Nathan Williams
Poker Pro
Silver Level
I guess I will be "different" 
They would pretty much all come from online cash. My criteria is skill only. No particular order.
Phil Ivey
Patrick Antonius
The Dang Brothers
Ike Haxton
Tom Dwan
Brian Hastings
Phil Galfond
Daniel Cates
Ashton Griffin
Ben Sulsky
They would pretty much all come from online cash. My criteria is skill only. No particular order.Phil Ivey
Patrick Antonius
The Dang Brothers
Ike Haxton
Tom Dwan
Brian Hastings
Phil Galfond
Daniel Cates
Ashton Griffin
Ben Sulsky
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n3rv
Visionary
Silver Level
Mine is going to be pretty subjective. It's just in order of who inspired me to play the game and what I've learnt from them (entertainment wise as much as skill)...
1. Phil Ivey - pay attention to everything, have an "edge"...
2. Huck Seed - heads-up play
3. Tom Dwan - table image
4. Daniel Negreanu - small ball, small talk, gut instinct, variance
5. Stu Unger - life lessons, bankroll management...
6. Dan Bilzerian - table selection
7. Tony G - controlling tilt, heart and commitment to the game lol
8. Gabe Kaplan - table reading, commentary, terminology
9. Phil Laak - ramblings
10. Chip Reese - withstanding adversity
1. Phil Ivey - pay attention to everything, have an "edge"...
2. Huck Seed - heads-up play
3. Tom Dwan - table image
4. Daniel Negreanu - small ball, small talk, gut instinct, variance
5. Stu Unger - life lessons, bankroll management...
6. Dan Bilzerian - table selection
7. Tony G - controlling tilt, heart and commitment to the game lol
8. Gabe Kaplan - table reading, commentary, terminology
9. Phil Laak - ramblings
10. Chip Reese - withstanding adversity
fubarcdn
Legend
Silver Level
I am going to answer the question a bit differently. I think there are probably five players and maybe a couple more that have made a significant impact on holdem poker since it was taken from the back alleys to mainstreet.
The first is Benny Binion who created the wsop and bought poker into the casinos of the modern world. Honorable mention here to Doyle Brunson who was and still is a statesman of the game.
Second is Amarillo Slim who was a great promoter of the game and made it a main offering in casinos around North America.
Fast forward to modern times and the third is Chris Money maker, who by satelliting into and winning the WSOP main event in 2003 opened the floodgates to online poker and took it into the multi billion dollar industry it is today and made multi millionairs, not out of the players, but mostly out of the owners who invested in party poker and other online poker rooms most of which no longer exist.
Honorable mention to the celebrities this created and the work they did promoting the game like Helmuth, Negrano, Tony G. If I did not mention your name pleqase do not be insulted. There are many more.
Foueth is Vanessa Selbts , Annie Duke, Vanessa Rosseau, and many more of the women players that opened it up for women to play and think they can be both ruthless as players and hot at the same time.
Finally Alex Krauchenko who made the game popular in Russia and contributes to the online world and increasing revenue of online rooms by bringing in lots of rookie Russian players that contribute to all of our bankrolls as they perfect their own game.
China needs to have an emerging star that will take this thing to the next level By bringing in even more Chinese newbies although they will be tougher because they are good at the math.
The first is Benny Binion who created the wsop and bought poker into the casinos of the modern world. Honorable mention here to Doyle Brunson who was and still is a statesman of the game.
Second is Amarillo Slim who was a great promoter of the game and made it a main offering in casinos around North America.
Fast forward to modern times and the third is Chris Money maker, who by satelliting into and winning the WSOP main event in 2003 opened the floodgates to online poker and took it into the multi billion dollar industry it is today and made multi millionairs, not out of the players, but mostly out of the owners who invested in party poker and other online poker rooms most of which no longer exist.
Honorable mention to the celebrities this created and the work they did promoting the game like Helmuth, Negrano, Tony G. If I did not mention your name pleqase do not be insulted. There are many more.
Foueth is Vanessa Selbts , Annie Duke, Vanessa Rosseau, and many more of the women players that opened it up for women to play and think they can be both ruthless as players and hot at the same time.
Finally Alex Krauchenko who made the game popular in Russia and contributes to the online world and increasing revenue of online rooms by bringing in lots of rookie Russian players that contribute to all of our bankrolls as they perfect their own game.
