Petyr is in the major leagues of people playing the great game, enough that it could be argued he's at the top, tied or not - and he's also got the most class.
He stays out of the eye of the other big players, and every time he shows up, it's with a major win. 1st is the whole Stark thing. Then he's sent as envoy to Renly's gang, as such avoiding all the chaos of Joffrey's reign, and at the 11th hour, Renly's crew saves the day at King's Landing. Then he gets the seat of Harrenhal (or something), uses it to court Lysa, secure more power, comes back for Joffrey's wedding, and then pulls all those coups at the Vale. He hasn't made a wrong step yet.
He's got style. He's polite, but he will stab you in the back in the most efficient way possible if you are in his way. Yeah, some people aren't going to like him for that, but you have to admire the skill with which he goes about it. Moreover, I honestly believe that if Ned Stark had been more rational or competent, willing to go ahead with his plan - secure Joffrey, and act as regent - he wouldn't necessarily have backstabbed him, Brandon Stark or no. But instead, Ned insisted on the 'honourable' path of just shouting 'STANNIS FOR KING' and leaving a localized power vacuum and serious legitimacy problems. WHY would Littlefinger allow that to happen?
And yet, I feel because of the whole Sansa thing, he'll eventually make a mistake, put himself in a vulnerable position, and get delayed karmic payback. And I don't want that to happen, he's played too well, and he isn't really a BAD guy on the level that more than half the other characters are.
