When the Poker Hall of Fame was established in 1979, the purpose was to recognize the best players in the game. It wasn't until years later that specific criteria were put in place to also honor those who have contributed significantly to the game, not just those who won the most money or tournaments.

And finally, after more than 30 years, more women are being nominated for the Hall of Fame as stand-out performers at the tables, and for their role in the expansion of poker beyond the male gender.

The only woman to have ever been inducted in the Poker Hall of Fame was Barbara Enright, who was honored alongside Phil Hellmuth in 2007. Since that time, the public has been asked to nominate their own choices. Though a select committee of vastly predominantly male HOF members and poker media make the final decisions, the poker public can weigh in. And they have.

This year, Jennifer Harman, Annie Duke, and Linda Johnson have been nominated by public voting. Harman and Johnson have been voted into the process before, while this is the first time for Duke. Out of the final ten nominees to be considered for induction, 30 percent are female.

That number says something. It says that women have been ignored for their contributions to poker for far too long, and the public is fully aware that they must be recognized. All three have met the criteria: played against acknowledged top competition, played for high stakes, played consistently well and gained the respect of peers, and stood the test of time.

And they have done more. All have been actively involved in charitable endeavors for many years, donating their time and efforts and wielding their influence in the poker community, to raise money for a number of causes.

They have also met the non-player criteria of contributing to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, as their actions and accomplishments have encouraged more women to play poker through the years, slowly starting the process of overcoming the gender barrier in the game. Though only three percent of live tournament fields are comprised of women, those women have less discrimination and sexism to face than 30 years ago because of the efforts of women like Harman, Johnson, and Duke. And more women are playing live cash game poker, in addition to organizing women-only tournaments that continue to grow in popularity each year.

Typically, only one or two players are inducted each year. A total of 35 current Hall of Fame members and hand-selected media members will cast their votes, and those obtaining the proper percentage will be announced in mid-October.

All three have a chance to take a seat in the HOF, though Duke is the most controversial of the three. Some in the poker community have cited her former business relationship with UltimateBet as a reason for her to be overlooked, but that sentiment has not been expressed by anyone with voting rights. And Duke’s longtime poker successes certainly overshadow unproven allegations. Harman has two WSOP bracelets and a great deal of success in tournament poker herself, as well as being recognized as one of the highest stakes cash game players in the world. Johnson has long been an ambassador for poker, fought hard for women’s rights in the game, and is one of the most respected members of the community.

As far as the male nominees, Barry Greenstein and Tom McEvoy also fit into a category of players very popular with the public and respected by their peers. Scotty Nguyen is not without controversy, though. The others are Huck Seed, Marcel Luske, John Juanda, and Jack McClelland, all of whom have support but possibly not enough to be inducted this year for their lifetime accomplishments.

While the Women in Poker Hall of Fame honors many women in poker for their contributions to the industry, the larger HOF that has been in existence since 1979 is more recognized by the poker community as a whole. Inducting another woman (or two) to join Barbara Enright in that list of extraordinary names will make the HOF more relevant to all members of the poker world. Should the women of the industry truly be recognized by that organization over time, the WiPHoF will become irrelevant.

It has been my opinion since the inception of WiPHoF that a separate women-only HOF should not be necessary. Inducting more women to the primary HOF of poker will go a long way to supporting that stance.

(Note: I am not a voting member of the Hall of Fame media committee and have no influence on voting whatsoever.)

See also: He Said: Poker Hall of Fame No Longer a (Mostly) Men’s Club