There’s a lot of noise on the internet when it comes to poker. From haters to supporters to wannabe gurus - it can be hard to find genuine voices. If you’re wondering who’s worth listening to, then look no further. We’ve catalogued the best poker personalities deserving of your attention below!
Daniel Negreanu
Throughout his career, Negreanu has built a solid reputation as one of the most respected players in the poker industry. As a six-time World Series of Poker bracelet-winner, Daniel “Kid Poker” Negreanu has played some of the most intense and complex poker scenarios in the book - and come out the other side victorious.
Not only can you glean nuggets of wisdom from Negreanu’s books, but you can also take a class with the genius through MasterClass. Daniel starts his class with an outline of what you’ll learn and assures students that even the most complex poker concepts can be learned. He teaches poker strategy, advanced theory, and walks through hand reviews of his winning games. Learn how to sharpen your mental game through demos on reading opponents and spotting tells. Join Daniel at the table to increase your win rate, grow your ROI, and get your game “in the money.”
Doyle Brunson
Doyle Brunson may be retired but after 50 years of playing, he still has a thing or two to teach the masses about poker. He holds ten WSOP bracelets, is a two-time WSOP Main Event champion, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, and the author of several books on poker. With a resume like that Brunson’s prowess in poker can’t be beaten.
Given that Brunson has been playing and winning since before poker went mainstream, you may not be surprised that he has lessons to teach. Yet, that alone isn’t the reason he’s secured a spot on this list. Yes, he holds an expansive wealth of knowledge, but he was also one of the first of the poker greats to share his winning strategies with the masses. In 1978 the formidable player released Doyle Brunson’s Super / System: A Course in Power Poker. This release was groundbreaking in the poker landscape at the time. Especially when you consider how guarded professional poker players were before this point. With this text, you can learn how to size up opponents, analyse board texture, narrow hand ranges, and manage their bankroll effectively. This book is largely recognised as the poker bible and as such, has formed the basic game of the best players the game has to offer.
Phil Ivey
Holding a total of 10 WSOP bracelets and earning himself the name “the Tiger Woods of poker”, Phil Ivey is widely considered one of the best all-around players to ever grace the game. Unlike experts that specialise in a single area of poker, all-around players exhibit a variety of different strengths. Beginners can learn a lot from Phil Ivey as he covers significant ground in all areas of poker. This includes the art of reading your opponent, studying how they play different scenarios and learning from their triumphs and failures. One of the core values Ivey teaches is that just because you’re good (or even great) doesn’t mean you can’t be better. As such, you’ll always find players who excel beyond you in other areas of the game. Ignoring any semblance of ego and displaying a willingness to learn is a core tenement of Ivey's teachings.
If you want to learn from Ivey directly, you can walk through some practice routines with him in his Masterclass course. Also included in this course are the fundamentals of positional play and hand ranges, alongside betting tactics and the value of bluffing
Phil Hellmuth
As an inductee of the poker hall of fame, there’s a thing or two we could all learn from the great Phil Hellmuth. Hellmuth holds a record of sixteen WSOP bracelets and is considered one of the finest tournament players in the history of the game. He has written several books on the inner workings of poker including New York Times Best Seller Play Poker Like the Pros and Poker Brat: Phil Hellmuth’s Autobiography. A lot of Hellmuth’s specialty lies in teaching people how to build the mental resilience necessary to thrive in the game of poker. The best way to experience Hellmuth’s wisdom would be to dip into one of these texts. Still, there are other options. If you’re not an avid reader both of these books are available on Audible. Also available is his book #Positivity. While not strictly poker-related, this book does tie into Hellmuth’s expertise in mental fortitude, a valuable tool he used to become a top poker player.
Hellmuth relies heavily on his own experience throughout his books, podcasts and personal talks. As someone who has carved a reputation for being quite passionate at the tables, he considers himself particularly adept at manipulating the emotions of others to his advantage. His aforementioned passion has also meant that he has been forced to hone the skills necessary to keep his own emotions in check. If you’ve experienced similar issues at the tables, there are worse teachers to learn from than someone who’s been through it and come out the other side a winner.