2018 Women in Poker Hall of Fame Candidates Named

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Thursday, April 5th, 2018 | Written by Stephen Smith

This week, the Women in Poker Hall of Fame (WiPHoF) announced the 10 finalists for its Class of 2018, with the list including an award-winning actress, a respected poker hostess, as well as other accomplished players and industry workers that have contributed significantly to the game’s development over the years.

2018 WiPHoF Nominees

Hermance Blum
Mandy Glogow
Angelica Hael
Haley Hintze
Maria Ho
Karina Jett
Terry King
Shirley Rosario
Kara Scott
Lupe Soto
Jennifer Tilly

Voting Panel

The WiPHoF Voting Panel has until 15th April to vote for their preferred choice of winner, with each panel member having 10 votes each which they may give to just one candidate, or divide between several candidates. The ultimate winners will subsequently be announced in May 2018, with the official 2018 WiPHoF Celebration Induction Ceremony & Luncheon scheduled to be held on 26th June at 11 a.m. at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas.

Criteria

In order to be considered for the Poker Hall of Fame, a player or industry worker must first satisfy a number of criteria. This includes being at least 35 years old, having played poker or worked in industry for 10 years or more, and having contributed to the game’s growth in a significant way. Furthermore, the players themselves must have competed at high stakes games against top competition, and earned the respect of their peers.

History

Founded in 2007, the WiPHoF’s stated mission is “to enhance awareness and to celebrate, contributions and achievements of women in poker as recognized and respected and proponents of women in poker.” So far, a total of nineteen women have been immortalized in the poker pantheon, with the list as follows:

2008: Barbara Enright, Linda Johnson, Marsha Waggoner, Susie Isaacs
2009: Cyndy Violette, Jan Fisher, June Field
2010: Billie Brown, Jennifer Harman, Kathy Liebert
2011: Kristy Gazes, Margie Heintz, Phyllis Caro
2012: JJ Liu, Kathy Raymond
2014: Allyn Shulman, Deborah Giardina
2016: Debbie Burkhead, Victoria Coren Mitchell

The 2018 Candidates

Hermance Blum: Currently the WPT Europe’s general manager, Blum began her involvement with poker after joining PokerStars in 2008 in a PR and Marketing position. In 2010, she also worked for PartyGaming and helped them to launch their French platform.

Mandy Glogow: She has been part of the WPT since 2005, with her responsibilities as the show’s supervising producer including presenting the right mix of poker strategy with the players’ backstories.

Angelica Hael: This respected writer and editor has covered the poker industry for more than two decades, and is best known for her reporting on the Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker cheating scandals.

Maria Ho: In addition to being ranked number 10 on the ‘Women’s All Time Money List’ with $2,709,495 in winnings, Ho is also an on-air personality and commentator, who was the first female to ever present a poker TV broadcast.

Karina Jett: This consummate pro has being playing poker since the late 1990s, over which time she has amassed more than half a million in tournament winnings, as well as carried out untold work to improve the poker environment, including coordinating the Ante Up for Autism charity poker event.

Terry King: In 1978, King won a WSOP bracelet at the $200 Women’s 7-Card Stud event, and in addition to her playing career has been involved in organizing tournaments. She is currently the administrator at RealGrinders on Facebook.

Shirley Rosario: Over the past 25 years, Rosario has won $506,484 at the tournament tables, although she continues to be a cash game specialist. She also runs websites and blogs, and acts as a consultant to PokerStars.

Kara Scott: Since 2005, Scott has regularly appeared on TV shows as a respected commentator, presenter, and ambassador of the game. She is also a talented player in her own right, and has amassed $663,388 in winnings since 2007.

Lupe Soto: In 2002, Soto launched an online poker forum dedicated for women called Poker Chix, and in 2004 founded the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS Tour) followed by the Women in Poker Hall of Fame itself in 2008. In 2013, she subsequently reached out to senior players by creating the Senior Poker Tour.

Jennifer Tilly: This Academy Award nominated actress has had a long love affair with the game of poker, and in 2005 won a gold bracelet at the $1,000 WSOP Ladies event for $158,335. She currently boasts $992,501 in career winnings, and over the years this celebrity player has lit up live tournaments and televised events with her bubbly personality and charm.