Who is your faviorate poker pro

[Lathum]

Poker might as well be considered a mainstream sport who is your faviorate player. I like Howard Lederer and Daniel Negranue.

[Robbiero67]

I like the Professor too, and I think Negraneau is a great player, but don't care for his personality (at least as portrayed on TV and articles I've read). My personal favorites would have to be Ivey (obviously a top-tier player, amazingly difficult to place on a hand, fearless...as most of the best are) and John Juanda (very good player that doesn't always get a lot of press).

[Vince]

I always find myself rooting for Lederer, Ivey and Annie Duke.

[pjstp20]

Poker might as well be considered a mainstream sport who is your faviorate player. I like Howard Lederer and Daniel Negranue.Yeah I think Negranue is a jerk. I like Dan Harrington. Quiet, conservative and consistant, marks of a pro. I like Moneymaker too. It's hard to believe a guy who started playing on the internet has developed the ultimate read staredown.

[Chappy]

I'd have to go with Dutch Boyd. More confidence than wins so far, but that will come I think.

[k0ruptr]

phil ivey or men the master :D

[CleBrownsfan]

Doyle or Dan Harrington

[k0ruptr]

oh and chris ferguson to, hes great

[NevStar]

I like Lederer & Ferguson.

I think it was a post on rec-poker that described Negreanu like a little kid with a short attention span. "Wow, I'm playing poker! Hey, what's that over there!"

[Calis]

I'm probably alone here, but I always find myself rooting for Scotty Nguyen.

One of those guys that is suck a cocky jerk you can't help but root for him.

He also had my favorite line in last years WSOP, with "All you can eat baby."

[rkmsuf]

I like Negranue. He's been a fantastic player over the last year. I've seen him make some of the best reads...

[Scarecrow]

Crow's Mt. Rushmore of Pro Poker Players:

1. Phil Hellmuth
2. Annie Duke
3. Sam Farha
4. Chris Moneymaker

[hhiipp]

oh and chris ferguson to, hes great
You have to respect anyone who can cut a pickle and a banana with a playing card. Otherwise you never know if they'll plant the ace of spaces in the back of your head.

[cthomer5000]

Poker might as well be considered a mainstream sport who is your faviorate player. I like Howard Lederer and Daniel Negranue.
those are also my top two. I like Lederer's style, and Negranu just seems like a really honest and likeable guy (I've read a ton of his articles on cardplayer.com).

[cthomer5000]

You have to respect anyone who can cut a pickle and a banana with a playing card. Otherwise you never know if they'll plant the ace of spaces in the back of your head.
He's also got a life outside of poker, which is nice. He only plays tournies and has like a masters in computer science, right?

[Vince]

I really like Dutch Boyd too, good call Chappy.

[cthomer5000]

I really like Dutch Boyd too, good call Chappy.I hate this guy with a passion. Him and his crew of guys just annoy the shit out of me.

[albionmoonlight]

Chris Ferguson is my favorite.

Scotty Nguyen is the one who would destroy me at a table. Even watching him on TV I find myself going on (virtual) tilt and losing concentration. He's the perfect blend of ruthless, annoying, and aggressive.

[Subby]

Dutch Boyd and his "crew" are the worst thing going in professional poker right now. That Scott Fischman guy - what a prick.

Phil Ivey is wound a little tight for my tastes, too...

I guess Negreanu is my favorite player - entertaining and unpredictable - but much smarter and focused than he lets on...

[TLK]

Jennifer Harmon :)

[MJ4H]

Negreanu, Ivey, Lederer.

[Samdari]

Crow's Mt. Rushmore of Pro Poker Players:

1. Phil Hellmuth
2. Annie Duke
3. Sam Farha
4. Chris Moneymaker

AARRGHHH!

Moneymaker is an average online player, nothing more! He hit more 5% chances in last year's WSOP than you could shake a stick at, casuing him to win bad play after terrible play. He made one nice play to bury Farha in heads up, but needed so many miracle rivers to even get there, he clearly does not deserve to be considered on of the top 50 players in the world, let alone the top 4.

[MJ4H]

AARRGHHH!

Moneymaker is an average online player, nothing more! He hit more 5% chances in last year's WSOP than you could shake a stick at, casuing him to win bad play after terrible play. He made one nice play to bury Farha in heads up, but needed so many miracle rivers to even get there, he clearly does not deserve to be considered on of the top 50 players in the world, let alone the top 4.

Wow. I guess his second place finish on the WPT this past season was another fluke? (When he got all his chips in the middle as a 2.5 to 1 favorite to win). And the 10th place finish in this year's WSOP Omaha tournament was another fluke? I don't think you can call him "nothing more than an average online player."

[Joe]

my favorite is Sam Farha

[cthomer5000]

Farha and Scotty Nguyen get my respect for their hilarious styles.

