Doyle Brunson on his book Super/System, which is one of the most popular, best-selling books on poker.

His total live earnings exceeded $3 million while his best live cash was $1,7 million. Reese died in 2007 in his sleep due to pneumonia-related complications.

6. John Juanda

Born: 8 July 1971
Nickname: JJ, Luckbox
Specialty: Live poker tournament

John Juanda is a professional poker from Indonesia. What makes him suitable for this list of the most famous poker players from all over the world is its World Series of Poker success. He has won five WSOP bracelets, was at thirty-two final tables and in sixty-five money finishes as of 2019.

• His total earnings exceed $25 million
• Five World Series of Poker bracelets and one European Poker Tour title
• The best live cash around $2,8 million

He was born on the 8th of July, 1971 in Medan, Indonesia. He moved to the United States back in 1990 when he was accepted to Oklahoma State University. When it comes to his rich professional poker career, he was named Player of the Year by Card Player Magazine in 2001 and 2002 after winning four WSOP titles.

Apart from this success, Juanda also won one World Poker Open Championship title. Two years later in 2004, his remarkable success continued as he won the Professional Poker Tour tournament at the Foxwoods Casino. The next year, he won the Montel Carlo Millions Consolation and scooped around $500k in winnings.

Back in January of 2006, Juanda defeated a field of serious opponents including Phil Ivey, Tony G, Tony Bloom, Mike Sexton, and Jeff Lisandro for which he won around A$1 million at the Crown Australian Poker Championship in speed poker.

He also won the World Series of Poker Europe 2008 £10,000 No Limit Holdem Main Event which brought him a staggering prize of $1,5 million. Just one week later, he scooped £327k as runner-up to excellent Jason Mercier at the EPT £1 Million Showdown held in London.

7. Thomas Austin Preston Jr. “Amarillo Slim “

Born: 31 December 1928 – 29 April 2012
Nickname: Amarillo Slim
Specialty: Live poker tournament

We continue this list of the most famous poker players with another true poker legend, Thomas Austin Preston Jr. better known by his nickname Amarillo Slim. Before becoming a respectable, well-known poker tournament player, Amarillo Slim was a rounder who toured the US looking for all sorts of gambling actions alongside Sailor Roberts and legendary Doyle Brunson.

• Participated in the very first World Series of Poker tournament in 1970
• Won four World Series of Poker bracelets
• Winner of the World Series of Poker 1972 Main Event

Amarillo Slim won one of the earliest World Series of Poker Main Events held in 1972. Later on, his radio talk and local television appearance truly generated interest of poker fans and enthusiasts, so he is also credited with helping the game’s popularity boost.

Naturally, Amarillo Sim was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame back in 1992. He has managed to build a reputable name for himself early on in his career especially winning his first of four World Series of Poker bracelets.

It should be noted that he participated in the very first WSOP event held in 1970 where other big names also appeared including Crandell Addington, Puggy Pearson, Doyle Brunson, and Sailor Roberts. Following winning the WSOP 1972 Main Event, he was guest at different talk shows and appeared in the California Split movie released in 1974.

He won his final WSOP bracelet in 1990 while he was runner-up to Phil Ivey in the 2000 WSOP $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha event. He passed away in 2012 at the age of eighty-three in Amarillo, Texas.

8. Johnny Chan

Born: 1 January 1957
Nickname: Orient Express
Specialty: Live poker tournaments

Johnny Chan is another legendary name in the industry. This professional poker player was born in China in 1957. He moved with his family to Phoenix in 1968 and just five years later to Houston, Texas where his family opened several restaurants.

• Has ten World Series of Poker bracelets and forty-five money finishes
• Winner of the WSOP 1987 and 1988 Main Event
• Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2002

At the age of twenty-one, Chan decided to drop out of college and move to Las Vegas to play poker professionally full-time. He was the most prestigious World Series of Poker two consecutive years in 1987 and in 1988. At the time, he was the very first foreign poker player to win the WSOP main event.

