Picture a smoky back room, dimly lit with only a lamp as the light source above the table. Cards pound the table, chips clatter like dice, and tension is in the air. One ill-fated bet, one lack of concentration, can break the bank. Poker is a war of brains, guts, and hard numbers. It’s not luck, it’s ability. Did you imagine a poker room, too?
Well, that’s great because, in this article, we are diving into the list of the top 10 greatest poker players of all time. We will be looking at stats, ability, and game influence.
What Makes A Great Poker Player?
Why is a great poker player so great? It’s not one good hand. We consider the big picture. That involves tournament victories and consistency. How long has the player been at the top? Have they altered the game? What do players perceive about them? These are the things that make it onto our list.
Tournament Performance
Big tournament victories are noteworthy. Consider World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event or World Poker Tour (WPT) championship victories. These victories demonstrate skill against tough competition. We look for total earnings, how often they cash, and finish in the final table. Do these players consistently win big poker tournaments?
Cash Game Skill
Cash games show another type of skill. It’s more about enduring bad players repeatedly. The top cash game players can play any game. They win consistently, even when stakes are enormous. Can they grind out wins day after day?
Influence and Innovation
Certain players transform the game. They introduce new forms of playing or distribute their tricks. These innovators have a lasting impact. They change the character of poker that is played and comprehended. Have they evolved the game?
Greatest Poker Players Of All Time
Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and mental acuteness. Various players have been stars throughout the years, and their contributions to the game are eternal. A comprehensive list of the top 10 greatest poker players of all time, their contributions, and accomplishments follows.
1. Bryn Kenney
We start off this list with the American professional poker player from Long Beach, New York, Bryhn Kenny. He has reached the peak of his poker game, and as of 2025, he tops the all-time money list with more than $55 million in live tourney wins. His aggressive playing style and an all-in attitude are one of the key reasons for winning numerous titles and accolades.
In 2019, he had his largest career victory after taking down the Triton Million for Charity tourney in London for a record $20,563,324. This win catapulted him right into the list of greatest poker players of all time.
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2. Justin Bonomo
Justin Bonomi is also professionally known as “ZeeJustin” online. An American poker player, he started playing very early on in his life. As of 2025, his live tournament earning stands at $49 million, ranking him the second highest on the all-time money list.He is swift and has the agility to play all styles of poker ranging from No-Limit Hold’em to High Rollers.
He won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) $1 million Big One for One Drop in 2018, $10 million, and temporarily topped the all-time money list. His analytical mind and ability to adapt have made him a strong poker player.
3. Daniel Negreanu
Toronto-born Daniel Negreanu, also known as “Kid Poker,” has more than $42 million in live tournament winnings as of 2025. Negreanu’s career is marked by six World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and two World Poker Tour (WPT) victories.
His unmatched skill at reading people and friendly demeanor have made him a very familiar face in poker. Negreanu’s contributions go beyond the table, as he has been very much engaged with poker education and facilitating game development.
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4. Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey, by most estimates, the “Tiger Woods of Poker,” is universally considered one of the sport’s all-time greats. Up to 2025, Ivey has earned more than $31 million in lifetime live tournament profit and owns ten WSOP bracelets, demonstrating his skill throughout the board of poker styles.
His relaxed attitude and strategic finesse have been returned tenfold with players and the public’s admiration and love. Ivey’s reign is also evident in stakes play cash games, where he has consistently proven himself to be lord of the realm.
5. Erik Seidel
Erik Seidel’s poker career is a span of decades, during which he has earned more than $37 million in live tournament winnings up to 2025. With eight WSOP bracelets and one WPT title, Seidel’s steady play and ability to evolve have solidified his position as one of poker’s all-time greats.
His cool and calculated demeanor towards the game has established him as a force to be reckoned with in both tournaments and cash games. Seidel’s durability and achievements are the admiration of veteran and wannabe poker players alike.
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6. Doyle Brunson
Doyle Brunson, also known as “Texas Dolly,” is a gaming icon. Having spent over half a century in the field, Brunson has ten WSOP bracelets between him, out of which are two back-to-back Main Event wins in 1976 and 1977.
