The World Series of Poker announced Monday evening that Chris Moneymaker and David Oppenheim were the 2019 additions to the Poker Hall of Fame.
The duo becomes the 57th and 58th members of the club. They were selected out of 10 finalists that included Chris Bjorin, David Chiu, Eli Elezra, Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Mike Matusow and Huck Seed.
Oppenheim and Moneymaker were selected by the 30 living Poker Hall of Fame members and a 21-person media panel.
Moneymaker was so integral to the poker boom with his 2003 WSOP main event victory that his name became synonymous with the increased popularity. It became known as the ‘Moneymaker Effect.’ Outside of his $2.5 million score for his main event victory, Moneymaker, racked up an additional $1.365 million in tournament earnings.
He finished second in the 2011 NBC Heads-Up Championship, as well as a runner-up finish in the World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star main event.
“I’m very honored… very happy,” said the former accountant from Tennessee. “It’s great for my kids – it’ll be a cool thing for them to see when they grow up.”
Oppenheim has less of a tournament background and is known for being a regular in the highest-stake cash games in the world. His most notable tournament cash came with his third-place finish in the 2010 $50,000 Poker Players Championship for $603,348. The Los Angeles native also finished seventh in that event just a few weeks ago and has just shy of $2 million in career earnings.
“Being recognized as one of the all-time greats by my peers is truly humbling and I am honored to have been selected to the Poker Hall of Fame,” said Oppenheim. “I have been so fortunate to be able to do what I love for a living. I never planned to be a professional poker player, rather it was a passion that became my job.”
The main criteria for the Poker Hall of Fame are as follows:
• A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
• Be a minimum of 40 years old at time of nomination
• Played for high stakes
• 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.