Five Toughest Poker Players According to Chance Kornuth

#5 Phil Ivey

• Total live earnings — $46,428,491
• The biggest prize — $3,582,753
• WSOP bracelets — 11

To place Phil Ivey in this all star mashup is a nice way from Chance Kornuth to say: when other poker pros are calling you the best, it just means that you are primus inter pares — first among equals.

However, in this case it will be fifth among equals but the only one labeled “the greatest of all time” by Chance:

“Phil Ivey is the GOAT. His presence alone shifts the entire table’s energy. His natural talent, combined with godlike live reads, makes him impossible to predict.

He doesn’t just play the cards, he plays the player. Facing Ivey feels like battling a force of nature.”

Phil has the longest career in this top. He has been playing since the 1990s and is still active as of 2024. He has 232 ITMs in live tournaments where every fifth was a victory.

Ivey is also the second most recognizable poker player today after the absolute goat of popularity Daniel Negreanu.

Photo Credit: Hayley Hochstetler

#4 Stephen Chidwick

• Total live earnings — $59,186,555
• The biggest prize — $5,368,947
• WSOP bracelets — 1

The owner of the finest mustache in the poker community — the title he took from Yuri Dzivielevksi — Stephen Chidwick is the only 2024 player who got to the top three All Time Money List on The Hendon Mob. With a reputation that’s so pristine and uncompromised by the industry’s darkness, there’s only one word to describe Chidwick — flawless.

Chance Kornuth placed him fourth with a peculiar remark:

“Chidwick is a machine. He has a profound knowledge of the game, which he combines with experience at the highest level. His calm and stoic demeanor does not hide his fierce competitiveness.

Every hand against him feels like a chess match.

Truly tough to beat.”

Chidwick’s live poker results can be tracked all the way back to 2008. Over 16 years in poker, Chidwick had 345 ITMs where every eighth was a victory. His only WSOP bracelet as of 2024 is from the $25K PLO – High Roller 8-Handed in 2019.

Photo Credit: PokerGo

#3 Jason Koon

• Total live earnings — $58,018,907
• The biggest prize — $3,579,836
• WSOP bracelets — 1

Another unblemished player, whose career has almost the same length and level of success as Chidwick’s, is high stakes super star Jason Koon.

He is well-known in the community thanks to his insane diligence and love for the game that he protects relentlessly. Chance Kornuth talks about Koon with enormous respect:

“Jason is the hardest worker in the room. Always. His fitness, focus, and preparation give him an edge in every spot. He’s a relentless grinder who never stops improving.

You can feel his discipline in every decision he makes.

Playing Koon is a true mental battle.”

As of November 7th, 2024, Jason has 227 ITMs in live events where every eighth was a victory. His only WSOP bracelet comes from winning the $25K NLH – Heads-Up Championship in 2021.

#2 Alex Foxen

• Total live earnings — $35,108,116
• The biggest prize — $4,563,700
• WSOP bracelets — 1

Alex Foxen, also known by his first name as William Foxen, is one of a few poker wonders. Except for a small shade of controversy of alleged Bicknell/Foxen collusion on PokerStars, Alex has managed to built a great reputation not only as a skilled player but also as a fierce poker devotee.

Chance Kornuth regards Foxen so highly that he even teamed up with him to create the Chip Leader Coaching poker training project:

“My partner in crime at Chip Leader Coaching. Alex has one of the most brilliant poker minds in history. Foxen seamlessly combined GTO knowledge with live exploits and relentless aggression.

Fun fact: I have stacked off against Foxen more than any other player.

Whenever we are at the same table, we go to war. Every. Single. Timeю”

Alex has been playing regularly since the 2010s. He has 401 ITMs where every fifteenth has been a victory. His only WSOP bracelet comes from taking down the $250K NLH – Super High Roller in 2022.

Foxen is just as successful in online poker. However, tracking his results in 2024 has become almost impossible due to the unfortunate changes on statistical poker websites PokerStake (shut down its online rankings) and SharkScope (was forced to stop collecting data from some poker rooms).

#1 Adrian Mateos

• Total live earnings — $50,856,041
• The biggest prize — $3,292,000
• WSOP bracelets — 4

The Spanish poker wonder is one of the greatest European poker players who only just turned 30 in 2024. Mateos has already skyrocketed straight into the top ten All Time Money List and gained a reputation as the most dangerous poker player to date.

Chance Kornuth talks about Adrian almost as some divine creature blessed by almighty poker gods themselves:

“He’s been crushing poker at the highest stakes from a young age and hasn’t slowed down. He has 4 WSOP bracelets despite only playing No-Limit Hold’em. People don’t realize how insane that is.

Mateos capitalized on every edge and his consistency at the top shows just how special his talent is.”

Adrian started playing poker professionally in 2012 and in less than a year became the WSOPE Main Event winner.

He has 290 ITMs where every tenth was a victory, ranking as the number one player in Spain by total live earnings and tops Global Poker Index Ranking, thus overtaking any other players mentioned in this article.