Poker Hall of Fame Announces Eight Nominees for 2026, New Voting Rules May Allow Multiple Inductees

The Poker Hall of Fame announced the eight final nominees for the Class of 2026 on Wednesday night. Due to changes in the voting process among living members, up to six candidates can be inducted this year. The inductees will be revealed during the final table of the 2026 WSOP $10,000 Main Event.

New Process Brings Tough Choices

During the initial public nomination phase, poker enthusiasts were able to submit their chosen candidates. Those nominated by the public must meet the standards set since the Poker Hall of Fame's founding in 1979: be at least 40 years old (the "Chip Reese Rule"), played against acknowledged top competition, played high stakes, performed consistently well and earned the respect of peers, and stood the test of time. For non-player contributors, they must have made indelible positive and lasting contributions to the overall growth and success of poker.

The eight nominees — seven players and one industry contributor — all meet these criteria, making for a difficult decision among the 33 living Hall of Fame members responsible for selecting the new class.

These 33 members will also operate under a new election process. Previously, each living member had ten votes to distribute freely (or all to one candidate). With this rule change, each member now has only four votes, which they can allocate as they wish. In other words, a member can give all four to one person, two each to two people, or one each to four different candidates. To be inducted, a candidate needs votes from 22 of the 33 members. If no one reaches that threshold, only the person with the most votes gets in.

Nominee List: Heavy on the "Poker Boom" Era

The eight potential inductees selected by the public (in alphabetical order) are:

• Justin Bonomo
• Shaun Deeb
• Isaac Haxton
• Jason Koon
• Chris Moorman
• Mike Matusow
• Isai Scheinberg
• Scott Seiver

Some analysts note that this group leans heavily toward players who rose during the 2000s "poker boom." Even PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg comes from that era. In contrast, older players who truly laid poker's foundation before the 21st century, along with commentators like Lon McEachern and Norman Chad, tournament director Matt Savage, writers such as the late Andy Glazer, Tony Holden, and Al Alvarez, and international poker pioneers like Terry Rogers, Liam Flood, Bruno Fitoussi, and Thor Hansen, were not nominated.

Predictions: Matusow Likely In, Deeb Close Behind

Among the current nominees, some candidates may struggle to secure enough votes. Since most living Hall of Famers are "old school" (e.g., Phil Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen), Mike Matusow is almost certain to be inducted. He has been overlooked for years, and the new voting rules likely help him gather the necessary 22 votes.

Shaun Deeb is the most likely of the remaining three to make it, given his daily presence and success at the WSOP. As the defending WSOP Player of the Year, he constantly competes for accolades, which resonates with Hall members. Although the Poker Hall of Fame is not the "WSOP Champions Hall," such behavior is encouraged.

Scott Seiver and Isai Scheinberg are the "dark horses." Seiver turned 40 last year and won three WSOP gold bracelets, earning his first nomination but previously being passed over. Scheinberg has been nominated six times but consistently loses out as voters favor players over contributors. Seiver might clinch the 22 votes needed, but Scheinberg will likely struggle to gather enough support.

Results Due in August

The fate of the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame class now rests with the 33 living members. Theoretically, with optimal voting, as many as six candidates could be inducted (33 members × 4 votes = 132 votes, meaning six could each get 22). The answer will come during the WSOP Main Event final table in August.