The list of nominees for the 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Hall of Fame have been announced and one name is already causing a stir. Chris Ferguson is one of the more controversial names to make it on the 2019 WSOP Hall of Fame list of nominees. The World Series of Poker announced the ten finalists for the 2019 class of the Poker Hall of Fame this weekend. The list of names should be familiar to poker fans, not just because, as Poker Hall of Fame finalists, everyone on the list has been poker royalty for years, but also because all but one of them has been a finalist before. This is a discussion on Chris Moneymaker and the Hall of Fame within the online poker forums, in the Poker News section; CardsChat contributor, Jon Sofen, has an opinion regarding Chris Moneymaker.
- Poker Hall Of Fame 2017
- Poker Hall Of Fame List
- Poker Hall Of Fame Members
- Wsop Hall Of Fame
- 2018 Poker Hall Of Fame
Table Of Contents
Last night, Chris Moneymaker and David Oppenheim became the 57th and 58th inductees of the Poker Hall of Fame during the World Series of Poker Main Event coverage on ESPN.
They were voted into the 2019 Poker Hall of Fame Class by the thirty living Poker Hall of Fame members and a 21-person media panel. They were the two from an elite list of poker players which also included Chris Bjorin, David Chiu, Eli Elezra, Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Mike Matusow, and Huckleberry Seed to make it into the Poker Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1979 to honor the most influential players and other key contributors to the game of poker. Harrah's Entertainment acquired the elite poker club in 2004, and it is now under Caesars Entertainment after the company changed its name in 2010.
Voters took into consideration the following criteria when casting their ballots.
- A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition.
- Be a minimum of 40 years old at the 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.
Chris Moneymaker
Chris Moneymaker might not satisfy all of the voting requirements, specifically in playing in high stakes games. However, one can't deny the contribution Moneymaker made to the poker boom after winning the 2003 WSOP Main Event for $2,500,000.
Moneymaker: 'It's great for my kids — it'll be a cool thing for them to see when they grow up.'
At the time, it was unheard of for online poker players to win big money on the live poker stage. Moneymaker proved to the world that online poker players could be taken seriously and provided a considerable growth to online poker after parlaying a win in a satellite at PokerStars into the WSOP Main Event title. Moneymaker was an instant sensation and signed on to become a PokerStars Ambassador, a title he still holds to this day.
Moneymaker has yet to find WSOP gold a second time but has won titles in WPT and EPT side events as part of his nearly $3.9 million in live tournament cashes.
'I'm very honored... very happy,' says Moneymaker upon receiving the news. 'It's great for my kids — it'll be a cool thing for them to see when they grow up.'
David Oppenheim
It is usually tournament players that get all the notice, and David Oppenheim has certainly had some success there with nearly $2 million in live tournament earnings. However, unlike the other nominees for the 2019 Poker Hall of Fame Class, Oppenheim has yet to win a WSOP bracelet or any major poker title.
What separates Oppenheim from the other nominees, is that he has been consistently crushing the high stakes cash games. The 46-year-old American has been playing poker for the better part of this century, having started out playing his second year in college when he was 19 years old.
'Being recognized as one of the all-time greats by my peers is truly humbling, and I am honored to have been selected to the Poker Hall of Fame.'
Until now, Oppenheim has been one of poker's unsung heroes as he wasn't on tv as often as some of his peers. He is a regular winner in the high stakes games in Bobby's Room.
'Being recognized as one of the all-time greats by my peers is truly humbling, and I am honored to have been selected to the Poker Hall of Fame,' said Oppenheim about his induction. 'I have been so fortunate to be able to do what I love for a living. I never planned to be a professional poker player; rather, it was a passion that became my job. People often ask me, how does one become a professional poker player? The answer is hard work, and that goes for everyone that plays at the highest level. From the time I began playing, I was incredibly passionate about poker, and it led to me being able to travel this road that has been traveled by very few. Again, I am extremely grateful to be receiving this honor. Thank you.'
Poker Hall of Fame Members
Moneymaker and Oppenheim join an elite group of poker players and contributors to the game as part of the Poker Hall of Fame. Here is a look at all 58 members in alphabetical order.
| Member | Year | Member | Year | Member | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Abdo | 1982 | Barry Greenstein | 2011 | Johnny Moss | 1979 |
| Crandell Addington | 2005 | Jennifer Harman | 2015 | Daniel Negreanu | 2014 |
| Bobby Baldwin | 2003 | Dan Harrington | 2010 | Scotty Nguyen | 2013 |
| Billy Baxter | 2006 | Murph Harrold | 1984 | David Oppenheim | 2019 |
| Lyle Berman | 2002 | Phil Hellmuth | 2007 | Henry Orenstein | 2008 |
| Joe Bernstein | 1983 | John Hennigan | 2018 | Walter 'Puggy' Pearson | 1987 |
| Benny Binion | 1990 | James Butler 'Wild Bill' Hickok | 1979 | Julius Oral Popwell | 1996 |
| Jack Binion | 2005 | Red Hodges | 1985 | Thomas Austin 'Amarillo Slim' Preston | 1992 |
| Bill Boyd | 1981 | Edmond Hoyle | 1979 | David 'Chip' Reese | 1991 |
| Doyle Brunson | 1988 | Phil Ivey | 2017 | Brian 'Sailor' Roberts | 2012 |
| Todd Brunson | 2016 | Linda Johnson | 2011 | Erik Seidel | 2010 |
| Johnny Chan | 2002 | Berry Johnston | 2004 | Mike Sexton | 2009 |
| T.J. Cloutier | 2006 | John Juanda | 2015 | Jack 'Treetop' Straus | 1988 |
| Nick Dandolos | 1979 | Jack Keller | 1993 | Duane 'Dewey' Tomko | 2008 |
| Eric Drache | 2012 | Jack McClelland | 2014 | David 'Devilfish' Ulliott | 2017 |
| Barbara Enright | 2007 | Felton McCorquodale | 1979 | Stu 'The Kid' Ungar | 2001 |
| Mori Eskandani | 2018 | Tom McEvoy | 2013 | Red Winn | 1979 |
| Fred 'Sarge' Ferris | 1989 | Chris Moneymaker | 2019 | Sid Wyman | 1979 |
| Henry Green | 1986 | Roger Moore | 1997 | ||
| T 'Blondie' Forbes | 1980 | Carlos Mortensen | 2016 |
*Lead image courtesy of the Poker Hall of Fame. More information about the Poker Hall of Fame via WSOP.com/pokerhalloffame/ and Wikipedia.
