With the 2019 WSOP currently ongoing, the WSOP has announced this Sunday, June 23, the top 10 finalists eligible for the 2019 Poker Hall of Fame. Just one or two will be inducted.
The list of 10 poker players was created after a process of public nomination and a vetting of these nominations by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council. The decision now falls in the hands of 30 living members and 21 poker-industry media experts to determine who gets inducted.
Which one or two of these 10 legends of the game will be the lucky ones to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame come July 15?
- Antonio Esfandiari
- Chris Bjorin
- Chris Ferguson
- Chris Moneymaker
- David Chiu
- David Oppenheim
- Eli Elezra
- Huck Seed
- Mike Matusow
- Ted Forrest
Everyone except for Esfandiari had been among the final 10 at least one of the past years. Last year, it was John Hennigan and Mori Eskdandani who were inducted as the 55th and 56th members.
The age requirement for being eligible for the Poker Hall of Fame is 40 years and above. Aside from that, other criteria state that the player must have competed "against acknowledged top competition" and "for high stakes," while playing "consistently well" and "gaining the respect of peers." Also, the player must have "stood the test of time." For those in the industry but are not or were not professional poker players, they must have "contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results." As of now, there are 54 people who have met those requirements.
The 2019 Poker Hall of Fame class shall be inducted as part of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table celebration in Las Vegas on July 15.
Source:
https://www.pokernews.com/news/2019/06/poker-hall-of-fame-nominees-2019-34585.htm?itm_content=pn-hp-hero-1
