Lucky Dog Poker by Russ Scott

You have only a few days left to do something the typical poker fan never before has been able to do — nominate who you think should be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.

For the first time, the annual nomination process is open to the public. With the July 2 deadline for proposing candidates fast approaching, more than 1,000 names have been submitted.

The Hall of Fame committee will set the final list of contenders in August, then the nominees will be ranked by the 16 surviving Hall of Fame members and selected media representatives. The winners will be announced during the main event final table in November.

There's no word on who is leading the balloting, but I'm sure all of these players have strong support:

— Phil Ivey, who is one of the most respected — and feared — players in the game. With two victories already at this year's WSOP, his bracelet total now stands at seven, good for sixth-place all-time. He trails only Phil Hellmuth (11), Doyle Brunson (10), Johnny Chan (10), Johnny Moss (9) and Erik Seidel (8).

— Erik Seidel, the player with the most bracelets not already inducted. He also has 53 WSOP cashes — fifth all-time, compared to 30 for Ivey. One drawback is that he is a tournament specialist, while Ivey also is known for his high-limit cash-game prowess.

— Allen Cunningham, who is fifth all-time in both WSOP winnings ($6.5 million) and overall tournament money ($10.3 million). He had 36 WSOP cashes and five bracelets heading into this year's series and is widely regarded as one of the best players today.

— Daniel Negreanu, who ranks second in all-time overall tournament winnings with $11.2 million. He trails only Jamie Gold, who won $12 million in his lone big score at the 2006 WSOP main event.

Negreanu may be poker's most popular player today because of his entertaining table demeanor.

— Barry Greenstein, who is unique in the poker world because he donates all of his tournament profit to children's charities. That adds up to about $8 million, thanks in large part to three WSOP victories and three wins on the World Poker Tour.

Any of these players would make a fine addition to the Poker Hall of Fame, but here are my nominations:

— Mike Sexton, who has earned the honorary title of "ambassador of poker." Sexton won a World Series bracelet in 1989 and has an impressive 44 WSOP cashes in his 32-year professional career. His biggest cash was $1 million for winning the 2006 Tournament of Champions against a truly elite field.

You have to go beyond his player stats, however, to realize Sexton's impact on the game. He became one of poker's most recognizable figures in 2002 as host of the televised World Poker Tour, which helped fuel the poker boom. He also is an outspoken opponent of legal challenges to the game.

— Jack McClelland, who built a reputation as the best tournament director in the country. Many of today's top tournament directors can trace their success back to McClelland's mentoring. Few, however, can match his dry humor and quick wit.

His notoriety grew while directing WSOP tournaments from 1984 to 1989. Card-room managers across the nation began hiring him to run their events until he settled in about eight years ago as tournament director at the prestigious Bellagio poker room on the Vegas Strip.

So, who would you like to see inducted into the Hall of Fame in November? Go to www.worldseriesofpoker.com/pokerhalloffame by July 2 to review the criteria and cast your nomination.

E-mail your poker questions and comments to russ@luckydogpoker.com for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit www.creators.com or www.luckydogpoker.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 RUSS SCOTT

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.