10 Underappreciated People in Poker

For the most part in the poker world, the players tend to hog the glory.

Some industry members do rise to popularity, but many tend to fade into the background.

Today we look at the Top 10 Most Underappreciated People in the Poker Industry.

#10. Jeffrey Pollack

The Chairman and Co-Founder of Federated Sports + Gaming and the Epic Poker League, Pollack's contributions to the game have been at times overshadowed and ignored.

He was the Commissioner of the World Series of Poker from 2006 to 2009 and the event saw monumental growth - including all the way into Europe - during that time.

Now, he oversees the successfully launched Epic Poker League, currently in its third event and another potential game changer in the industry as a whole.

#9. Johnny Grooms

The former director of the World Series of Poker is a name that players that have traveled the circuit over the last few years remember.

One of the best tournament directors in the game, he currently is the tournament director for the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, MS.

#8. Denny Williams

Williams was the tournament director at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles longer than many young poker players have been alive.

The Bike has hosted some of the biggest tournaments on the planet, and many outside of the players that frequent the Bike knew his name.

The Bike had, and still has, some of the best run tournaments in all of live poker and Williams was a big reason why.

Williams now works for Century Poker Sports Club in the Philippines and will surely be an indispensable asset there as well.

#7. Max Shapiro

For many just getting into the game, Max is known as "Barbara Enright's husband."

However, Shapiro has been a well respected poker writer for decades.

He considers himself a writer that plays poker recreationally and his humorous columns have been the delight of all that have read them.

Max is also a great guy at the tables and his interactions with Barbara can be comic gold.

#6. Kevmath

Kevin Mathers is known online as Kevmath, the guru of poker knowledge.

He is the go-to guy for obscure poker facts and general poker knowledge.

While an online legend in forums like TwoPlusTwo and among many poker media members, he is widely unheralded and underemployed by poker media agencies.

#5. Jack Effel

The World Series of Poker would not be where it is today if not for the efforts of Effel.

He doesn't just run the big dance during the summer, but he's also in charge of the WSOP Circuit as well as the WSOP Europe.

Where he gets the time to sleep is unknown, but this tireless worker is the oil that keep the WSOP machine running.

#4. Poker Tournament Consultants

Chances are you haven't heard of this company, but if you have played the WSOP or WSOP Circuit, you've been impacted by them.

PTC's primary goal is to run the best poker tournaments in the world.

The group assists in running many of the stops on the WSOP Circuit and members of the company also help with the World Series of Poker during the summer.

#3. Jimmy Sommerfeld

Sommerfeld is the founder of Poker Tournament Consultants but has been one of the best tournament directors in poker over the last 10 years.

Many feel that he is one of the top three tournament directors in the world.

Both experienced and knowledgeable, Jimmy is also one of the nicest guys in the poker industry.

#2. Nolan Dalla

The "Walter Cronkite" of poker media, anyone that has been in live poker any amount of time knows Nolan Dalla.

Dalla is the Media Director of the World Series of Poker and is responsible for many of their reports from both the WSOP and WSOP Circuit.

The former Director of Communications with PokerStars, Dalla also co-wrote One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey 'The Kid' Ungar.

Dalla brings a level of professionalism to poker journalism unmatched by any.

#1. Poker Dealers

You knew this one was coming.

Many poker players take the people that pitch cards to them for granted if not abuse them outright.

These men and women do a lot of the dirty work at the table while people complain that they don't deal fast enough, don't speak English clear enough, or make the occasional mistake.

Imagine what the game would be like if we had to pass the deal.

Just remember that at the end of the day, most of the dealers go home with more money than you do.