Who is the Best World Series of Poker Main Event Champion of all-time?

With 40 years of World Series of Poker tournaments in the books I’ve compiled a list ranking each Main Event champion. A total of 34 different players have won the event (several players have won multiple times: Johnny Moss 2, Doyle Brunson 2, Stu Ungar 3, and Johnny Chan 2), and to have won, each has to be at least adequate as a player, so don’t think because a player is #22 on this list that I am slighting them.

Each WSOP Main Event winner was judged based on the following two criteria:

• Their overall skill in poker
• Their contribution to the game

1. Doyle Brunson - Not only does Doyle have the poker “chops”, but he is responsible for the first mainstream book detailing the ins-and-outs of poker.
2. Stu Ungar - Perhaps the most gifted poker player of all-time.
3. Johnny Chan - Chan is one of the top poker players in the world since the late 80’s and does a wonderful job representing the game as a professional.
4. Johnny Moss - Moss was a poker legend day, for whatever reason his legacy hasn’t had the staying power of other players of his generation.
5. Phil Hellmuth - Hellmuth has the skills, and has taken on the role of a “heel” to perfection.
6. Dan Harrington - Harrington is considered one of the greatest tournament players ever, and was instrumental in authoring the first comprehensive tournament poker book.
7. Chris Moneymaker - People may question Moneymakers poker ability but his impact on the game will put him down as a poker legend.
8. Chris “Jesus” Ferguson - Ferguson’s analytical style provided people with a new way of thinking about poker.
9. Bobby Baldwin - Baldwin is more known for his business acumen than his poker skills, but both are exceptional.
10. Amarillo Slim” Preston - Slim’s poker skills have always been questioned, but his ability to market himself and the game of poker cannot be argued.
11. Scotty Ngyuen - A great poker player and a great showman; the only thing keeping Scotty out of the top 10 is his sometimes questionable behavior.
12. Berry Johnston -Johnston is perhaps the most unknown poker legend, his poker skills are second-to-none.
13. Brian “Sailor” Roberts - A legendary road gambler from the 60’s and 70’s when poker was just one of the skills you needed to make a living.
14. Huck Seed - Seed is finally getting the recognition he deserves for his poker skills, although the low-key pro seems enjoy staying out of the limelight.
15. Walter “Puggy” Pearson - Pearson was a legendary road gambler and it’s doubtful he spent much time concentrating on poker, imagine if he had.
16. Jack “Treetop” Strauss - Strauss was poker pro before it was en vogue, and is best known for being the genesis of the “chip and a chair” poker mantra.
17. Tom McEvoy - McEvoy was instrumental in poker’s growth during the 1980’s -As an Author and a player.
18. Juan Carlos Mortensen - Winning what many consider the greatest final table of all-time, Mortensen has proven he is not a one-hit-wonder with numerous accomplishments since.
19. Jack Keller - Keller is another of the anonymous Poker Pros to come out of the 1980’s, with three bracelets and a Main Event Championship it’s amazing how few people know anything about him.
20. Joe Hachem - Hachem conquered a huge field in 2005 and has been a staple on the tournament circuit ever since –with a fair share of success. He has also been instrumental to the growth of poker in his native Australia.
21. Greg Raymer - The long-time poker player, and former attorney, has been a huge proponent of Internet Gambling, and been a spokesman for the PPA.
22. Brad Daugherty - Daugherty was the first player to win $1,000,000 at the WSOP, but the longtime tournament pro was never able to repeat his success. However, Daugherty did collaborate on a number of books with other poker pros.
23. Hamid Dastmalchi - I would be surprised if 1 out of 10 poker players had any idea who Hamid is. With three bracelets and a 4^th place finish in a second Main Event they should.
24. Jim Bechtel - Bechtel just missed winning a bracelet in 1979, and probably thought he missed his chance: Until he won the Main Event in 1993!
25. Noel Furlong - Furlong was a recreational poker player who proved you don’t have to have “pro” status to play a mean poker game.
26. Mansour Matloubi - Matloubi an active poker player in the 90’s has been for all intents and purposes, MIA recently.
27. Bill Smith - Smith made three final tables during the 80’s and seemed to be a rising star in the poker world: A noted drinker at the tables, Smith was said to only play good when “buzzed”.
28. Peter Eastgate - The jury is still out on Eastgate’s poker skills, but the verdict is in when it comes to promoting poker: Unfortunately the low-key youngster hasn’t stepped up in that area yet.
29. Hal Fowler - Fowler was the first amateur player to win the big one; unfortunately he went on to have very little success afterwards.
30. Joe Cada - Cada is the complete unknown here; many fans question his skills, and we haven’t seen enough from him to know how he will promote the game.
31. Jerry Yang - It’s hard to root against the likable Yang, but his poker ability is in serious doubt.
32. Robert Varkonyi - After his win in 2002 Varkonyi thought he was destined to be a poker superstar, however he has failed to even come close to repeating his WSOP win: Although he keeps giving it the old college try.
33. Jamie Gold - Gold is considered one of the luckiest champions of all-time, and one of the most obnoxious. His later disputes with sponsors/backers have all but sealed his fate to the bottom of this list.
34. Russ Hamilton - Only Hamilton’s involvement in the biggest cheating scandal in Online Poker history displaced Gold from the bottom spot. Hamilton’s reputation took such a hit that even his standing as a very good poker player cannot get him out of the bottom spot.