[pjstp20]

Dutch Boyd and his "crew" are the worst thing going in professional poker right now. That Scott Fischman guy - what a prick.

Phil Ivey is wound a little tight for my tastes, too...

I guess Negreanu is my favorite player - entertaining and unpredictable - but much smarter and focused than he lets on...
No shit. That crew of asses is ridiculous. I was rooting like hell for that cockey punk Scott Fischman to lose when I saw him on ESPN. He thinks his shit doesnt stink, but that was his first final table. Then he catches a lucky river win the hand before last.

[timmynausea]

Sammy Farha is the man. I can't believe it's just me and G-Dubbs on this.
My least favorite is Phill Hellmuth. That guy is a bitch.

[rkmsuf]

Farha and Scotty Nguyen get my respect for their hilarious styles.

"smoking" an unlit cigarette being a non-smoker has to put you way up there.

[Raven Hawk]

I gotta go with:

1. Scottie Nguyen
2. Phil Ivey
3. Sam Farha
4. Johnny Chan

[Bee]

Am I the only one who expects Phil Ivey to pull out a machette everytime he gets bumped from a table and start hacking away? That guy seems a little unstable to me...

I like Lederer and Negreanu.

[Raven Hawk]

Am I the only one who expects Phil Ivey to pull out a machette everytime he gets bumped from a table and start hacking away? That guy seems a little unstable to me...

I like Lederer and Negreanu.
Lol, I was thinking about posting something like that. The fact that he seems so unstable makes him fun to watch. I keep expecting him to come out with a line like, "And then I'll eat your children . . ."

[Turd Ferguson]

I'd have to say hands down Mike McDermott, not only did he get Johnny Chan to lay down a hand... he then goes on to beat the mad russian himself Teddy KGB.

[digamma]

Farha
Gus Hansen
Harrington

I also don't care for the crew.

[Samdari]

Am I the only one who expects Phil Ivey to pull out a machette everytime he gets bumped from a table and start hacking away? That guy seems a little unstable to me...

More unstable than Helmuth? That guy seems to me to be the ultimate ticking time bomb.

I am biased though, I think Phil is the best. I like Howard and Annie, although they give off a bit of a "foothills of Tennessee" brother/sister kind of vibe.

My wife likes Negreanu, says she likes nerdy looking guys......

Hey! Wait a minute!

[rkmsuf]

I kind of like Helmuth. He is what he is and at least he's a good watch. I'd rather watch him than Ivey any day.

[Huckleberry]

I don't get the dislike for Moneymaker. He got lucky a few times. Doesn't every winner of a big tournament? Well, almost every.

As for Helmuth, I like him. He's entertaining and he's good. He's a whiner, but it's nice to see someone actually verbalize what everyone is thinking when someone gets really lucky. Of course, I'm not too keen on his tantrums after losing with an underpair to two overcards. Sometimes he acts like it's a crime against nature when a 46% underdog wins a hand. But overall, he's fun to watch.

[Bee]

More unstable than Helmuth? That guy seems to me to be the ultimate ticking time bomb.


Helmuth seems more the serial killer type, where Ivey seems like the postal worker type. :D

[rkmsuf]

Helmuth is just a whiner. He's like the Bill Laimbeer of poker.

[AnalBumCover]

http://www.worldpokertour.com/Uploads/117/WPTPlayerManager/219.jpeg.199.jpeg

[rkmsuf]

she annoys me for some reason

[sabotai]

"All you can eat, baby."

I thought that line came from Men The Master. I love watching him play. He's so funny.

[Vegas Vic]

Dewey Tomko, Howard Lederer, John Juanda and Erik Seidel.

[Subby]

I change my vote to Evelyn Ng. :D

[Chappy]

I must admit that 'The Crew' is annoying, but Boyd just has that something about him. The rest of those numb nuts, especially Fischman, suck as far as I'm conserned.

[Honolulu Blue]

I think this thread is absolutely hilarious. We're treating these guys like they were some sort of... athletes or something. The next thing you know there will be poker player... ah, I'd better keep that million dollar idea to myself.

None of these guys have signed any autographs for me, and neither do I have much of a read on them from seeing them on TV; thus I have nothing else to add. Carry on.

[korme]

Dutch Boyd, Phil Ivey, Sam Farha, and the Devilfish

[k0ruptr]

no one said Ben Affleck yet??? my god what is this world coming to. lol

[Logan]

I must admit that 'The Crew' is annoying, but Boyd just has that something about him. The rest of those numb nuts, especially Fischman, suck as far as I'm conserned.

I liked Boyd as I watched him play last years WSOP, but once I saw all that "crew" crap on this year's telecasts (this is the first time it came up, right?), you do quickly root against him.

