Legendary Poker Players

Every sport has its superstars, and poker is no exception. Every so often a player comes along who proves the game is more about skill than luck. These players have consistently proven they can put their money where their mouths are to take their rightful place as legendary players of the game.

In the poker Hall of Fame, you'll find these names at the top of the list:

Doyle Brunson

While there are plenty of successful professional poker players, Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson was raising the stakes while the others were still in diapers. When a leg injury laid up the teenage Brunson in the 1950s, he spent his free time learning how to master the card table. As the first player to win $1 million in a poker tournament, it's clear that his practice made perfect. He's tied with Johnny Chan for winning the most World Series of Poker bracelets over the course of his career (ten!) and if that wasn't enough, he's got two Texas Hold`em hands named after him. Brunson has written numerous books on his favorite game, and continues to play in the big leagues every year.

John Bonetti

At age 54, this Texas native got a relatively late start in life as a professional poker player back in the 1980s. Since then, Bonetti has made up for lost time with four World Series of Poker bracelets and total career winnings in excess of $2.1 million. Even more impressive, Bonetti kept his poker face while fighting cancer in the 1990s with the same aggressiveness he brings to the table. While he hasn't made any headlines in recent years, true players know that Bonetti isn't to be underestimated.

Johnny Chan

Basketball has Michael Jordan. Poker has Johnny Chan. Dubbed "The Oriental Express," Chan left his native China with his family seeking opportunities in the United States. Chan tried his hand at college, but dropped out when he realized that poker could be his meal ticket. He first made a name for himself with big wins in the 1980s, making a splash with two consecutive championships at the World Series of Poker. He's kept bringing home pots ever since, and is tied with Doyle Brunson for the most World Series victories in history.

Phil Hellmuth

Another college drop-out poker millionaire, Wisconsin-native Phil Hellmuth was 24 in 1989 when he became the youngest person ever to take the top spot in the World Series of Poker. While his and sharp tongue and often brash behavior at the table is both loved and hated by poker fans, no one can deny that Hellmuth has skill. Even if they wanted to, it's hard to argue with $5.4 million career winnings. Hellmuth has done what few others have by translating his wins at the table into a lucrative career away from the table. He's taken on endorsement deals, helped design his own pair of Oakley sunglasses and even has a clothing line in the works.

Stu Ungar

Stu Ungar died in a Las Vegas hotel room in 1998 with $800 to his name. It was a sad end for a man who held five World Series of Poker bracelets, had taken in more than $30 million in winnings and could rightfully be called one of the greatest players in history. With an amazing memory that could keep track of just about every card on the table, Ungar's skills became so legendary that he was actually banned from playing in many Las Vegas casinos. While he squandered his fortune on drugs, it can't detract from the legacy Ungar left as one of the greatest true talents to pull up a chair at the poker table.