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Most famous poker player?

Sky_PokerSky_Poker
edited April 2015 in Poker Chat

This is not a question about the best, the funniest, the coolest but...


... who is the most famous poker player in the world in your view?


Someone that even non poker players might have heard of.
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  • SlipwaterSlipwater
    edited April 2015
    Phil Hellmuth - almost without question.
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  • hhyftrftdrhhyftrftdr
    edited April 2015
    Phil Ivey, not least in part to his recent legal battles.
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  • VespaPXVespaPX
    edited April 2015
    Chris Moneymaker

    Right name , right tournament , right time !
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  • BigBlusterBigBluster
    edited April 2015

    Barack Obama has got to be the world's most famous poker player. It is public knowledge that he's been playing regularly since he was a teenager and used to host a regular game as a Senator (google it). He probably still hosts the odd game in the White House.

    If the question was "Who is the most famous person whose fame derived from playing poker?" then there can only be one answer - Chris Moneymaker. 
    Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, even Doyle Brunson et al are unknown outside the poker world.





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  • jordz16jordz16
    edited April 2015
    Phil Ivey by name, Daniel Negreanu by face
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  • FlashFlushFlashFlush
    edited April 2015
    Interesting question. I asked the lady in the office who she thinks is the most famous, and her reply was "Well I don't know any, so you". She then said, "Oh, Helen Chamberlain or Teddy Sheringham". Don't think she quite understood the question, but it goes to show, when it comes to introducing new people to poker having a famous celebrity is probably far more appealing to the viewer than a famous poker player.

    I saw so much talk about poker from my non-poker friends when Ronaldo ran deep in the PCA earlier in the year. In fact I just googled (Other search engines are available, although they are rubbish) "Ronaldo poker", the first 2 hits are the Mirror and the Daily Mail and not a poker website.
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  • shakinacesshakinaces
    edited April 2015
    At the risk of sounding a bit 'Team America'... Matt Damon
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  • SlipwaterSlipwater
    edited April 2015
    I don't actually think that there is any poker professional who is known to the masses.

    If I took a straw poll in the office today I would be impressed (and surprised) if anyone has heard of any of the players mentioned in this thread.
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  • Phantom66Phantom66
    edited April 2015
    Well if face recognition by the general public is a measure....

    I tried googling "famous poker player" and then selected images.

    Negeanu, Ivey, Brunson etc of course all feature quite highly and amongst the poker playing community would feature prominently in any list.

    The sadly no longer with us Devilfish gets a lot of pics and has to be a good shout for most famous UK pro.

    The first face recognised by non-poker players here was Boris Becker.

    Oddly this chap appeared in the pics....Any ideas?

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  • Phantom66Phantom66
    edited April 2015
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player?:
    I don't actually think that there is any poker professional who is known to the masses. If I took a straw poll in the office today I would be impressed (and surprised) if anyone has heard of any of the players mentioned in this thread.
    Posted by Slipwater
    Isolated crowd in Aberdeen if they haven't heard of Barack Obama?
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  • SlipwaterSlipwater
    edited April 2015
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player?:
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player? : Isolated crowd in Aberdeen if they haven't heard of Barack Obama?
    Posted by Phantom66
    Haha.

    They didn't hear about the Vietnam War until Full Metal Jacket came out in 1987 ;)
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  • hhyftrftdrhhyftrftdr
    edited April 2015
    I think Sky need to be a tad more specific in the OP.

    Do you want the most famous person within the poker industry?
    Do you want the most famous person who dabbles in poker but isn't a mainstay of the industry IE Matt Damon, Ronaldo etc.
    Do you want the most famous person within the game currently, or most famous in general? Using my dad as an example, I'll bet my £47 bankroll that he hasn't heard of Chris Moneymaker, but I know he's aware of who Phil Ivey is due to the legal action.

    Just within the British market, I think Victoria Coren is a good shout, but globally I'd still stick with Ivey.
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  • Phantom66Phantom66
    edited April 2015
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player?:
    Barack Obama has got to be the world's most famous poker player. It is public knowledge that he's been playing regularly since he was a teenager and used to host a regular game as a Senator (google it). He probably still hosts the odd game in the White House. If the question was "Who is the most famous person whose fame derived from playing poker?" then there can only be one answer - Chris Moneymaker.  Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, even Doyle Brunson et al are unknown outside the poker world.
    Posted by BigBluster
    I think Mr Moneymake was right place right name right time for the online poker boom, however now only poker players who were playing then will have heard of him.