China needs to have an emerging star that will take this thing to the next level By bringing in even more Chinese newbies although they will be tougher because they are good at the math.
Shumkoolie
Legend
Silver Level
This is tough because there's more than 10 that I like. But, in no particular order.
Doyle Brunson - No explanation necessary. Just a legend.
Antonio Esfandiari - Great table presence, really puts on a good show for TV. The kind of guy you'd want in your home game.
Vanessa Selbst - Just a force at the tables. More so than any other player, forces you to make a tough decision.
Erik Seidel - Just quietly going about his business being a winning player on the tournament circuit. Has many more bracelet wins left in him.
Phil Hellmuth - I can dodge bullets baby!!! Seriously though, most WSOP bracelets (for now).
Phil Ivey - Most likely to eclipse Hellmuth and probably the best all-around player.
Chris Moneymaker - Has handled his fame with class and it hasn't changed him any.
Mike Matusow - His book, Check Raising the Devil was a great read, and an entertaining presence at the tables. Not sure I'd like to play against him, but he's a draw for TV.
Daniel Negreanu - Over time, has become a bit more polarizing, people either love him or hate him, but he sells the game more than just about anyone.
Phil Galfond - Very articulate and should win some bracelets before it's all said and done.
Doyle Brunson - No explanation necessary. Just a legend.
Antonio Esfandiari - Great table presence, really puts on a good show for TV. The kind of guy you'd want in your home game.
Vanessa Selbst - Just a force at the tables. More so than any other player, forces you to make a tough decision.
Erik Seidel - Just quietly going about his business being a winning player on the tournament circuit. Has many more bracelet wins left in him.
Phil Hellmuth - I can dodge bullets baby!!! Seriously though, most WSOP bracelets (for now).
Phil Ivey - Most likely to eclipse Hellmuth and probably the best all-around player.
Chris Moneymaker - Has handled his fame with class and it hasn't changed him any.
Mike Matusow - His book, Check Raising the Devil was a great read, and an entertaining presence at the tables. Not sure I'd like to play against him, but he's a draw for TV.
Daniel Negreanu - Over time, has become a bit more polarizing, people either love him or hate him, but he sells the game more than just about anyone.
Phil Galfond - Very articulate and should win some bracelets before it's all said and done.
Debi
Forum Admin
Administrator
Updated OP through post #50 and put in order - if they didn't have at least 3 votes by now I left them off the list.
1. Phil Ivey - 39
2. Daniel Negreanu - 37
3. Phil Helmuth - 34
4. Doyle Brunson - 30
5. Antonio Esfandari - 17
6. Tom Dwan - 17
7. Stu Ungar - 16
8. Phil Galfond - 14
9. Vanessa Selbst - 14
10. Erik Seidel - 12
11. Chan - 12
12. Chip Reese - 10
13. Gus Hansen - 9
14. C Tran - 9
15. Dan Harrington - 8
16. Jonathan Duhamel - 8
17. Chris Moneymaker - 7
18. Sam Trickett - 7
19. Jason Mercier - 7
20. Barry Greenstein - 6
21. Mike Matusow - 6
22. Scotty Nguyen - 6
23. Johnny Moss - 6
24. John Juanda - 5
25. Phil Laak - 5
26. Mike McDonald - 5
27. Patrik Antonius - 4
28. Vanessa Rousso - 4
29. Pius Heinz - 3
30. Sammy Farha - 3
31. Dario Minieri - 3
1. Phil Ivey - 39
2. Daniel Negreanu - 37
3. Phil Helmuth - 34
4. Doyle Brunson - 30
5. Antonio Esfandari - 17
6. Tom Dwan - 17
7. Stu Ungar - 16
8. Phil Galfond - 14
9. Vanessa Selbst - 14
10. Erik Seidel - 12
11. Chan - 12
12. Chip Reese - 10
13. Gus Hansen - 9
14. C Tran - 9
15. Dan Harrington - 8
16. Jonathan Duhamel - 8
17. Chris Moneymaker - 7
18. Sam Trickett - 7
19. Jason Mercier - 7
20. Barry Greenstein - 6
21. Mike Matusow - 6
22. Scotty Nguyen - 6
23. Johnny Moss - 6
24. John Juanda - 5
25. Phil Laak - 5
26. Mike McDonald - 5
27. Patrik Antonius - 4
28. Vanessa Rousso - 4
29. Pius Heinz - 3
30. Sammy Farha - 3
31. Dario Minieri - 3