Milestones: The Poker Hall of Fame

The proper credit must be given to those who deserve it. Too often are the greatest in their respective fields ignored and left behind in the dust - not for poker. Not for the casinos, no - these people give props to the people who truly deserve it. This is why there is a Poker Hall of Fame. It is there to serve as a tribute to the most influential personalities in poker's long and sordid history.

The Poker Hall of Fame is not open to everyone of course. There are several requirements that must be met before one could even be nominated. Eligibility requires that the poker must have played consistent high stakes games and must have played against notable and acknowledge skilled players. This means that you cannot just linger around tables with weak players in an effort to get in the Poker Hall of Fame - you need to make a mark, to test your mettle against the best.

Consistent play is a must to get into the Poker Hall of Fame. Anyone can get a shot of good luck that pumps them over the top and into the record books, but to be one of the greats, you cannot rely on luck, but on your skill and experience. That consistency also suggests that they've lasted in the game for a long time - five months of good play just doesn't pan out all that well in terms of getting into the Poker Hall of Fame.

Of course, there are other reasonable ways of getting into the Poker Hall of Fame, often through amazing achievement or by significantly influencing or even changing the face of the game as it is known. Edmund Hoyle is a fine example - he changed the face of poker by being the first player to abide by a standardized set of rules and thus, earned his way into the Poker Hall of Fame. Other players such as Wild Bill Hickock, who died with two aces and two eights which is now the dead man's hand, have gotten into the game simply for increasing poker's fame. Jack Stratus and Tom Abdo were also inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, as they died from heart attacks while playing poker.

The Poker Hall of Fame is considered one of the biggest honors that could be bestowed to any card shark. If you're looking to be one of the greats, this is the truest milestone that you could ever hope to attain.