- For the A-Z on the newest addition to the Poker Hall of Fame, read our blog.
There is never a dull moment at the World Series of Poker tournaments. There are costumed entrances, tense pot wins, and even new players introduced to the Poker Hall of Fame. And this year, that honor goes to long-time poker-lover Eli Elezra.
For the A-Z on the newest addition to the Poker Hall of Fame, read our blog.
Who is Eli Elezra?
Eli Elezra is the friendly grandpa of the poker world. When not at the table with his poker face, there is a great smile over his face. But beyond his friendly demeanor that makes everyone want to get to know him, he is a trooper of a poker player.
The 60-year-old is a four-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and has gained over £4.6 million in live tournament cashes over his years. This year alone, the 2021 WSOP tournament saw him collect at seven events and reach the final table in three events.
But what made him particularly eligible for the Poker Hall of Fame nomination and has gained him the respect of his peers is his great track record at the high stakes cash games. More than 20 years of playing at the biggest games in Las Vegas has made him someone to keep an eye on over the years.
After serving in the Israeli Army and being discharged due to an injury in the 1982 Lebanon War, Elezra headed to the US and quickly became a prominent professional poker player, appearing in popular game shows like Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker
What is the process?
The WSOP has recently altered the rules a little since 2020, allowing only one member to be submitted to the Poker Hall of Fame where there was once two annually. It makes Elezra’s win a little more special knowing that he beat out all the rest.
Elezra got the top spot he was so grateful for through a range of fan nominations, which all had to be over 40, played for high stakes and against acknowledged top competition, and played consistently well throughout their career. These nominations included Mike Matusow, Michael Mizrachi, Layne Flack, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Antonio Esfandiari, Chris Ferguson, and Ted Forrest.
Once all the nominations were chosen, the existing members of the Hall of Fame cast their ballots for the top spot amongst the nominations, and Elezra was chosen.
He has been placed alongside some of the greats in the industry, including https://ggpoker.co.uk ambassador Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey and more.
What did he have to say?
“Amazing, amazing, thank you,” Elezra said when asked how it felt to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame after all these years. “For me to be alongside Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, and (Barry Greenstein), and even (Jack McClelland) and (Mori Eskandani), all those people. I finally made it.”
“To Chip [Reese] and Doyle [Brunson], I cannot thank you enough for teaching this fish to swim with the sharks,” Elezra added.
Founder of Cardplayer Lifestyle, Robbie Strazynski, who lives in Israel, was elated to find out just who is the newest member of the Poker Hall of Fame.
“Eli Elezra has long been Israel’s national poker hero,” Strazynski told PokerNews. “I believe I can safely speak for my fellow Israeli poker lovers and fans in saying that we couldn’t be more proud to have him as our country’s first ever representative in the Poker Hall of Fame.”
“On a personal note, I am so tremendously happy for Eli to have gotten inducted,” Strazynski said. “It’s the kind of recognition he has worked his entire career to earn.”
