Voting Now Open for the 2016 Women in Poker Hall of Fame

January 19th, 2016 | by Brian Corlisse

Nominations are open for the 2016 Women in Poker Hall of Fame. (Image: PokerStars.com)

The Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WIPHOF) reconvened recently for the first round of voting aimed at honoring the top female poker players in the world.

Although the latest inductees won’t be named until July 5th, the organization is starting the process early this year to ensure that poker fans are given as much opportunity as possible to nominate their favorite women players.

Unique Opportunity for Women

Unlike the WSOP Hall of Fame (which accepts both male and female poker players), the WIPHOF asks people to not only nominate the players they believe should be honored, but state a reason why.

And in contrast to the WSOP HOF, the all-ladies version only accepts nominations every two years (although the ceremony, started in 2008, was an annual event until 2012).

This means it will be the first time female players from around the world will be able to secure a place among the game’s greats since Allyn Shulman and Deborah Giardina were inducted in 2014.

Cast Your Votes

To be considered for a place among the top women in poker, all nominees must meet the following conditions:

The player or influential industry figure (the nominee) must have been active for at least 10 years prior to election and a minimum of 35 years old.

Must have contributed to the world of poker in some significant way, such as winning a major tournament, consistently competing in the top cash games in the world, or making major contributions to the industry.

Must be an advocate and supporter of women in poker.

All nominees must be approved by the Board of Directors and the current inductees.

Nominees must agree to terms and conditions of the Women in Poker Hall of Fame.

Since its inception in 2008, the WIPHOF has inducted 17 women, including high-profile players such as Kristy Gazes, Kathy Liebert, Cyndi Violette and Jennifer Harman. On July 5th, two more women will be added to that list in a location as yet to be confirmed.

To cast your vote, visit the Women in Poker Hall of Fame website.

Potential Candidates for the 2016 WIPHOF

Although many of the leading female poker players in the world, such as Vanessa Selbst and Maria Ho, are currently too young to be inducted, there are a few women we think stand a shot at making it into the WIP Hall of Fame later this year.

Victoria Coren Mitchell – The English pro has not only won EPT titles and banked more than $2.4 million in tournament earnings, she’s also taken a stand for players by giving up her PokerStars sponsorship after it was purchased by Amaya.

Katja Thater – The former PokerStars pro may have been somewhat quiet on the Hold’em scene in the last few years, but she’s still making a healthy living on the non-Hold’em circuit with her most recent cash coming in the 2016 PCA 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo event.

Lucy Rokach – A veritable blast from the past, but still the 20th highest-earning female poker player of all time, England’s Rokach was a formidable cash game player in the eighties and nineties, often sitting alongside the likes of Doyle Brunson in Las Vegas.