His pioneering book, “Super/System,” published in 1979, is considered one of the greatest strategy books about poker ever printed, with data that has helped shape modern poker strategies. Brunson’s achievement for the game is not in personal accomplishment but the fact that he has contributed towards making the game popular throughout the world.
7. Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth, affectionately referred to as the “Poker Brat” due to his strong personality, leads the WSOP bracelet count at 16 for his name to date in 2025. The start of a very profitable career came to him when he won the 1989 WSOP Main Event at age 24.
Hellmuth’s success in tournaments and his capacity to evolve with the changing poker landscape have cemented his place among the greatest of all time in the game. Beyond the tables, Hellmuth has written a number of books and continues to be an important figure in popularizing the game.
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8. Johnny Moss
Johnny Moss was a poker great. His fellow players voted him the first WSOP Main Event champion. Moss excelled at all types of poker. He played high-limit cash games for many years.
He is called the Grandfather Of Poker, which means he really left his mark in the game. A Texas Road Gambler, his wins exceed so high that his cash winnings are yet to be determined. He has won 3 Main Event Titles, 9 WSOP bracelets and a total of $1.25 Million in tournament winnings. Unfortunately, the man passed away in 1995 at the age of 88, but his legacy in poker is always remembered.
9. Stephen Chidwick
Stephen Chidwick is one of the greatest technical tournament players of all time. British pro Chidwick has earned over $45 million in live profits as of 2025.
CardPlayer’s Player’s Choice Best Player in the World honored him in 2019, solidifying his status as a strategic genius. He is best known for his domination of high roller tournaments and has won several Triton Poker and PokerGO Tour events. Chidwick’s analytical style and unmatched consistency make him one of the all-time greats.
10. Stu Ungar
Stu Ungar, or “Comeback Kid” as he is more widely known, was perhaps the greatest natural poker player to ever sit at a table. Three WSOP Main Event champion (1980, 1981, and 1997), Ungar’s ability to read games was close to superhuman and combined with a very aggressive way of playing.
The natural gin rummy titleholder transitioned to poker and was all but invincible. Off-field distractions which detracted from his own longevity in the game aside, Ungar ranks among the all-time greatest legends of poker.
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Comparison Table: Greatest Poker Players of All Time
| Rank | Player | WSOP Bracelets | Major Titles (WPT, EPT) | Live Tournament Earnings (2025) | Notable Achievement |
| 1 | Bryn Kenney | 1 | Multiple High Rollers | $73M+ | Triton Million Winner ($20.5M) |
| 2 | Justin Bonomo | 3 | WSOP, EPT Titles | $65M+ | WSOP One Drop Winner ($10M) |
| 3 | Daniel Negreanu | 6 | 2 WPT Titles | $46M+ | Poker Hall of Fame Inductee |
| 4 | Phil Ivey | 10 | WPT Titles | $38M+ | One of the best all-round players |
| 5 | Erik Seidel | 9 | WPT, EPT Titles | $41M+ | WSOP & High Stakes Crusher |
| 6 | Doyle Brunson | 10 | WPT & WSOP | $6M+ | Poker pioneer & author of Super/System |
| 7 | Phil Hellmuth | 16 | WSOP Dominance | $30M+ | Most WSOP bracelets of all time |
| 8 | Johnny Moss | 9 | WSOP Main Event x3 | $2M+ | Poker’s first world champion |
| 9 | Stephen Chidwick | 1 | Triton & PokerGO Tour | $45M+ | Modern high-stakes crusher |
| 10 | Stu Ungar | 5 | 3x WSOP Main Event | $3.7M+ | One of the greatest talents in poker history |
Conclusion
Poker is ever-changing and always puzzling, even the best of players. The players on this list have defined the image of pro poker with their astonishing potential, foresight, and outstanding achievement. Through the domination of cash games, high roller events, or iconic WSOP play, these ten players have left an indelible stamp on the game that will not be forgotten anytime soon.
How many poker players do you know about on this list? Let us know in the comments!