    He has close to zero profile now and as his success preceded the social media boom there isn't much trace of him.

    In my very unscientific poll, he didnt feature - although Joe Hachem seemed to do well in the pic count.
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  • Phantom66Phantom66
    edited April 2015
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player?:
    I think Sky need to be a tad more specific in the OP. Do you want the most famous person within the poker industry? Do you want the most famous person who dabbles in poker but isn't a mainstay of the industry IE Matt Damon, Ronaldo etc. Do you want the most famous person within the game currently, or most famous in general? Using my dad as an example, I'll bet my £47 bankroll that he hasn't heard of Chris Moneymaker, but I know he's aware of who Phil Ivey is due to the legal action. Just within the British market, I think Victoria Coren is a good shout, but globally I'd still stick with Ivey.
    Posted by hhyftrftdr
    But that would take the fun out - the debate is much wider because we are discussing what makes a "famous poker player". With a fixed definition the answers would be pretty limited.
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  • hhyftrftdrhhyftrftdr
    edited April 2015
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player?:
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player? : But that would take the fun out - the debate is much wider because we are discussing what makes a "famous poker player". With a fixed definition the answers would be pretty limited.
    Posted by Phantom66
    Hmmm, well in that case, my Dad won't have heard of Chris Moneymaker, but I'm pretty sure my Dad has heard of me ;)
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  • SlipwaterSlipwater
    edited April 2015
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player?:
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player? : Hmmm, well in that case, my Dad won't have heard of Chris Moneymaker, but I'm pretty sure my Dad has heard of me ;)
    Posted by hhyftrftdr
    As if you even know who your father is.
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  • Phantom66Phantom66
    edited April 2015
    Thinking outside the box...

    How about Wild Bill Hickock?


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  • SlipwaterSlipwater
    edited April 2015
    Liv Boeree must be in with a shout!
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  • RLT16RLT16
    edited April 2015
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player?:
    In Response to Re: Most famous poker player? : As if you even know who your father is.
    Posted by Slipwater
    Ofc he knows his dad he is prominent in three very famous books! 

    Gimli always was my favourite LOTR character. 

    As for the OP as the only poker player id ever heard of before playing poker was Phil Ivey id have to go with him
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  • gerardirlgerardirl
    edited April 2015
    Negreanu
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  • unknown_usernameunknown_username
    edited April 2015
    I just Asked 3 non poker playing peeps who all said "that women married to that bloke off that Channel 4 program who does that quiz show on BBC 2, don't she play poker?" 

    So I guess Vicky Coren ;')
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  • Sir-GarySir-Gary
    edited April 2015
    What no mention for Stu Ungar, though maybe that's poker players only, there's always Doyle Brunson, and surely Chris Ferguson is distinctive enough. Then there's Liv Boeree in Slips dreams.
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  • Phantom66Phantom66
    edited April 2015
    Surely Lady Gaga has to have the most famous poker face?
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  • gerardirlgerardirl
    edited April 2015
    Put the question another way.....who is the first poker player you ever heard of?

    I know I hadnt heard of Chris Moneymaker until very recent but I wouldnt have a clue what he looks like and i only remember him because of his unsual surname.

    I like playing poker but know very little about poker pros. I suspect if I asked colleagues in work they would not be able to name any poker pros, as I couldnt name any a few years ago.

    Ger
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  • MilitantGMilitantG
    edited April 2015
    Phil Ivey.
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  • DonttelmumDonttelmum
    edited April 2015
    Tony Kendall
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  • unknown_usernameunknown_username
    edited April 2015
    oh alright then.richard orford.sigh
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  • rancidrancid
    edited April 2015
    David Beckham


    Now he should be cause if he played poker - you would see the biggest BOOOOOOM poker has ever seen

    IMFO
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  • FCHDFCHD
    edited April 2015
    Victoria Coren-Mitchell for me.
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  • a00rocka00rock
    edited April 2015
    Bond.... James Bond n Ferguson following the Tilt fiasco.
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