Best Damn ME Players in the 2000s - Redux

Okay, we have our November Nine all set and know how everyone else finished in this year's WSOP Main Event. We thought it appropriate to quickly revisit our list of the best ME players in this decade and make any necessary adjustments. The original series of posts can be found here ,(part III, but links to II and I listed in this post), and here ,(final part).

Some revisions are needed - not least of all due to our #7 player - Phil Ivey - now a member of the November 9. But, many other players used 2009 to improve their stock and claim as a top WSOP ME player in the 2000s.

Swede Niklas Flisberg used his 357th place showing this year to stand as his third cash in the 2000s going along with his 65th in 2005 and 25th place showings in 2006. It's not enough to break the Top 10, but nice. Chris "Jesus" Ferguson nabs his third cash this decade, but 561st isn't yet enough. Perhaps most controversial will be the non-inclusion of Peter Eastgate. The 2008 winner finished in 78th this year, but we pick one of his final table mates from last year over Eastgate for the top 10.

Moving off our list are Daniel Alaei and Allen Cunningham. They were 10th and 9th respectively and failing to cash this year dropped them both down.

Dropping from 8th to 10th is Scotty Nguyen. Still a formidable force.

Breaking in at 9th is 2008's 3rd Place finisher - Dennis Phillips. Dennis followed up that run with a 45th place finish this year. We think 3rd, 45th, and an American baseball fan beats out the 1st, 78th finishes and freaky-deaky Danish accent of Eastgate.

Australian and 2005 ME winner Joe Hachem scores a 103rd place finish this year, his third cash. That's enough to put him on our list, with a bullet, in 8th.

Greg Raymer drops a spot to 7th.

Lee Watkinson drops two spots to 6th as does our lowest-seeded 4-time casher Julian Garnder who now comes in at 5th. None of these three cashed this year.

We move Phil Ivey up 3 spots to number 4 - regardless of how he finishes in November. Though we're behind him all the way.

We move the Poker Brat - Phil Hellmuth up two spots to number 3. Hellmuth cashed this year coming in at 436th. It's not a fantastic finish, but we think it's just enough to keep Phil H. ahead of Phil I.

Finally, in anti-climatic fashion Dan Harrington and Mike Matusow remain number 2 and 1 respectively. Harrington may have dropped to number 4, but like Hellmuth, Harrington's 252nd place finish/cash this year is just enough to keep him in second. And, "The Mouth" failed to cash, but for this year he didn't need to do so to stay at the top of our list.

Let us know your thoughts - we'd love to hear from you.