Who belongs on the WSOP Mount Rushmore?

[Steve Ruddock]

With the 40th WSOP less than a week away I thought it would be a good idea to celebrate some of the past champions and their accomplishments.

The WSOP Mount Rushmore

The following four players are synonomous with the WSOP: To even be considered for the Mount Rushmore of the WSOP you must have won the Main Event, and contributed to the betterment of the game.

Johnny Moss's World Series of Poker bracelets

1970 World Series of Poker Championship
1971 $5,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
1971 Limit Ace to 5 Draw
1974 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
1975 $1,000 Seven Card Stud
1976 $500 Seven Card Stud
1979 $5,000 Seven Card Stud
1981 $1,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo
1988 $1,500 Ace to Five Draw

At the time of his death in 1995 Moss was the all-time bracelet leader (in recent years he has been surpassed by Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson, and Phil Hellmuth) and was considered the greatest poker player of his era.


Doyle Brunson's World Series of Poker bracelets

1976 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
1977 $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw
1977 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
1977 $1,000 Seven-Card Stud Split
1978 $5,000 Seven-Card Stud
1979 $600 Mixed Doubles (with Starla Brodie)
1991 $2,500 No Limit Hold'em
1998 $1,500 Seven-Card Razz
2003 $2,000 H.O.R.S.E.
2005 $5,000 No Limit Shorthanded Texas Hold'em (6 players per table)

If Johnny Moss wasn't the consensus best player of his era it's because of Doyle Brunson. Doyle must be considered the greatest poker player of all time: Besides the WSOP he has been fixture in the highest stake games in Vegas for 50 years.

Johnny Chan's World Series of Poker Bracelets

1985 $1,000 Limit Hold'em
1987 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
1988 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
1994 $1,500 Seven Card Stud
1997 $5,000 Deuce to Seven Draw
2000 $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
2002 $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Gold Bracelet Match Play
2003 $5,000 No Limit Hold'em
2003 $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
2005 $2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em

Chan was the first player to 10 bracelets, a back to back champion (and a heads-up match against Phil Hellmuth from threepeating), and participant in one of the most infamous hands of poker thanks to Rounders.


Phil Hellmuth's World Series of Poker bracelets

1989 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship
1992 $5,000 Limit Hold'em
1993 $1,500 No Limit Hold'em
1993 $2,500 No Limit Hold'em
1993 $5,000 Limit Hold'em
1997 $3,000 Pot Limit Hold'em
2001 $2,000 No Limit Hold'em
2003 $2,500 Limit Hold'em
2003 $3,000 No Limit Hold'em
2006 $1,000 No Limit Hold'em with rebuys
2007 $1,500 No Limit Hold'em

Phil is the all-time WSOP leader in bracelets (11), final tables, and cashes. And allow me stroke his ego a little bit; most likely the greatest NLHE tournament player in history.

[MJPerry]

I would have gone for Sklansky instead of Moss purely for his literary work.

[Steve Ruddock]

Why would sklansky be on the WSOP Mount Rushmore? Poker, yes: WSOP no

[Riken177]

Hellmuth had a really great 1993, greatest NLHE player ever.

[poker player 100]

hellmuth and brunson are my top 2 for being on the WSOP hall of fame and chand and moss can be considered as well