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Tags
Amarillo SlimAntonio EsfandiariBarry GreensteinBilly BaxterBobby BaldwinCarlos MortensenChris FergusonChris MoneymakerDan HarringtonDaniel NegreanuDoyle BrunsonEli ElezraErik SeidelJohn JuandaJohnny ChanLinda JohnsonLyle BermanMike MatusoRelated Players
Daniel NegreanuJohn JuandaBarry GreensteinErik SeidelChris FergusonJohnny Chan
The time has come for the Poker Hall of Fame to induct someone who has done something more for the game than just play it.
Induction criteria does include a stipulation for non-players. Essentially, the person must have contributed to the overall growth and success of the game, with indelible positive and lasting results.
They’ve used this criteria before. The last time a non-player was inducted was 2014. Legendary tournament director and poker room boss Jack McClelland got in. McClelland ran the World Series of Poker in the 1980s. He also managed of the vaunted Bellagio poker room for more than a decade, before hanging it up in 2013.
Other non-players who have been inducted include the WSOP tournament director from 1973 to 1988 Eric Drache (2012), and hole-card cam inventor Henry Orenstein (2008). Plus, the WSOP’s first host Jack Binion (2005), and his father, the founder of the Horseshoe Casino and the WSOP, Benny Binion (1990).
The First Lady of Poker, Linda Johnson, is clearly a player, having won a WSOP bracelet in the 1997 WSOP $1,500 Seven Card Razz event.
However, she was likely inducted in 2011 on the strength of her contributions to the overall growth and success of the game. She worked as CardPlayer Magazine‘s publisher, helped found the Tournament Director’s Association and was the public relations director for the World Poker Tour.
Two non-players on the nominations list
In 2017, two non-players made the nominations list. However, consensus best player on the planet Phil Ivey got in, alongside recently deceased UK legend David ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott. No one could really argue against either.
Poker Hall Of Fame 2017
Tournament director Matt Savage (pictured) and TV producer Mori Eskandani are back on the nominations list again this year, and the timing seems right to recognize what these guys have done for the game.
Poker Hall Of Fame List
Savage’s continuous presence on Twitter makes him one of the most recognizable non-players in poker. He is the WPT’s executive tour director, helped found the Tournament Directors Association, and ran the WSOP the year Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event, changing poker forever.
Eskandani is the man behind some of poker’s best TV. He runs Poker Productions and is responsible for shows like Poker After Dark, High Stakes Poker, and The National Heads-Up Championship. Now he produces the live WSOP broadcast for ESPN.
Poker Hall Of Fame Members
Both have both helped shape the game of poker into what it is today and it seems appropriate that the Poker Hall of Fame recognize that.
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Eight players make the list
There are eight players on this year’s nominations list as well, including:
- John Hennigan
- David Oppenheim
- Chris Bjorin
- David Chiu
- Bruno Fitoussi
- Mike Matusow
- Chris Moneymaker
- Huck Seed
All are great players worthy of the nomination. However, none have done more for the growth of the game than Eskandani or Savage.
Of course, the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame and the media panel that votes new members in may feel the need to induct a player. If that’s the case, they may lean towards Matusow. He is certainly a name the public will recognize and ticks off most of the boxes on the criteria list.
However, if they absolutely must induct a player over a non-player, perhaps they should look back on Johnson’s 2011 induction and pick one that’s a little of both.
The 2003 WSOP Main Event Champion
Wsop Hall Of Fame
In 2003, a 27-year-old accountant and amateur poker player from Tennessee changed poker forever when he beat the pros at their game, satelliting into the WSOP Main Event through a $39 PokerStars tournament and winning it all.
2018 Poker Hall Of Fame
Chris Moneymaker continues to play professionally and now has more than $3.7 million in tournament earnings.
There are those that would argue he hasn’t exactly spent the 15 years since his win putting together a Hall of Fame career. However, his story helped sell the game to the masses and turn poker into what it is today. Plus, he’s continued to play the poker ambassador role as well as anyone else in the game for the better part of 15 years.
Moneymaker’s contribution to the overall growth and success of the game has definitely had indelible positive and lasting results. Combining that with his success as a player should be enough to get him in.
Particularly in a year where it just seems right for the Poker Hall of Fame to induct someone who has done more for the game than just beat it.
Lead image courtesy of the World Poker Tour/Flickr.