2026 Poker Hall of Fame Finalists Announced
Multiple people can potentially be inducated into the HOF. Every inductee who receives at least a two-thirds vote from surviving members will join the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame class.
Who got snubbed?
Who doesnt deserve to be a finalist?
8 finalists:
Justin Bonomo
Shaun Deeb
Isaac Haxton
Jason Koon
Mike Matusow
Chris Moorman
Isai Scheinberg
Scott Seiver
It is a complete joke Isai Scheinberg isn't already in.
Mike Matusow. I mean the legend can stay in for now. Hasn't he never been a finalist before?
Keeping up some kind of appearances through the decades.
Given the mostly older criteria with a focus on live tournament success, primarily at the Vegas WSOP, Matusow should have been in by 2016 which is 10 years ago now. During the peak of televised poker the biggest names in the game were Ivey, Hellmuth, Negreanu and Matusow, Matusow is the only one who has been snubbed and for way too long at this point. Obviously the other three players had better credentials and belonged in before him, Ivey just had to wait until he turned 40 in 2017 for induction.
There should be separate sections of the Hall of Fame with the main (Live) Poker Hall of Fame, the WSOP Hall of Fame, and the online poker Hall of Fame, not every player that should unanimously be in one of the sections deserves to be in the others. Players who have contributed to the game in some form outside of their playing should have a separate section and the players and contributors should have never been fighting against each other over a single slot per year which is by far the biggest mistake that was made for the Poker Hall of Fame.
Using P = Poker Hall of Fame, W = WSOP, O = Online:
Players:
Justin Bonomo P (Eventually, but not 1st ballot)
Shaun Deeb P, W, O
Isaac Haxton P, O
Jason Koon P
Mike Matusow P, W
Chris Moorman O
Scott Seiver P, W
Contributors:
Isai Scheinberg P, O (A long time ago for both)
Multiple people can potentially be inducated into the HOF. Every inductee who receives at least a two-thirds vote from surviving members will join the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame class.
Who got snubbed?
Who doesnt deserve to be a finalist?
8 finalists:
Justin Bonomo
Shaun Deeb
Isaac Haxton
Jason Koon
Mike Matusow
Chris Moorman
Isai Scheinberg
Scott Seiver
I will beat this drum until it's done, but a Isai Sheinberg 100%... 1000% deserves to be in the poker Hall of Fame and should have already been for quite some time.
I guess it's just been so long since he saved everyone's asses that we forget how much he has done for the poker community at large
They changed it so it can be more than one, because there is a big backlog. They probably all belong in, except Matusow.
Seems like a lock for Seiver + Deeb this year, maybe Haxton.
Where is Phil Galfond??
Isai 100%
Negreanu already said Koon will be in
I should follow the news more, Mike is a survivor on the list, these were the finalists 2025:
https://www.wsop.com/news/poker-hall-of-...
I mean, it's nice that Isai will obviously get in this year given the new rule changes. I won't ever forgive the WSOP and the voters for making him wait this long so they could induct guys like Layne Flack and Eli Elezra, and I'll always think less of the HoF as a result.
Everyone seems to think Isai is deserving and will be inducted , but NOT SO FAST.... Daniel in his vlog just said hes for sure voting two in : Siever & Koon. He said he might vote in a 3 or 4 but those were the only 2 hes positive on.
I think the way they induct people is kinda dumb "Needing 2/3rd vote from surviving members" so if you were unliked by your peers you have to shot of getting in. Isnt the concept of poker to take other peoples money, I mean no one is really your friend.
They should include criteria like media vote and fan vote as well.
Ike Haxton won’t get the votes, he’s such a tool with his table antics and mask.
Everyone seems to think Isai is deserving and will be inducted , but NOT SO FAST.... Daniel in his vlog just said hes for sure voting two in : Siever & Koon. He said he might vote in a 3 or 4 but those were the only 2 hes positive on.
Isai never increased rake and Daniel is positive more rake is better
He is not going to vote someone in who actually had a backbone and makes him look bad
I mean, it's nice that Isai will obviously get in this year given the new rule changes. I won't ever forgive the WSOP and the voters for making him wait this long so they could induct guys like Layne Flack and Eli Elezra, and I'll always think less of the HoF as a result.
Agree 100%. Total joke he's not been inducted over the past 15 years.
Well, good thing this isn't a dressing contest. Haxton not getting in at some point would be insane, guy has been crushing for two decades and was one of the online NL endbosses for years.
Agree he is not very fun to play with though.
Yeah, Ike probably won't get in because people don't like him.
Justin Bonomo should get in 3 times.
Arieh is not on the list. He will take 1st or 2nd in the PPC. I guess if he wins that and the ME like someone did last year, he will also be immediately specially inducted.
there is no "poker hall of fame" lol. zero people would visit it or care. maybe there's some dusty pics of degenerates and criminals on the wall of the horseshoe that are completely ignored.
there is no "poker hall of fame" lol. zero people would visit it or care. maybe there's some dusty pics of degenerates and criminals on the wall of the horseshoe that are completely ignored.
There is an exhibit in the Horseshoe in Las Vegas, but not a Hall of Fame like in Cooperstown.
Probably some of those in it were/are degenerate gamblers or criminals, but most were/are legitimately good poker players.
