The Twenty Players Most Likely To Win The Main Event

Okay - finally time for my favorite annual post. Gone from last year's list: Kenny Tran, Michael Binger, Patrik Antonius, Andy Black, Lee Watkinson, Dan Harrington.

20. Michael Mizrachi
Yeah, I know the Grinder just pulled off an inconceivable Golden Sombrero in WSOP prelims. I also know he's the most impressive player I have ever played with - both times in weak fields.

19. John Juanda
One of three players in the all-time top ten money list without a top ten WSOP main event finish.

18. Brandon Cantu
I heard some guys talking about how Cantu won the $1500 PLO8 even though "he has no idea how to play the game." I think they're missing the point. Cantu may not even know how to play no limit hold em, but he knows how to win tournaments in weak fields.

17. John Phan
Just to prove this list was compiled before the main event started.

16. Mike Matusow
Does anyone want it more?

15. Allen Cunningham
Though he has been rather quiet over the last year.

14. David Pham
Too maniacal for this structure?

13. Nam Le
Can't think of anything to say here...I will be playing day three (Sunday).

12. Carlos Mortensen
One of four former main event champions on this list.

11. Elky Grospellier
The hottest player on the circuit since the start of 2008.

10. Erik Seidel
Feel like this is the kind of guy that will be lurking unassumingly in the chip counts for three or four days, and then suddenly there will be 60 players left and he will be in the top half.

9. Scotty Nguyen
Overlooked far too often.

8. Erick Lindgren
One of the biggest losers of this WSOP, looking to recapture the magic of last year's Series.

7. Steve Sung
His results speak for themselves.

6. Chris Ferguson
The most underrated big name in the game.

5. Phil Hellmuth
May have finally found his game in the $5k six-handed this week.

4. Phil Ivey
It has now been six years since this dramatic hand went down - perhaps the most momentous hand in the game's history.



3. J.C. Tran
A main event final table is the only thing missing from J.C.'s sterling tournament resume.

2. Daniel Negreanu
You have to love Daniel's chances in the best-structured event of the year.

1. Gus Hansen
Gus only plays deepstacked events, and his results in them are unmatched. The original crazy Scandinavian, and still the best.