Daniel Negreanu Wants to Change The Poker Hall of Fame

Rules of The Poker Hall Of Fame as of March 2025

According to the WSOP official website, up to 2024 the rules for the Poker Hall of Fame were quite simple: every year a special committee had chosen one or two people from online submissions from the poker community to be inducted in the Hall.

Criteria for nominees hadn’t changed since 2009:

• 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.

These rules worked more or less until 2024 when players started “the classical case of too many outs” discussion, meaning the inevitable entry of a huge number of talented poker players into the 40+ age group by the time of 2025 WSOP.

If you think this couldn’t be true and poker can’t have so many greats on the threshold of forty, these are just a few players who already turned 40 or will will be turning 40 in 2025 and at the same time haven’t yet been inducted to the Hall of Fame:

• Jeremy Ausmus was born in 1979
• Joshua Arieh was born in 1974
• Liv Boeree was born in 1984
• Phil Galfond was born in 1985
• Vanessa Selbst was born in 1984
• Jason Koon was born in 1985
• Justin Bonomo was born in 1985
• Chris Moorman was born in 1985
• Scott Seiver was born in 1985
• Nick Schulman was born in 1984

Of course, while the World Series technically has the freedom to induct everyone who meets their criteria, this could end up reducing the significance of the gesture.

DNegs is Ready to Shake The Poker Hall of Fame Rules (a Little)

Daniel Negreanu’s suggestions from February 27th, 2025 aren’t anything extreme. With that said, they’re still interesting from the point of view that changing the voting process enough would (or could) resolve the recent age debate (or at least make it a little easier).

Firstly, Negreanu is willing to push an induction of three people each year — 2 players and 1 individual from the industry.

Secondly, he suggests changeing voting system “from 10 votes to whomever, to ranked voting, must choose 3”:

• First — 5 points
• Second — 3 points 
• Third — 2 points

Negreanu also added his vision of the 2025 nominee’s list — he is sure that there will be players:

• Nick Schulman 
• Scott Seiver
• Ted Forrest 
• Miami John

And also, long awaited among the members of the hall, Isai Scheinberg as a individual from the poker industry.

What Other Players Think About Negreanu’s Suggestions

Shortly after Negreanu shared his thoughts on X, a lot of users joined to discuss issues that won’t actually be resolved with his ideas.

We chose a few of their tweets as examples of diversity of opinions yet people’s solidarity in one thing: the need to change limit of inductee per year:

Matt Berky: Still waaaaaaaay too few with the back log of deserving players and the upcoming wave of moneymaker boomers turning 40. The fact that Galfond, Selbst and Liv aren’t even on the short list is prob a good indicator that the backlog is already too deep and growing. Take a look at next years class of first timers, maybe another half dozen 1st ballot guys there. 

This may be a good solution if you also increase the age to like 50, but you’d prob still just be kicking the can down the road.

Daniel Negreanu: Well, this increases the number going in over a 9 year period to 21, up from 9. 

I think you want a healthy balance where it’s not too easy to get in, without the absurd backlog you mentioned. 

I think it’s likely a good thing when it’s contentious and close each year. 

Either way, it’s a much needed step in the right direction IMO.

Jon Shoreman: You say “not too easy to get in”. It should be the criteria that makes it difficult to get in, not the fact there are 30 other people competing for limited places.

If you meet their criteria, you are in. It should be that simple/easy.

I do not understand why there is any limit. If someone meets the criteria, then they should be in.

Each year, any number of people should be nominated.

Then existing members vote to say of they agree they qualify. All those that qualify are in.

This would relieve the current back log. 

It may mean there are no new members some years.

This seems like the fairest and best way to me.

I believe the MSPT does something similar for their HOF. Once you meet their criteria you are in.

Andrew Barber: I’m wondering if an interesting solution is to admit anyone who crosses a point threshold instead of capping number of entries. It would be movement towards the system baseball has, and I think that’s ultimately the way it should work, but it’s a compromise.

Mustapha Kanit: 2 a year is to little I don’t think it should be a cap. If someone did so much for the industry it should be included.

JoeySal: The way Major League Baseball does it seems great. Enter ballet at 40. Must get X amount of the vote to go in. Must get x amount of the votes to stay on the ballot. Some years could be 0, some years could be 5/6.

Danny Prenat: I think the way the game blew up since 2003, 2 a year is too few. Should probably do sometime of system where if you get x amount of votes you get in. Votes get 5 votes each for instance. That way in years many guys deserve it they get in.

What is your opinion about The Poker Hall Of Fame rules and voting process? Join discussion in the comments below or on.