how far does fossilman...

[lighterjobs]

how far does fossilman need to go in the main event for this to be the greatest accomplishment in poker history?

[SossMan]

by the masses? probably final table.

I already consider it in the top 10 for sure.

[A_Junglen]

pretty sure final table would ensure that title, but it's still opinion.

Someone (god forbid) may think Varkoyni's 2002 Victory is the greatest accomplishment.

[kleos]

back to back has been done.

i need to come up with some POS reason to start a thread now i guess....

[rheaume]

IMO the final table - dan harrington has a WSOPME title and 2 final tables in 2 years
i still think johnny chan and doyle's 10 bracelets apiece is pretty freakin incredible too. which would be more impressive? dunno. but obviously, if raymer were to repeat, with these enormous fields, ten bracelets no longer is in the ballpark

[MrTrik]

Final table does it for me.

[fnurt]

I'm not enough of a poker historian to say what the greatest is to date, but Chan's 1st, 1st, 2nd in 3 consecutive years at the WSOP has to be right up there. So that sets the bar pretty high.

The thing is, mathematically, Greg might already be there, since the field was so big last year. Or maybe Harrington is already there for finishing in the top 5 the last 2 years, again, just based on the number of people he beat out. But realistically, the "greatest" accomplishment has to be about something more than math, because if you held a tournament tomorrow with 50,000 people, mathematically the winner of that tournament might be the greatest ever. Most people wouldn't feel that way however.

[gumpzilla]

I was thinking about this earlier, silly as it is.

Harrington's back-to-back final tables is frequently held up as "the greatest poker accomplishment ever." One possibly silly way to look at it is that since this year's field is roughly 7 times as large as 2003, if Raymer makes it to the top 70 he's gone through the same fraction of the total players. Since Raymer actually won last year, he can probably be cut a little further slack. It's very impressive, however you choose to look at it.

[MeanGreenTT]

[ QUOTE ]
IMO the final table - dan harrington has a WSOPME title and 2 final tables in 2 years...

[/ QUOTE ]

What about Chan's back-to-back wins followed by a 2nd the very next year?

[BreakfastBurrito]

[ QUOTE ]
What about Chan's back-to-back wins followed by a 2nd the very next year?

[/ QUOTE ]

The field sizes were comparatively tiny in those events.

[m bozeman]

You guys are forgetting the "real" biggest accomplishment in WSOP history. Phil Hellmuth becoming the youngest player to win the main event!!!! j/k

[rheaume]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What about Chan's back-to-back wins followed by a 2nd the very next year?

[/ QUOTE ]

The field sizes were comparatively tiny in those events.

[/ QUOTE ]

exactly my point

[rheaume]

[ QUOTE ]
You guys are forgetting the "real" biggest accomplishment in WSOP history. Phil Hellmuth becoming the youngest player to win the main event!!!! j/k

[/ QUOTE ]

UNDISPUTED WORLDWIDE CHAMPION

[Robrizob]

He has to win, then win again next year after his raising hand's been amputated.

[rheaume]

[ QUOTE ]
He has to win, then win again next year after his raising hand's been amputated.

[/ QUOTE ]

heh, i might be more impressed if he lost 100 lbs.

someone should offer him a Doyle-esque wajor