His final heads-up WSOP 1988 match was shown in the film Rounders in which he also makes a small appearance. In 1898, he was very close to winning his third consecutive WSOP title when he was runner-up to Phil Hellmuth.

His remarkable accomplishments continued in the following years. Back in 2005, he became the very first player to scoop ten WSOP bracelets as he won a WSOP Texas hold’em event. Chan is tied with Phil Ivey and Doyle Brunson for second place with ten WSOP bracelets.

Considering his amazing success, Chan was included into the Poker Hall of Fame back in 2002. His earnings exceed $8 million as of 2019. It should be noted that he cashed for the first time in the WSOP Main Event back in 2008 since 1992.

Apart from being active in World Series of Poker tournaments, Johnny Chan is also well-known in other circles. He appeared on the television show Poker After Dark as well as competed in Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament and Poker Superstars III.

9. Johnny Moss

Born: 14 May 1907 – 16 December 1995
Nickname: The Grand Old Man of Poker
Specialty: Live poker tournaments

Johnny Moss also known by his nickname The Grand Old Man of Poker is another poker legend with a number of notable successes and accomplishments he achieved throughout his fruitful career. This list of the most famous poker players ahs to include Johnny Moss for a number of reasons.

• The very first World Series of Poker 1970 Main Event winner
• Holding the record for the oldest WSOP bracelet winner
• Winner of the WSOP 1971 and 1974 Main Event 

First of all, Moss was the very first World Series of Poker Main Event 1970 winner. Later on, he scooped nine more WSOP bracelets and had twenty-five money finishes.

Johnny Moss won the World Series of Poker Main Event in 1971 and in 1974. Naturally, he was one of the very first to be included in the Poker Hall of Fame. He was introduced to the game of poker during his teenage years. Later on, he enhanced his poker strategy while working at a local poker saloon.

Just two years later after getting his first real job, Moss became a rounder looking for gambling actions. Back in 1949, he competed against Nick the Greek in a poker marathon which lasted for five months. When it comes to his World Series of Poker game, he won nine WSOP bracelets while his very first WSOP title brought him a silver cup as a reward.

He stayed active in the WSOP events up to 1995 when he passed away at the age of eighty-eight. With nine World Series of Poker bracelets, he is placed fifth in all-time winners behind Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan.

10. Phil Hellmuth

Born: 16 July 1964
Nickname: The Poker Brat
Specialty: Live poker tournaments

Phil Hellmuth is one of the most successful professional poker players of all times and his remarkable success earned him a spot on this list of the most famous poker players. Known as The Poker Brat, Phil Hellmuth has won a record of fifteen WSOP bracelets.

• Hold a record of fifteen World Series of Poker bracelets
• Has eight World Series of Poker Main Event cashes
• His total earnings exceed $22 million as of 2019

This fifty-year-old is the winner of the 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event as well. As of 2007, Hellmuth is a member of the Poker Hall of Fame. As of 2019, his total live earnings exceed $22 million. Before deciding to focus on his career as a professional poker player, Helmuth was studying at the University of Wisconsin.

He had his very first WSOP money finish at the World Series of Poker 1988 in the $1,500 Seven Card Stud Split event which was his sixth appearance at the tournament. Here, he finished thirty-third after being defeated by Johnny Chan.

Only one year later, he won his first out of fifteen WSOP bracelets which earned him a title as the youngest player to win the WSOP Main Event. His record was broken in 2008 by Peter Eastgate. As of 2017, Phil Hellmuth has scooped over $14 million at the World Series of Poker tournaments, so he ranks fifth on the All-Time Money List WSOP behind Jonathan Duhamel, Daniel Negreanu, Daniel Colman, and Antonio Esfandiari.

Apart from fifteen WSOP bracelets, he also has eight WSOP Main Event cashes which places him behind Doyle Brunson with nine and Berry Johnston with ten WSOP Main Event cashes.