Past 4 WSOP Champions- respect the most?

[Whitewash]

Simple question that has many facets for discussion... the past 4 champions were all unknowns before their WSOP win. In what order do you respect the four as poker players given what we have seen of each, and why?

Robert Varkonyi (2002)
Chris Moneymaker (2003)
Greg Raymer (2004)
Joseph Hachem (2005)

This discussion was meant before the NLSH final table today, so try to pretend Hachem didn't win just incase he does. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Bigdaddydvo]

Raymer, not close.

Oops, see you want a rank ordering: Raymer, Hachem, Money, Varkoyni.

[VBCurtis]

Raymer, Hachem. Large gap. Fill in your name here. Moneymaker & Varkoyni hard to judge between-- we see more of moneymaker's play, so have more to criticize; Varkonyi didn't try to hit the pro circuit, so he's still unknown. I'll guess Money better by now.

-Curtis

[samsdmf]

Raymer- As good as anyone in a big torny.
Hachem- Way above average
Moneymaker- Pretty sure he wouldnt be huge favourite against anyone that posts here
Varkonyi- I had to look up for the spelling of this guys name, i think that sums it up

[Prodigy54321]

[ QUOTE ]
Raymer- As good as anyone in a big torny.
Hachem- Way above average
Moneymaker- Pretty sure he wouldnt be huge favourite against anyone that posts here
Varkonyi- I had to look up for the spelling of this guys name, i think that sums it up

[/ QUOTE ]

[okterrific]

[ QUOTE ]
Raymer, Hachem. Large gap. Fill in your name here. Moneymaker & Varkoyni

[/ QUOTE ]

[JCool]

Raymer is clearly by far and away the winner. The other three are about the same, and way far behind.

[NickMPK]

[ QUOTE ]
Raymer is clearly by far and away the winner. The other three are about the same, and way far behind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hachem has come damn close to winning both a WSOP Circuit ring and a WSOP bracelet in a huge Hold-em field less than a year after winning the Main Event in the largest field ever.

Moneymaker and Varkonyi both won the Main Event against much smaller fields, and have done absolutely nothing of any consequence in WSOP events before or after their one victory.

I think it's too early to make a judgment about Hachem v. Raymer. Raymer backed up his title in a big way last year, but Hachem has made a good showing in just a handful of tourneys this year.

So I think the big gap is between Raymer-Hachem and Moneymaker-Varkonyi, not between Raymer and the other three. Obviously this is all subject to change in the next few years...large field tournament results have enormous variance.

[GrannyMae]

[ QUOTE ]
Raymer, not close.

Oops, see you want a rank ordering: Raymer, Hachem, Money, Varkoyni.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Vuron00]

Raymer, Hachem, Moneymaker, Varkoni.

Although, Raymer wasn't really an unknown to this board as he was a pretty regular contributor.