To balance out that other thread.

A few that come to mind:

Phil Galfond
Jason Koon
Brandon Shack-Harris
Barry Greenstein

HESP!!!

some of the ones i have played with that were really nice/pleasant this summer.

bryce yockey and carol fuchs

Once you know them it’s probably too late

I like bill Klein. Matches his winnings and losses to charity, but is pretty low key about it and probably doesn’t have sex parties

Chris Ferguson











Source: Chris Ferguson

Phil hellmuth obv

He's not with us any more, but he came to mind right straight off, so I'm giving him a mention anyway.

I really haven't been directly connected to poker for a few years, but oddly, one of the people named in the other thread as "most annoying" is one of the most friendly I've encountered: Antonio Esfandiari. Always seemed very open and engaging to the media, even to a noob on the very fringes of it like me, and almost goes out of his way to befriend everyone at the table.

Of course, I get that his talkative nature also probably makes him as grating to some as he is ingratiating to others. So it makes perfect sense that he appears in the other thread.

Another guy that was outright cordial to everyone -- other players, floor staff, media, fans -- was Kirk Morrison, who we don't see around the game much anymore. Same deal, I'm sure there are plenty of NVGers who don't like that extroverted, talkative nature, but to me, those types of players make the atmosphere much more pleasant overall.

Agree on Barry Greenstein, although my experience is quite limited. All of those PokerRoad people were really nice to me, perhaps because it was like a bar owner looking after a regular. So that includes Sebok, Gavin, Joe Stapleton, Amanda Leatherman and BJ Nemeth. (I know, only two of them would classify as players.)

Eric Seidel

Paul Volpe
John Hennigan

I just cant even fathom Koon or Galfond blowing up at somebody. They both seem like genuinely great human beings to be around, off the felt as well.

Doug Polk!!!! He has talent, fun and super entertaining!!! He has fun, not afraid to try new stuff!!! Great to his fans, go Doug!!!!

Galfond seems humble

Jcarver isn't really in the spotlight anymore but honestly one of the most down to earth guys I've met given how successful he has been in life

Barry Greenstein, Jason Koon, Mike Sexton, Andrew Neeme, Erik Seidel and the late Chad Brown.

I played at his table in the 2006 ME. Poker lost a very special player and personality when Chad Brown passed away.

Some really fine people mentioned thus far.

Since the specification is humble/friendly I vote Barry Greenstein.

Even after some monetary downsizing, he still has great advice for life and happiness, and part of his routine as a Stars ambassador is to play the playmoney tables. That is humble and friendly.

What abt Don Doyle Brunson?

I have dealt to both of them and couldn’t agree more.

Seems like Hesp is a nice goofy guy, but I'm curious how we would have seen him if he didn't get hit in the face with the deck and hung on by a thread on a short stack, taking beat after beat along the way, where he gets knocked out just before the bubble without pay? Would he still be the character we know today?

It's very easy to be friendly and "fun-loving" when you're running hot and the cards make you look like a genius, and can do no wrong...

Brad Owen

Agree HESP
Negrenau is also talkative and light hearted most of the time.

Allen Kessler.

The highlight of my poker career was having BarryG sitting to the direct left of me in the play money Sunday Billion lol.

nice read bruh