The top 10 most respected players in poker Part 1
With poker players like Annie Duke, Howard Lederer, Scotty Nguyen, Erick Lindgren, Sorel Mizzi, Joe Sebok, Chino Rheem, Daniel Cates, Alec Torelli and countless others all having to answer questions about their behavior or their associations in the poker world I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the most well-respected players in poker.
Now, this doesn’t mean these people are beyond reproach, but simply means that at the current time in the poker world these players have a very solid reputation both from the general public and from their poker playing peers. Basically, when these players speak the poker world tends to listen.
In order to be considered for the following list a player must not only have a good reputation, they also need to be fairly well-known and also willing to speak about current topics in the poker world, whether it’s the occasional insightful post or a weekly blog.
So here is Part 1 of this three-part series:
#10 — Barry Greenstein
A few months ago Barry Greenstein would have ranked much higher on this list, but after a bit of a controversy involving a $400,000 debt to Full Tilt Poker, the poker world has been picking Greenstein apart. Even though Greenstein was the only player named to come forward and admit to, and offer a solid explanation of the debt, Greenstein’s rep took a small hit.
In addition to the Full Tilt issue, Greenstein has also vouched for a few individuals that have put him at odds with the poker world: First was his defense of Russ Hamilton during the Super-User investigation, and then his defense of step-son Joe Sebok who took on the unenviable role of working with UB Poker.
Despite these small inconsistencies, Greenstein is still seen as a pillar of the poker community and is often called upon to mediate and offer rulings when poker players
#9 –Tom Dwan
Dwan doesn’t speak out very often, and he isn’t the most eloquent person in the poker world, but when durrrr does speak, he speaks from the heart and his words carry a weight that few other players could ever hope to attain.
Should Dwan make good on his promise to pay back every dime he ever received from Full Tilt Poker if the company doesn’t repay its players his reputation will likely grow even more. However, durrrr sort of painted himself into a corner with his guarantee: If he doesn’t pay his reputation could take a very bad hit -not only pushing him off this list but possibly onto the most hated list.
#8 — Doyle Brunson
Doyle is from the old school, and is one of the longtime poker players that doesn’t have any flies on him. His reputation has always been sound, and when Doyle comments on an issue he not only offers his old-school gambling insights to the situation, but is also likely to sway a lot of people’s ideas on what is proper in poker and what is not.
Doyle’s one “flaw” when it comes to his reputation is his propensity to stick up for his friends, evidenced by his defense of Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson during the current Full Tilt Poker fiasco.
