There can be no doubt that when it comes to generating classic moments at the World Series of Poker, nothing comes in quite as handy as a volatile temperament. While skill, luck and the ability to navigate through crushing opposition are all nice elements of a watchable tournament, the thing that really puts fans on the edge of their seats is witnessing a poker superstar totally blow his or her cool. This kind of meltdown can either be the result of catching a miracle card on the river needed to fill out a winning hand, or it can come in the form of a player going on tilt after a bad beat and the pressure just becomes too much to bear.

No other player in the history of the WSOP is as closely associated with the term “on tilt” than the great Poker Brat himself, Phil Hellmuth Jr. His big mouth and even bigger ego have been responsible for many classic moments over the years. Sometimes Phil ends up being the butt of a joke shared by everyone in the building except him, but just as often he gets to deservedly gloat over an undeniably impressive display of poker acumen.

It’s hard to argue with the proposition that Hellmuth’s most enduring classic WSOP moment came in 1989, when he managed to win the main event. This feat was notable in a number of specific ways. First of all, Phil established himself as the youngest world champion of poker at only 24 years of age. Secondly, he ruined Johnny Chan’s hopes of pulling of an unprecedented accomplishment of winning three main event titles in a row. WSOP finishes don’t come much more classic than that. Just ask Phil; he'd be happy to tell you all about it.

The 2004 WSOP main event will also be remembered as the scene of a seriously classic moment. Everyone in attendance was wondering the same thing: was it possible that another amateur would win all the chips, as Chris Moneymaker had done for the first time one year earlier? The answer to that question came from the most unlikely of sources. Greg “Fossilman” Raymer was not at the top of any analyst's list of contenders at the start of the texas hold em tournament . This rotund accountant had never competed in a televised tournament before, and had landed in the WSOP by virtue of winning an online satellite tournament hosted by PokerStars.com.

Drawing more notice for his trademark “dinosaur” shades than for his chances at success, Raymer plowed through an unprecedented large field and wound up at the final table. And from there he didn’t stop, defeating David Williams to win the $5,000,000 main event prize. Raymer’s final hand of two 8s absolutely buried Williams’ Ace/4.

Finally, Jack “Treetop” Straus will always be remembered for his classic WSOP moment in 1982. Down to a single $500 chip that was hidden under a napkin, Straus was able to continue paying after going all in on the previous hand and losing. From that tiny stake he went on the wipe out everyone else at the table. Treetop’s classic WSOP comeback has become the stuff of legend, even creating its own poker phrase: “a chip and a chair.”