I’d like to hear your opinion on who you think is currently the #1 poker player in the world.
Also, the all-time best ever poker player in the history of the world.
There is no wrong answer unless you pick Phil Hellmuth… lol
< Just Kidding! >
You could add a picture, video or any information that’s interesting about the player.
The first player that is mentioned 10 times in each category will be considered the winner.
Take your time and think about it!
I’m not up to date with the newer players so can’t comment, but the most impressive all round player I have witnessed would be Phil Ivey, he is an expert at all the poker games, cash games or tournaments plus a host of other gambling card games and he would be my number one of all time
I think your picture says it all, isn’t that Stu Unger, 10 high Stu, he was the best, and I am going to have to agree with swampy Phil Ivey for modern times
Yes, it’s Stu Unger!
Stu Ungar and his remarkable 10-high call:
:
Stuart Errol Ungar, widely regarded as one of the greatest gin rummy players and a top Texas hold 'em player, made history in the poker world. In 1990, Stu Ungar had a chance to become the only player ever to win three World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event titles in freezeout format. Having already been crowned champion in 1980 and 1981, Ungar held a commanding chip lead as the tournament neared its conclusion in 1990. However, his bad habits got the best of him. After a night of snorting cocaine and overdosing, he missed the final day of the tournament and ultimately finished in 9th place for $25,050, simply by being blinded off1.
But that’s not the end of the story. After recovering, Stu Ungar was keen to prove a point to the new world champion, Mansour Matloubi. He challenged Matloubi to a $50,000 heads-up freezeout match. During this high-stakes duel, an infamous hand unfolded that showcased Ungar’s incredible reading abilities.
With blinds at 200/400, Ungar held 10-9 offsuit, and Matloubi had 4-5 offsuit. Ungar opened with a 4x raise from the small blind, and Matloubi called. The flop came down rainbow: . Ungar, known for his occasional overbets, chose an unusual moment to utilize this play, betting 6,000 into a pot of 3,200. Matloubi, with just a gutshot draw, made a questionable call. Both players checked the king on the turn, and the board remained rainbow. Then, a queen fell on the river.
At this critical juncture, Matloubi overbet and shoved all-in for more than double the size of the pot. In a stroke of genius, Ungar called out his opponent’s hand: “You have 4-5 or 5-6, I call.” To everyone’s astonishment, Ungar flipped up his ten high, winning the match and proving his point to the world1.
This legendary call has entered poker lore as one of the most amazing moments in the game’s history. Stu Ungar’s intuition and reading abilities remain a testament to his poker prowess, even when holding just 10-high2. Truly remarkable!
Stu Unger i would say the SMARTEST and best EVER–so sad that drugs took him before we could all see his greatness:(…Kid Poker is near the top i would say now-but MANY good young ones out there…
Agree-and not even close
We have a great start so far on this thread and I thank everyone.
The fun part is to take our time and sort through the evidence.
If anyone finds anything interesting regarding the contenders, please post it.
As time goes by, we’ll gather together some very interesting information.
Got to love Ivey and his response to Negreanu at the beginning of the video!
The best online cash game player today is either Linus Loeliger or Berri Sweet.
The best live cash game player, IMO, is Dan “Jungleman” Cates. Plays all the biggest games and consistently wins against the best.
In tournaments it gets a lot harder but I really like Stephen Chidwick. He gets a lot of respect from the other top players, too. Not really any holes in his game.
Another piece to the puzzle from this video, Tom Dwan Biggest winner in High Stakes Poker - Daniel Negreanu biggest loser.
oh and DUH Phil Galfond is the PLO GOAT! His Galfond Challenge was one of the most exciting poker events in recent memory, and if I recall correctly, nobody was able to best Phil heads-up.
@Younguru Bro u forgot Donkbusta 444 lol jk 
Niklas “Lena900” Astedt is a Swedish professional poker player from Gothenburg, Sweden. He is predominantly known for his success in online poker, where he plays under the alias “Lena900”. Here are some key points about him:
Astedt is known for his solid game theory optimal strategies, mixing equity calculations with randomized elements to keep his opponents guessing. He has a reputation for being one of the most studied and respected players in the game.
Bryn Kenney holds the record for the highest career online cashes in poker, with over $67 million in total live earnings. He surpassed Justin Bonomo, who has over $64 million in career earnings.
As of 2024, Daniel Negreanu’s career earnings exceed $53 million. This impressive total includes his winnings from both live tournaments and online events
Stefan Burakov
AKA “stefan11222”
He has built a reputation as one of the top high-stakes heads-up players in the world.
Timofey Trueteller Kuznetsov
