Poker Hall of Fame nominees announced

(PRESS RELEASE) -- After a public nomination process on WSOP.com, and a vetting of all nominations by the Poker Hall of Fame Governing Council, the finalists list eligible for induction into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2011 has been determined.

It will now be up to the current Hall of Famers and a panel of media members to determine who actually does join this exclusive club.

The following represents the finalists:

ANNIE DUKE

BARRY GREENSTEIN

JENNIFER HARMAN-TRANIELLO

LINDA JOHNSON

JOHN JUANDA

MARCEL LUSKE

JACK McCLELLAND

TOM McEVOY

SCOTTY NGUYEN

HUCKLEBERRY SEED

• Listed alphabetically without correlation to amount of nominations received

The above list of names will be submitted to the 18 living Hall of Fame members and a 17-person media panel. Only these 35 individuals cast votes for induction.

The criteria they will consider in their vote are as follows:

• A player must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
• Be a minimum of 40 years old at time of nomination [known as the "Chip Reese" rule, adopted in 2011, 20 years after Reese's induction at age 40]
• 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.

The 2011 Class of the Poker Hall of Fame will be inducted as part of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table festivities at the Penn & Teller Theater at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on November 8.