[Texas72]

...win a WSOP Main Event, but be considered just lucky, a la Chris Moneymaker,

or

...have the respect of your friends and fellow players, but not have a WSOP bracelet, a la Phil Gordon?

[Slayre]

I would like the opportunity to win a bracelet...

[nxtyear]

definitely the latter
though, this is assuming the fact that u DO place in the money very frequently and make a living right? (a la phil gordon)

it's better for te long run since people will fear u at the tables more
do'nt think people fear of playing against monkeymaker more than they do against gordon

[Arjonius]

Completely theoretical of course, but an interesting question nonetheless. I think I'd lean toward having the bracelet, but it's not a clear-cut choice. Why? A mix of factors, but to simplify it, I think winning the main event is a rarer accomplishment. Would you rate someone like Phil Gordon among the world's top players? Unless you think he belongs in the top 20 or so, which seems doubtful, the number of players who have won the main event is smaller.

[AGreen]

Well, seeing that winning the Main Event now gets you over $7 Million, it's hard to say. Phil Gordon, and other players like him, make a living playing poker. But winning the Main Event, that's pretty huge.

If winning the Main Event gets you more money than playing poker for years and being respected, I would honestly take the money. I wouldn't mind retiring after one great run in the Main Event and being able to pay for my sons' college tuitions, my house, cars, and every thing else a few million bucks does for you. I would like to be respected in everything I do, but I can't think of a better way to lose millions of poker players' respect than winning millions.

If playing poker for the rest of my life would yield more money than my current occupation and a main event win, then I'd spend years gaining respect and loving what I do.

[Yearbookpoker]

Good question and there are a few ways of looking at it. If you are older you probably wouldn't mind hitting the big one and being called lucky, but if you are younger and will be playing for a long time to come you probably want respect. I guess I would take respect no matter the case though because I would probably be a better player and could win some nice tournaments from their on out. I don't think you would mind too much as a player though what people think of you. I'm pretty sure moneymaker is damn fine with his millions of dollars and doesn't care what people think of him. Plus I do believe he will pull out another win because he will play in enough tournaments and then he will gain much more respect.

[beriac]

I have a huge competitive streak which tells me to choose the skills and bracelets, but to be completely honest if you are asking me what I would take I would have to opt for the one-off win if it were of that magnitude. It's just too life-changing to turn down or leave to chance!!

However, as has been said, if along with those bracelets came comparable chances of winning big money, if spread out over time, I might choose that too.

Then again, if I won one big poker tourney I could still regard it as a hobby. I wonder how Phil Gordon starts to look at it after playing eighty gazillion hands? Maybe others can shed light on this...