In this blog I want to talk about the players I respect for one reason or another. Of course many, many players have influenced my game, but there are a few I want to highlight.

(If you're not mentioned it doesn't mean I don't respect you; you're just not in my top four. :-) )

First of all: My cousin Steven "Lucky" Liu. I've written about Steve in my previous blogs. He taught me the basics and the more advanced theories, so if I owe any player anything...

Another player I highly respect is Erik Seidel. He's a tremendous all-around player who has mastered every game.

The variety of bracelets he's won says it all: Texas Hold'em Fixed Limit, Texas Hold'em No-Limit, Omaha Split, 2-7 Draw, Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Lowball and many, many other tournament wins.

Not a matter of if, but when Seidel will pass Hellmuth in the WSOP bracelet race.

He never gets "in love" with a hand - he folds whenever he feels he is beat. That is a quality not many players have. What I like most about him is the fact that despite his success he is still very down-to-earth and a nice person.

If you ask me, it is not a matter of if but when he will pass Phil Hellmuth in the bracelet race.

I also would like to mention Allen Cunningham. He's a very well-rounded player too and has also won bracelets in multiple disciplines. He's one of the players with the most card sense in the world.

Only five players managed to collect four bracelets before turning 30: Phil Ivey, Layne Flack, Phil Hellmuth, Stuey Ungar and Allen Cunningham.

Cunningham: One of only five players to collect four bracelets before turning 30.

The first time I really saw how good he actually was was when I played with him at the $1,000 re-buy final table during the WSOP in 2006. I ended up in fourth place; Allen would win the event.

Four months later at the Bellagio Festa al Lago side event, I saw him flop a set on a straight board. The pot had been raised pre-flop, and I think the board was something like A-4-2. Allen was holding 2-2.

When he got re-raised all-in he thought for a really long time and eventually made the (crying) call.

The mere fact he even took the time to think about this hand displays a lot of his class. We played many hands together and I must say it is almost scary to see somebody play that flawlessly.

I remember a hand he played at the final table of 2006's WSOP Main Event, where the board showed 9-9-8-5-A. Allen and Jamie Gold both showed a 9 on the river, but Jamie's ten kicker beat Allen's seven kicker.

Wherever you find Scotty, you'll find cameras.

Ninety-nine per cent of all players would have gone broke in that hand - not Cunningham. Like Erik, he too is a very admirable and friendly person.

The last player I'd like to mention is Scotty Nguyen. Since he's so well-known I probably don't need to discuss his poker talent. I think his stats say it all.

I especially like Scotty for the way he pleases his fans and the way he works the cameras: wherever there is Scotty, there are cameras. He truly is a fun person to watch and away from the table he is a very nice guy.

That's all for now; thank you for reading my blog again.

-- Steve Wong (Steve@888.com)

P.S. In case you have specific subjects you want me to write about, please let me know...

More blogs from Steve Wong:

• How I Started in Poker
• Traveling Around the Globe Part 3
• Traveling Around the Globe Part 2
  
• Traveling Around the Globe Part 1