BEST POKER PLAYERS WHO HAVEN'T WON A WSOP BRACELET:
Coming into the 2008 World Series of Poker, if you were to ask this question, there would be a resoundingly unanimous answer: Erick Lindgren. Well he finally won a braclet this year and had a few other final tables to go with it, so he is no longer the answer to the question. I would have crowned JC Tran, but then he had to go and get himself Jewelry last night, winning the $1500 NL-Hold 'em event. But what about these people (in no particular order):
Justin "ZeeJustin" Bonomo - He's young but he is one of the cream of the crop of the new generation of poker players, coming up with thousands of tournaments played online.
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi - Might be able to take his name off of the list soon. He's at the final table today of the $10,000 PL Omaha World Championship.
Gavin Smith - He's come close: He had a 2nd place finish last year in PL Hold'em. He'd be on the list, but he wouldn't be at the top. He hasn't cashed ONCE this year, after three last year and four the year before that.
Phil Gordon - He might be the most well known name on the list, but not for his playing: He is a better commentator and author than a player. I think he's smart, but he hasn't been able to put it into play for himself as much as you would think. He also hasn't cashed this year, but has five final-table showings on the resume. He was 4th in the Main Event in 2001 (the event was won by Carlos Mortenson, besting a final table that also included Dewey Tomko, Hellmuth and Matisow).
Danny Wong - Another young dude who has cashed twice this year (including a 4th-place finish in a NL Hold 'em event) and five times overall. He is currently ranked #6 in the world (according to Bluff Magazine). You probably haven't heard of him yet, but I'm guessing you will in the near future.
There are plenty of other names you haven't heard of that could be on the top of this list: Anthony Cousineau (34 WSOP cashes with no braclet), Michael Binger (Leading the Bluff Magazine Player of the Year race, 13 cashes and over $4 million in WSOP winnings), Alexander Kostritsyn (five cashes this year, his first in the WSOP, with four of those coming in $10k buy-in events, showing that he can play with the best players).
Two more names that stick out are Andrew Bloch and Andrew Black. Black has 12 cashes and two final tables, including a 5th place finish at the 2005 Main Event (won by Joe Hachem).
Andrew Bloch, in my book, is The Best Player in the World Without a Bracelet. Bloch has cashed 17 times earning close to $2 million. He is an MIT graduate who was a member and team manager of the famous MIT blackjack team recently featured in the movie 21. In the last three years, he has cashed 12 times, reaching six final tables. Add to that three previous final tables, in addition to a win in a WSOP circuit event.And, oh yeah, he finished 2nd in the first ever $50,000 buy in H.O.R.S.E. World Championship, grinding out an infamous all-night heads-up battle with the ledgendary Chip Reese. He also finished second this year in the $10k Pot-Limit Hold 'em event.
Stay tuned for my next list: Worst Main Event Winner Ever!
