Women In Poker Hall of Fame Finalist List Released
The finalists for the 2022 Class of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame have been announced. After a public nomination process, the list of seven finalists was reached. Headlining the list of finalists are the two most dominant women in modern poker, along with the woman that effectively kicked off the women’s “Poker Boom.” Let’s look at the list of finalists and our picks to make the hall.
Vanessa Selbst, Jennifer Tilly, and Kristen Foxen Headline List of Finalists
The list of finalists for the Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF) was announced on Friday. The finalist represents some of the best and brightest in the industry. Here are the final seven:
- Jennifer Tilly
- Liv Boeree
- Angelica Hael
- Vanessa Selbst
- Terry King
- Kara Scott
- Kristen Bicknell Foxen
The WiPHoF recognizes the top women in the poker industry. It tries to include a mix of poker players and industry influencers. This is highlighted by the mix of finalists. Let’s take a quick look at each finalist.
Modern Era of Women’s Poker Well Represented
Here’s a quick breakdown of the finalists starting with the top players:
Jennifer Tilly – Tilly is known by many to be the woman to kick off the Women’s Poker Boom. She won the Ladies’ Championship at the 2005 World Series of Poker and is perhaps one of the best-known celebrity players in the world. The actress has over $1 million in career earnings and has also been a prominent face on live poker programs for years.
Liv Boeree – Liv Boeree has done it all in poker. She was a presenter and then became an accomplished poker player. Boeree has both a WSOP bracelet and an EPT title under her belt. She has over $3.8 million in career earnings.
Vanessa Selbst – It’s not surprising that Selbst is on this list. She is #1 on the Women’s All-Time Money List, and nobody else is remotely close. She is also the only woman to have won three open-field WSOP bracelets. While she seldom plays poker nowadays, her accomplishments make her a lock for the hall.
Kristen Bicknell Foxen – Kristen Bicknell Foxen is perhaps the most dominant active female player in the world today. She is a threat both in online poker and in the live arena. She has combined tournament earnings of over $11 million. Foxen is also a force in high-stakes tournaments, and we expect that she will someday take over Selbst’s spot on the Women’s All-Time Money List.
Multiple Contributors Also Make the List
Three of the finalists are known more for their contributions outside of the tables than their on-felt accolades. They are as follows:
Terry King – Terry King is perhaps better known for her online social media presence than her performance at the table. She won the Ladies Championship at the 1978 World Series of Poker and has also been a figure in the live poker world for decades. She has been a high-stakes player and now runs a Facebook group dedicated to poker and gambling.
Angelica Hael – Hael is one of the most respected poker industry professionals in the world. She is the World Poker Tour’s VP of Global Tour Management and also won the Poker Industry Person of the Year at the Global Poker Awards in 2019.
Kara Scott – Kara Scott is best known for her work on TV. She started on Poker Night Live and hosted multiple shows. Many people know her from ESPN’s World Series of Poker. Scott has also found success at the poker tables with over $664k in live tournament earnings.
Who Will Get the Nod In 2022?
The WiPHoF has more of an all-inclusive focus, so don’t expect the top female players to automatically get the nod. In the past, the WiPHoF has usually had a mixed nomination class. This time around, we predict the same.
As such, we predict that Vanessa Selbst and Angelica Hael will be inducted. Selbst will be the headliner that garners attention from casual fans, and Hael will be the induction to honor the industry.
The list of finalists will go to a vote from a panel that includes living WiPHoF members and a media panel. An announcement will be made later this month to announce the inductees, and the induction ceremony will be held on December 14, 2022, at the Poker Go Studios in the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
