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Because of the level of competition and challenge, poker is considered as one of the more popular casino games and is the preferred game for a lot of casino habitués and players. The main objective of the card game is to obtain the highest possible hand in order to be declared winner. It is considered as a cerebral and psychological game. The most challenging aspect of the game is how to “read” other players on the table and maintain the oft-repeated “poker face.”
It is because of these reasons why successful poker players are ascribed near-legendary status. Most of the popular poker personalities are considered icons of the card game. They can be seen in TV specials and shows and are featured in poker journals. They are also authors of top-selling books and guides on poker. The elite circle of topnotch poker players includes Daniel Negreanu, Patrik Antonius, Liz Lieu, Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth.
Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu is a native of Toronto who has this unerring knack for poker. Spurred by his confidence on the poker table, he gave up his college education at a time when he was just a credit short from graduating and pursued a career in professional gambling. Negreanu had an auspicious start, snatching a couple of wins during the 1997 edition of the World Poker Finals held at Foxwoods. He followed this with 3 WSOP bracelets, a pair of wins in the World Poker Tours and over 30 first-place finishes in several poker events across the globe.
Daniel Negreanu also served as mentor for up-and-coming and aspiring poker players through his Poker School Online. He has also authored hundreds of guides and articles on poker and provided valuable inputs for the “Super System II” of Doyle Brunson.
Patrik Antonius
Sometime referred to as the ‘Brad Pitt’ of the card game, Patrik Antonius is not just about good looks. If not for some fateful events in his life, Antonius could have been shooting aces and volleys on the tennis court instead of weaving his magic on the green felt. In fact, he started out as a tennis player and got involved with the game of poker only when he was sidelined by injuries. The milestone of his professional poker career happened in 2005 when he won cashes in a total of 8 major poker events, and these included his first place finish in the European Poker Tour.
Liz Lieu
A native of Ho Chi Minh City, Liz Lieu has been an active player of the professional poker circuit for over a decade now. However, it was only in the last 4 years of her poker playing career that she had played as a full-fledged professional. Liz started out playing cash games and it was only recently that she started to join in major poker events. To date, Lieu’s biggest win is her 5th place finish in the No-Limit Hold’em event during the 36th Annual World Series. Incidentally, it was also her first big win ever, and she took home a total cash prize of $168,590.
Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey is often referred to in poker gaming circuits as the ‘Tiger Woods’ of the green felt, though he would meekly stress that he still has a lot to prove before he can be compared with his more illustrious and accomplished peers on the poker table. Still, Ivey is considered as the icon of the new generation of professional poker players. Ivey started out his poker playing career in Atlantic City and at the age of 23, he won his first 3 WSOP bracelets. Another important highlight of his career was his head-ups poker match with eminent mathematician Andy Beal. After a 3-day marathon match, Ivey emerged victorious and became $16.6 million richer. It was in 2009 when Ivey made it to the final round of main event of the World Series of Poker after nearly a decade.
Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth gave up his college studies at University of Wisconsin to pursue his dream of becoming a successful professional poker player. His amazing run in the WSOP span nearly 20 years and it all began in 1988, when he snatched fifth spot in a 7-Card Hi-Lo tournament. The following year, Hellmuth ruled the main event and set the record as being the youngest poker player to accomplish this feat.
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