Poker’s Hall of Fame welcomes two more

Poker’s Hall of Fame welcomes two more

Friday, 19 October 2012

After months of drumming up support for Brain “Sailor” Roberts, Doyle Brunson can now sit back and smile as his departed friend has just been announced as the latest inductee into the Hall of Fame. Joined by Eric Drache, Roberts’ picture will hang alongside some of the best poker players to ever walk the earth.

The introduction of both Drache and Roberts represents the 43rd and 44th members of the elite club and continues the tradition of honouring those who’ve transcended the game. Indeed, while both players achieved a number of things on the felt, their influence away from it was just as great.


For instance, not only did Drache first propose the idea of a Poker Hall of Fame, but he also invented the satellite tournament. Now a staple of the game, these tournaments have helped thousands of people parlay a small amount into a life-changing sum of money.


While Roberts may not have invented a new tournament format, he was one of the original players who helped define the game. Commenting on Roberts, Crandell Addington said, “In a time fifty years ago when poker players relied on luck, Sailor was developing sophisticated strategies that would enable him to make his own luck. At a time in which professional poker players were viewed as outlaws and poker was illegal, he formed a partnership with Doyle and Slim and they travelled across the country from poker game to poker game.


“They deployed advanced strategies unknown at the time that featured playing their opponents hands on many occasions rather than their own hands. More often than not, they got the money.”


The official induction ceremony will take place on October 30th outside the Rio’s Penn & Teller Theatre.



Tags: WSOP, Hall of Fame, Brian 'Sailor' Roberts, Eric Drache