Poker fans around the world may now submit their nominations for the Poker Hall of Fame. Nominations will be accepted until December 11 at WSOP.com. The 8-10 individuals making the final ballot will be revealed by Caesars Entertainment on December 16.
Eligibility Criteria
Those wishing to nominate their poker heroes and favorite players must make sure that they meet the following criteria:
The player must have played against acknowledged top competition and must have played for high stakes. He or she must have played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers, and must have stood the test of time. Players who are below 40 years old are not eligible for induction.
If you’re nominating a non-player, that person must have contributed to the overall growth and success of poker, leaving a positive and lasting impact to the community.
2019 Finalists Remain Eligible for Induction
The players who made it to the finalist ballot in 2019 are still eligible for induction this year. They are: Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Bjorin, Chris Ferguson, David Chiu, Eli Elezra, Huck Seed, Mike Matusow, and Ted Forrest.
Esfandiari just turned 40 last year, making him eligible for the honor. Nicknamed “The Magician” because of his previous job, the Iranian-born poker pro has had a stellar poker career, winning three WSOP bracelets since playing poker professionally in 2002. His most prominent victory was winning the first-ever WSOP Big One for One Drop for $18.3 million.
Bjorin currently ranks second in Sweden’s all-time money list, with $5.7 million in career earnings. The 73-year-old has two WSOP bracelets to his name and is currently the seventh player with most WSOP cashes (92).
Ferguson was named the WSOP Player of the Year in 2017 after an impressive run that year, including winning his sixth bracelet in an event at the WSOPE. The American poker pro took step back from the poker tables after his alleged involvement in the Full Tilt poker scandal, but made a comeback in 2016. He has more than $9 million in career tournament winnings.
Chiu begun playing poker professionally in 1996, and since then he has won over $8 million, and captured five WSOP bracelets. He is one of the world’s most versatile players, taking down tournaments in limit hold’em, Omaha hi-lo, and seven-card stud, among others.
Before taking a career in poker, Elezra went through several different jobs, including serving as Army Lieutenant in his home country of Israel, and gutting fish in Alaska. Throughout two decades of playing poker, Elezra has had huge success in the WSOP, winning four bracelets and recording 64 cashes. He also holds a World Poker Tour title.
Seed first made a name for himself back in 1996 when he won that year’s WSOP Main Event. But two years before that, he also won a PLO tournament. He has four WSOP bracelets to date, and he was able to capture them in different variants, making him a noted versatile player. He has earned $7.6 million playing tournaments thus far.
Widely known as “The Mouth” for his trash-talking persona, Matusow is one of the world’s most successful poker players, with four WSOP bracelets, and over $9.4 million in live tournament earnings. He performs well in huge-field events, running deep in WSOP and WPT tournaments.
Forrest is also among the most successful WSOP players, with six gold bracelets in his resume. His latest bracelet victory took place in 2004 when he outclassed Phil Hellmuth in a Razz tournament. He made history by winning three WSOP bracelets in three successive events with three variants of poker back in 1993. He is the only player to ever achieve such a feat.
2020 Inductee Will Be Announced on Dec 30
The finalist ballot will be handed over to the 32 living Hall of Fame inductees for selection. The individual who will be honored this year becomes the 59^th Poker Hall of Fame inductee. The induction ceremony takes place on December 30, before the final battle of the WSOP Main Event at The Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.