This week saw the publication of the list of 10 persons who have a chance to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2012, among the greatest names of poker history. The list has been complied as a result of a public voting; the following players and background workers have made it to the final 10:
Chris Bjorin: The 64 years old Swedish player currently resides in London. He is a 2 times WSOP champion with total live tournament winnings of $5.2 million.
David Chiu: Born in China and living in the US, Chiu is 52 years old, a 4 times WSOP champion with 2 Limit Hold’em, a Seven Card Stud and an Omaha Hi/Lo bracelet. Chiu finished ITM in a total of 54 WSOP events and has $7.4 million in total live tournament winnings.
Eric Drache: Former tournament director of the WSOP, Drache also used to be the director of the Bellagio, the Mirage and the Golden Nugget casinos. He introduced satellites, leaving an ineffaceable mark on the industry. Drache is also a successful player, making it to the heads-up in three WSOP Stud events.
Thor Hansen: The Norwegian pro has ITM finishes in over 175 tournaments, amassing $2.9 million in live winnings. He is 65 years old, has two WSOP titles and is commonly known as the “Godfather of Norwegian Poker”.
George Hardie: Hardie had a major role in the renaissance of poker in the 1980s. One of the emblematic figures of the West Coast poker boom in the US, he built the Bicycle Casino, which was then the biggest card room in the world. Hardie introduced a number of rules, guarantees and games that have had a lasting effect on poker.
Jennifer Harman-Traniello: 47 years old poker pro and mother of two. She is a 2 times WSOP champion and finalist of 2 WPT events. Her total live tournament winnings exceed $2.6 million but her main profile is cash games. Harman-Traniello is a regular player of the highest limits in Las Vegas, next to supporting a number of charity foundations.
John Juanda: Juanda was born in Indonesia but has been living in the United States for most of his life. The 41 years old pro has 5 WSOP bracelets, in addition to one of the greatest live tournament winnings totals in the world, over $14.1 million. He is also an excellent cash game player, who is famous for his modest behavior, despite his successes. Juanda is the youngest nominee this year.
Tom McEvoy: 1983 WSOP Main Event winner McEvoy is 67 years old, who has four additional WSOP titles as well. One of the figureheads for banning smoking from casinos, he also authors a number of poker strategy books and has $3 million in live tournament winnings.
Scotty Nguyen: Born in Vietnam, Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP Main Event and has a total of 5 bracelets, in addition to a WPT title. He is quite the talker at the poker tables, coining some classic wisecracks. His total live tournament winnings peak at $11.6 million.
Brian ‘Sailor’ Roberts: A real poker legend. In the Golden Age of the game, he travelled across the United States with Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim, searching for the best games. In 1975, he won the WSOP Main Event and was a 2 times WSOP champion. Roberts passed away in 1995.
The list will now be sent to the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame and a couple of selected poker media representatives to decide who is to be inducted in October.
Nominees had to meet the following criteria:
Chris Bjorin: The 64 years old Swedish player currently resides in London. He is a 2 times WSOP champion with total live tournament winnings of $5.2 million.
David Chiu: Born in China and living in the US, Chiu is 52 years old, a 4 times WSOP champion with 2 Limit Hold’em, a Seven Card Stud and an Omaha Hi/Lo bracelet. Chiu finished ITM in a total of 54 WSOP events and has $7.4 million in total live tournament winnings.
Eric Drache: Former tournament director of the WSOP, Drache also used to be the director of the Bellagio, the Mirage and the Golden Nugget casinos. He introduced satellites, leaving an ineffaceable mark on the industry. Drache is also a successful player, making it to the heads-up in three WSOP Stud events.
Thor Hansen: The Norwegian pro has ITM finishes in over 175 tournaments, amassing $2.9 million in live winnings. He is 65 years old, has two WSOP titles and is commonly known as the “Godfather of Norwegian Poker”.
George Hardie: Hardie had a major role in the renaissance of poker in the 1980s. One of the emblematic figures of the West Coast poker boom in the US, he built the Bicycle Casino, which was then the biggest card room in the world. Hardie introduced a number of rules, guarantees and games that have had a lasting effect on poker.
Jennifer Harman-Traniello: 47 years old poker pro and mother of two. She is a 2 times WSOP champion and finalist of 2 WPT events. Her total live tournament winnings exceed $2.6 million but her main profile is cash games. Harman-Traniello is a regular player of the highest limits in Las Vegas, next to supporting a number of charity foundations.
John Juanda: Juanda was born in Indonesia but has been living in the United States for most of his life. The 41 years old pro has 5 WSOP bracelets, in addition to one of the greatest live tournament winnings totals in the world, over $14.1 million. He is also an excellent cash game player, who is famous for his modest behavior, despite his successes. Juanda is the youngest nominee this year.
Tom McEvoy: 1983 WSOP Main Event winner McEvoy is 67 years old, who has four additional WSOP titles as well. One of the figureheads for banning smoking from casinos, he also authors a number of poker strategy books and has $3 million in live tournament winnings.
Scotty Nguyen: Born in Vietnam, Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP Main Event and has a total of 5 bracelets, in addition to a WPT title. He is quite the talker at the poker tables, coining some classic wisecracks. His total live tournament winnings peak at $11.6 million.
Brian ‘Sailor’ Roberts: A real poker legend. In the Golden Age of the game, he travelled across the United States with Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim, searching for the best games. In 1975, he won the WSOP Main Event and was a 2 times WSOP champion. Roberts passed away in 1995.
The list will now be sent to the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame and a couple of selected poker media representatives to decide who is to be inducted in October.
Nominees had to meet the following criteria:
- A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
- Be a minimum of 40 years old at time of nomination
- Played for high stakes
- 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.
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