Literally millions of players are trying to be the next "big-time thing" in poker, but here is a short list of 4 of the more well known "great players" of the game. Granted "nice" is connected with their names when you are sitting accross the table from them it is "no more Mr. Nice guy" until they have put you out of the competition!
Daniel Negreanu
In Two Thousand and Four, his tourney payouts amounted to more than four and a half million dollars and he won two immensely admired awards in the WSOP Player of the Year and Cardplayer Magazine’s Tournament Player of the Year. In February 2006 he was chosen Card Player’s Preferred Poker Player. Daniel even still has the decency to speak to his fans about how they will be able to boost their own game.
Howard Lederer
Known as "The Professor" and sibling of fellow poker pro Annie Duke. His achievements have lead to him making an educational video named "Secrets of No Limit Hold’em" and co hosting a tournament poker show for Fox. As of Two Thousand and Five, his complete life time earnings exceed 2.7 million dollars.
Scotty Nguyen
Scotty is 1 of the most active players in poker and from 2000 and 2004 he ranked in the money in well over 100 tournaments. He is notorious for saying "yeah baby" throughout poker games and also coined the phrase "that’s poker baby" when referring to a exceptionally bad loss. As of 2006, his life time earnings are just about six million dollars.
Chris Ferguson
Chris has earned 5 World Series of Poker titles with two of his wins coming in 2003. Chris has the nickname "Jesus" because of his trademark long hair and beard, along with his ability to throw cards fast enough to cut through bananas and pickles. As of Two Thousand and Five his total live poker tournament earnings exceeded 5 million dollars.