The question isn't if this or that particular player is great. It's what differentiates a great player from someone that is simply good.

I think that what Ripptyde is saying along the right track. Reading books and essays and discussing hands are excellent ways to become a better player, but once you get to a certain level pretty much everyone has the same knowledge. Anyone with access to the internet can learn basically everything there is to know about pot odds, game theory, and every other aspect of poker.

I think that what makes great players great goes beyond the mechanics of the game. I think everyone one of us has experienced being "in the zone." Those particular tournaments we won or those ring session where we just totally killed it. We were focused. We were confident. Our reads were dead on. We knew exactly when to apply pressure and when to back off. Why can't we play like that all the time? We have shown the capability to do it, yet most of the time we play we aren't at that level. IMO the great players are the ones that play like that every time they sit down and if they aren't then they have the capabilty to recognize it and walk away until they are.

Like Ripptyde said, great players are confident. They have the "balls" to make moves when they need to. Much of this is because of experience. They have played so many hands against so many players that they readily recognize certain situations and know the best plan of attack (or retreat). As Ripptyde mentioned, part of this is also because of their bankroll. They have the ability to look past the monetary value of a poker chip. Ripptyde is right that people like Fnord are sometimes held back because we place too much emphasis on the money involved. No offense Fnord, but every time I think of you playing I think of Knish from Rounder's grinding it out. There is nothing wrong with that and I myself am often the same way. If I was deriving my entire income from poker as you once were, I know I would be exactly the same way. There is no doubt you can be highly successful at this as many people have shown, but at the same time it can hinder your progression as a poker player. Even the elite players take risks sometimes. They know it's essential to improving their play. If you're going to be a great player then you're going to have to play outside of your comfort zone from time to time. The more you do it then the better prepared you are.

What Ripptyde's approach is lacking though is discipline. We all know you're a good player Rippy, but you have a bad habit of losing your focus, taking too many chances, and then subsequently pissing away your winnings. It's not a personal attack, just an honest critique. To be a great player you have to have discipline. Great players are patient. They can wait for the best opportunities to put their money in. They can make the laydowns others can't. Their discipline goes beyond the actual playing of cards as well. It goes back to what Fnord was saying. Great players also exhbit good bankroll management. They know the importance of game selection. They play focused and relaxed and have the ability to recognize when they aren't. They know their limitations and are honest with themselves.

I'm not trying to be a moderator bewteen Fnord and Rippy. I respect them both and have learned a great deal from them. I think they both have very valid points, but individually they are lacking. There has to be an appropriate balance between the two.

When you get right down to it though, being a great player has little/nothing to do with the actual game and everything to do with experience and attitude.