ShareThe 10 finalists for this year’s induction into the Poker Hall of Fame have been announced by the World Series of Poker. Membership of this exclusive group is one of the greatest accolades a poker player can have in their career and every year we all watch keenly and debate who is most worthy as the candidates are named.
How the Finalists Are Chosen
The process of choosing finalists for the Poker Hall of Fame involves a combination of public nominations and a review by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council. The public can recommend players who qualify through a form on the WSOP's website.The nomination period usually lasts for a few weeks, and after that, the top 10 are reviewed by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council. Once the finalists are determined, the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame cast their votes to decide the inductee(s).
In recent years, only one person has been selected for enshrinement into the Poker Hall of Fame per election cycle. The inductee is then announced and honored during the WSOP Main Event in July.
The main criteria for the Poker Hall of Fame are as follows:
- A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
- Played for high stakes
- Be a minimum of 40 years old at time of nomination
- Played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers
- Stood the test of time
- Or, for non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results.
2023 Poker Hall of Fame Finalists
- Ted Forrest
- Jeremy Ausmus
- Bill Smith
- Isai Scheinberg
- Mike Matusow
- Josh Arieh
- Brian Rast
- Kathy Liebert
- Matt Savage
- Lon McEachren & Norman Chad
As the excitement builds for the revealing of which player is inducted in 2023, all living members of the Poker Hall of Fame are invited to the special WSOP Hall of Fame Event and we expect to see many legends of the pasttaking part.
