How good was Johnny Moss?

[Hulk Hogan]

[ QUOTE ]
It doesn't make me a big man to insult anybody, and I'm not insulting him. I simply stated that being a legend doesn't make you a great anything. This is especially true in poker where real skill is almost totally unquantifiable. But, Hulk Hogan, I wouldn't expect you to understand that.
-James

[/ QUOTE ]

Meh, blah blah blah.

[SoftcoreRevolt]

Don't make me have Sting come here to make you tap to the Scorpion Death lock, brother.

[BradL]

Getting in arguments is a great way to boost your post count.

-Brad

[Dave Mac]

Read Ray's reply.
Dave

[Mike]

As I understand it, when the WSOP first started the players played for a set number of days and then they picked the best player among themselves, there was no big playoff. Now if the other players all picked Johnny Moss as the best player I do not think that is quite legend as you call it. As to how he would play today, if he were a young man he would whip us all I have no doubt.

On a side note I have a copy of the book, "How To Win At Poker", 1950 Knight publishing, by John Moss, I am guessing it's the one in the same. In the forward it says he had a degree from the University of Michigan and had an interest in math as well as probabilities.

[Rah]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Writing one book about poker and knowing the math behind does not mean you are as good a poker player as a legend.

[/ QUOTE ]

Being a legend doesn't make you good at poker.
-James

[/ QUOTE ]

Well being a legend is certainly enough to make a presumtion, at least. I guess winning WSOP twice has nothing to do about being good at poker?

[Phat Mack]

On a side note I have a copy of the book, "How To Win At Poker", 1950 Knight publishing, by John Moss, I am guessing it's the one in the same. In the forward it says he had a degree from the University of Michigan and had an interest in math as well as probabilities.

Different guy.

[djack]

Hulk,

You realize that you look like an ass in this thread? James has earned many poster's respect through a number of reasonable posts. You just come across as peevish.

[James282]

Coming in first in 2 tournaments in small fields does not make you a good poker player. He may have been a good no limit hold 'em player, as Ray Zee stated, but any "good poker player" would not have run around Vegas getting trampled by limit pros for years the way Moss did. Maybe you want to discount that, but personally I think the only way to judge a poker player's merit is his entire body of work. Otherwise, it's too easy to make an argument that he was just lucky during certain stretches. Frankly, I don't care if he was good, bad, breakeven, or World Class - I'm simply saying that everybody's speculation that he was amazingly incredible is just anecdotal nostalgia. Listen to the living, breathing words of the main writers from this site if you want descriptions of specific times they played against him.

You guys sound like the people who say Cool Papa Bell could turn off the lights and be in bed before it got dark. Gimme a break.
-James

[Hulk Hogan]

[ QUOTE ]
Hulk,

You realize that you look like an ass in this thread? James has earned many poster's respect through a number of reasonable posts. You just come across as peevish.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't care what you think about how I come across.

Kthxbye.