The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

...was NOT Chris Moneymaker, or Raymer, or whoever wins this years ME, or the writer of "Rounders", or Doyle Brunson, or Hellmuth, or Ivey, or any of them.

It HAS to be Henry Orenstein, the inventor of the lipstick camera poker table. Just like that, poker on TV went from a paint-drying, grass-growing snoozefest to a gripping, compelling battle of wits and luck.

If such a thing could be quantified, I would wager that Henry Orenstein brought more people to poker tables than any other human.

Because of him people could see Moneymaker's "great bluff" and could follow successful players around the world on the WPT. Because of him, people became interested in poker, and people learned about it.

Poker's explosion in popularity is the result of many contributing factors, from the popularity of "Rounders" to the compelling story of a Tennessee accountant to the great stories that can be found in the legends of the game, as well as the growth of the Internet and the state of the economy. But I firmly believe it was the man who showed us the hands that were being played who single-handedly did the most to usher in the poker boom.

A lot of people seem to be wondering what would be "best" for poker. I say, as long as it's broadcast, and we can see what's being played, poker'll be just fine.

Re: The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

I have to agree with you. Henry Orenstein is a Holocaust survivor, an author, a WSOP bracelet winner and an inventor. I believe he's over 80 years old and is still the mainstay of the 400-800 stud game at the Taj in A.C.

Re: The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

Your nominee could hardly be discounted as THE man. The poker world should see that he gets his props while he's still around.

My nominee from among the players would be Phil Hellmuth.

Prior to his win in the WSOP, the game had been dominated by older guys who looked like hustlers the average player would never dare to sit with, or folks of ethnic descent with whom the average viewer would have difficulty relating.

Then came long-haired Phil, the college dude, just a regular guy (kinda), and all of a sudden it looked like maybe "anybody" did have a chance.

Many of my friends who had never thought twice about poker suddenly took an interest after his win. I can imagine that interest waxed exponentially across the land.

I see it as a sort of convergance of events--Phil's win prompting an interest, and the arrival of the lipstick cam to feed the looming frenzy.

Re: The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

[ QUOTE ]
Your nominee could hardly be discounted as THE man. The poker world should see that he gets his props while he's still around.

My nominee from among the players would be Phil Hellmuth.

Prior to his win in the WSOP, the game had been dominated by older guys who looked like hustlers the average player would never dare to sit with, or folks of ethnic descent with whom the average viewer would have difficulty relating.

Then came long-haired Phil, the college dude, just a regular guy (kinda), and all of a sudden it looked like maybe "anybody" did have a chance.

Many of my friends who had never thought twice about poker suddenly took an interest after his win. I can imagine that interest waxed exponentially across the land.

I see it as a sort of convergance of events--Phil's win prompting an interest, and the arrival of the lipstick cam to feed the looming frenzy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh, this "convergance" has a 14 year gap. Phil has VERY little to do with the poker boom. It would be here with or without him, he is merely benefitting.

Re: The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

its vince van patton

Re: The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

Elmo Head :WSOP 2005

Re: The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

[ QUOTE ]
its vince van patton

[/ QUOTE ]
His ex.

Re: The best person for poker in the last decade...
 

I think a strong case can be made for Mr. Dikshit, owner and proprietor of PartyPoker. Dikshit has been relentless in his drive to bring Internet Poker to the masses. Before Dikshit, there were a few smaller I-net players, but Anurag really showed the world what a large-scale advertising campaign can do.

Dikshit gets my vote.