Entering the Poker Hall of Fame is the goal of most of the world’s top poker players. To see your name on the list of fame, you need to be able to do more than play poker very well – you also need to be a very influential poker player who has made an important contribution to the game of poker.The Poker Hall of Fame celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019; it was launched as a virtual hall of fame in 1979 in the famous Binion’s Horseshoe Casino in the gambling paradise of Las Vegas. The Poker Hall of Fame is younger than the poker tournament founded in 1970, the World Series of Poker. The tournament series was organized and marketed by Binion’s until 2004 and then by Caesars Entertainment and annually selects the official poker world champion. But the poker world championship title does not give you membership in the Poker Hall of Fame. There are only a few world champions among the 58 members, of whom only 25 are still alive. The list of the Poker Hall of Fame includes the three-time world poker champion Stu Ingar (1980, 1981 and 1997) who died in 1998 and was only accepted in 2001.
To be elected to the Poker Hall of Fame by members, candidates must meet four pre-determined conditions:
- Minimum age at the time of admission: 40 years.
- The candidate must have played against the recognized top poker players.
- The candidate must have played high stakes poker games.
- A candidate must also have played at a consistently high level and have the respect. his teammates deserve.
- A candidate must have proven himself over a long period of time in the game of poker.
- For non-poker players, it is true that they have contributed to the general spread and success of the game of poker, with indelibly positive and lasting results.
Some of the oldest members of the Poker Hall of Fame include Nick “The Greek” Dandolos, Jam Butler Hickok, Edmond Hoyle, Felton McCorquodale, Johnny Moss, Red Winn and Sid Wymann. Edmond Hoyle is historically the oldest member. Hoyle lived from 1672 to 1769 and was the first to write books and regulations on various board games and games of chance. Bill Hickock died young in 1876 after a wild life as a gunslinger, sheriff and soldier while playing a game of poker. His last hand, now known as Dead Man’s Hand, made him famous: a hand with black aces and eights.
All other members are from the previous and current centuries. Johnny Moss and Nick Dandolos are also characters critically linked to the idea of the Poker Hall of Fame. The two played a public high stakes poker against each other in 1949 after being persuaded by Benny Binion, who in turn was only accepted in 1990.
Blondie Forbes was the one who invented Texas Hold’em poker. Felton McCorquodale, known as Corky, then introduced it to Las Vegas casinos in 1963, where it began its triumphal march as the most popular variant of poker.