Who is best Heads up no limit Texas Hold 'em poker player in the world?

Question

I have watched most of the popular figures for some time and have narrowed it down to:

1.Chan

2.Hellmuth

3.Nugyen

4.Negraneau

Who is the best poker player in the world? Any supportive links to amazing reads would be appreciated.

Answer 1

There will be a tournament at Caesar's Palace to figure it out.

Answer 2

Hard to say, but any list without Doyle on it is missing something.

Those are the guys people see on tv in tournaments.  There are a lot of top level players who don't play in tournaments because they can make a lot more money for their time in the cash games, or they just don't want to be on TV.  Chau Giang is a guy most people have never heard of because he rarely plays televised tourneys, but he's recognized as one of the best players in the world.

Of course, if you listen to Phil Helmuth, it's an easy answer.  Him.

Answer 3

sorry i don't have links, but there are different ways to measure it. if you look at world series bracelets, hellmuth, doyle and some other guy are all tied at or near 11 bracelets. however, these are generally not only in hold em. in hold em only, I believe chan and brunson are at the top. However, in my book by Dan Harrington, he mentions a tourney money list. I don't know where you could get it, however. also, there are several individual notable accomplishments. Jonny Chan won the WSOP twice, and came in 2nd the third year to Phil Helmouth. Dan Harrington won the WSOP once, and then made 4 (?) consecutive final tables later in the larger, post-Moneymaker fields.

And then, you can look at specialties. Chris Ferguson is considered the greatest heads up player alive. Dan Harrington is considered the greatest in the tight-aggressive style of play, and Negranu and Hansen are considered the best aggressive-aggressive players.

Personally, i think, what Chan did is the single greatest accomplishment in poker. He also, iirc, also sandwiched in another tourney win. The only possible blemish, imho, is that the fields were a lot smaller back then.

However, my favorite player is Sam Farha. He always looks and acts professionally at the table, and I try to pattern my playing image after him. However, in terms of playing style, in my own experience, tight-aggressive wins the most consistently, so I try to play like Dan Harrington.

Answer 4

You put some great names to the challenge, it is also hard to only pick one name. but one of the best Heads-up NLH player in the world, by far one of the player the most feared by his peers in the HU game, many of the biggest players in the world considering him as an HU cash game specialist (IN NLH and PLO) that player is actually: Patrik Antonius.

  This is one of the biggest reason why P.Antonius have to change his username online really often, because when most of the players find out about it....He has a hard time finding games.

  Sure there other great HU specialist like P.Ivey, Tom"Durrr" Dwan, Brian "Sbrugby" Townsend.

  Now, most HU specialist are from the cash game, from the biggest cash game there is.  So just for that, even if they are great NLH (tournament) player, I have to remove P.Hellmuth and S.Nguyen.  J.Chan and D.Negreanu are players from the big game, so they're for sure on top of the list, like most regular at the Bellagio ( Ivey, Greenstein, Brunson, Harman, Hansen, Farha....etc)

  Also I have to say, If I have to pick one name has the best poker player in the world, and that's actually an easy answer, and he was and will be for ever from my opinion (and millions of other poker players) the best all around cash game player: CHIP REESE.  Now, if I have to pick one name, who's still alive: PHIL IVEY.

Answer 5

Heads up in NL HE I would fear Negreanu, Doyle Brunson or  Gus Hansen the most.

Negreanu plays aggressive, Any-Two-Card strategy, and has uncanny read skills.

Doyle is Doyle, and aside from being the Poker God, he still plays the game as well as anyone.

Hansen's as aggressive as anyone, and will use the all-in fearlessly, but not recklessly.

If I had to pick someone for the title "Best Poker Player in the World" it would have to be Barry Greenstein.

Greenstein probably has the best all-around game.  He combines amazing math and memory skills with a good feel for people and a complete arsenal of tricks.  Plus, unlike many players, he can play Limit or NL Hold Em, Omaha, Razz, Triple Draw, Chinese Poker, pretty much any poker game there is with great skill.   He has good success playing tourneys, but makes his living at cash tables.  When it comes to a complete player, I'd go with Barry.

Answer 6

5...none of the above....i am the best

Answer 7

Phil Hellmuth's gets my vote. Its hard enough to get to a final table never mind win 11.

Answer 8

heads up i would go with Phil Ivey

Answer 9

From your list Hellmuth, but I think Chris Ferguson has proven he should be on the list, if not the best.

check out pokergob.com and watch the hellmuth video there...

Answer 10

i am

Answer 11

i think that it is Negraneau but Nugyen is pretty good too. it could be a toss up between the two. Hellmuth is to much of a cry baby and complains to much when he loses. he complains when he wins to but that is a different story. he thinks he is the best to ever play the game and thinks that nobody should ever be in a pot with him when he would have say A K suited. hey if i was playing him and had AA against his AK i would raise him all the way down to the river and then go all in on him. hopefully he would fold and i would muck my hand so he would be wondering what i had. Negraneau can usually read people pretty good and dont know if i could get much out of him. he would fold unless he had a possible draw or if he thought he could try and steal the pot on the turn or river.

Answer 12

Wow that's a broad question. The link below brings up some questions about your question, but not many answers. Chan is the second to go back to back. Helmuth is the all time bracelet winner. I have see Nugyen play in person several times and he has had very consistent success, but only has 2 bracelets. Negraneau is the all time WPT cash winner but has never had a main event title. If I could go away from your list for a bit I would go with Doyle Brunson. He has won the WSOP main event 2 times has a WPT title, Has written the "bible" of poker and topped that with a second book that goes into tournament strategy like no one else has.Now that I have muddied the waters, Ill get back to your list. Ill have to go with hellmuth only because he is the all time money earner in the world series, has 11 bracelets (not just hold em) has shown great success in cash play, and in his own way become very active in spreading poker around the globe. A side note. I don't care for him from what i see on TV. He might be totally different off the table but all I know is what I see. I hope I'm wrong.

Answer 13

out of the choices  1 chan

                                 2 negraneau

                                  3 hellmuth

                                  4  nugyen