[Suicane75]

Ok, I don't know who the players are by name, but I saw about 20-30 minutes of some of one of the WSOP's yesterday and they did a story on a guy who lives at home and whose mom packs him lunches, he seemed like a calm and very smart player. The guy right next to him at the table was a hothead though, him I can't stand.

[Comey]

Is it just me, or does Negraneu remind you of Worm from Rounders at all? Some of the things he does...and his voice...remind me of him.

[MJ4H]

I think this thread is absolutely hilarious. We're treating these guys like they were some sort of... athletes or something. The next thing you know there will be poker player... ah, I'd better keep that million dollar idea to myself.

None of these guys have signed any autographs for me, and neither do I have much of a read on them from seeing them on TV; thus I have nothing else to add. Carry on.

Im not sure I understand your point. There are quite a few of us that are fans of the game, so why not discuss who our favorite players are? Is the game beneath you? or us?

[Pumpy Tudors]

I like Annie Duke. My wife likes Howard Lederer. We both agree that the DevilFish is one bad mofo, though.

[Leonidas]

Sammy Farha is the man. I can't believe it's just me and G-Dubbs on this.
My least favorite is Phill Hellmuth. That guy is a bitch.

I got Farha too. I remember that one play last year where he punked out a guy holding pocket kings with a 7-2. Bluffed the guy right out of his drawers. Was the best single played hand I've ever seen in my life.

I like Dewey Tomko too. He's always dogging on the new guys in the interviews. Stuff like, "Never, ever show them your hand unless you have to play it." These young guys kill me when they show their hands off for no reason. Just tell the guy your whole strategy while your at it too.

Finally, for one night at least, I like that dude in the camper, I think Dreyhobl was his name. He sat there with Nagraneu and Juanda as those two talked trash on each other all night and never said a word. After the dude took out smarty pants Nagraneu I remember Nag in the interview all stunned this guy came out of nowhere and was actually playing good. I guess if he shut up for a few seconds he would have actually noticed the guy to his left was kicking his ass.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Drehobl.

And I didn't get that vibe from Negreanu in that interview at all.

[Fouts]

Phil Gordon anyone?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Poker might as well be considered a mainstream sport who is your faviorate player. I like Howard Lederer and Daniel Negranue.

There is no way in hell poker is a sport. A game? Yes. A hobby? Certainly. A form of entertainment? No doubt. But a sport? Never.

I have seen Magic: The Gathering tournaments on ESPN 2 before. There is no way anyone will convince me that this is a sport either. The difference between Magic and poker is one of semantics and rules only.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I think this thread is absolutely hilarious. We're treating these guys like they were some sort of... athletes or something. The next thing you know there will be poker player... ah, I'd better keep that million dollar idea to myself.

None of these guys have signed any autographs for me, and neither do I have much of a read on them from seeing them on TV; thus I have nothing else to add. Carry on.

Wow! I didn't even read this thread and it turns out my Good Twin had the same exact reaction! It's eerie that!

I don't think there is anything wrong about discussing your favorite poker players. None at all. It's perfectly fine. It's like talking about your favorite singer or actor. I've discussed far more ridiculous things in my day for long periods of time (e.g., detailed plans of what to do in the case of a zombie attack).

That said, I think The Twins (that's HB and me) have a problem with referring to poker as a "sport." That's all.

[Honolulu Blue]

This is HB #2, and I guess I have some explaining to do.

I think The Twins (that's HB and me) have a problem with referring to poker as a "sport." That's all.

Nah, I don't care if poker is referred to as a sport. In my eyes it isn't, but that's not really important for the discussion here.

I just find it bizarre that the profile of poker and its stars has grown so fast that we can have an intelligent discussion on who our favorite poker players are, similar to the endless discussions (elsewhere, mostly) on who our favorite baseball/football/basketball players are. I know that three years ago I couldn't have named 10 pro poker players, let alone picked my favorite.

So, of course I think it's a fine subject to debate, and I have no contempt for the game, its players, or its fans.

P.S. Where's my boy Humberto?

[hukarez]

Scotty Nguyen. (Bring back the mullet!)

[MJ4H]

Just for the record I dont consider it a sport.

[rufusjonz]

Ivey is favorite
Negreanu has grown on me, found him annoying at first, now i realize how good he is
The hot Asian girl is good to look at, ive seen her in vegas.

Right before the WSOP i was at bellagio, and the following were at table next to me: Ivey, Hansen, Brunson, Chan, and nba baller Ray Allen was there for about 5 mins too -- they were playing chinese poker for like $2k a hand...guess it was a mind relaxer before the wsop.

[Leonidas]

I agree with the folks saying Poker is a game, not a sport. Doesn't stop me from enjoying it or talking about the players though.