[dankhank]

i have not read every reply so sorry if this has been mentioned, but a big reason why there is no garry kasparov in poker is because the financial rewards are much bigger in poker than they are in chess. i have no idea how much money kasparov made just before his prime, but i doubt it was anywhere near what ivey made. the third or fourth best chess player in the world has huge financial incentives to become the best. the poker player has no such motivation.

i can easily see a poker player with all the tools (such as emotional control and world class people-reading skills) reach the top of the field, and then fade back, having won more than enough money to live off of. to reach kasparov-level at poker, someone would have to be almost maniacal about either being the greatest ever, or winning an absurd amount of money that they'll never be able to spend. this would be an irrational person, but by definition, a kasparov-level poker player would have to be very rational.