Australian Poker Hall of Fame 2009 | www.PokerNetwork.com

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Welcome to the Australian Poker Hall of Fame

PokerNetwork, in association with Maurie Pears and Crown Casino, are proud to honour the achievements of poker players and administrators throughout Australasia.
Click "2009" below to view the original 8 APHOF inductees.
Click "2010" to view last year's inductees.
Click "2011" to view which Australian poker figures are up for nomination this year. Click "2012" to view last year's inductees.

Joe Hachem

The hometown hero and world champion is still feted for his triumph in the WSOP 2005 and the follow up prestigious WPT Five Diamond Classic in 2006. He remains one of the five players to have won both events. He has had a spectacular influence on the growth of the game in Australia and continues to this day.

Jeff Lisandro

One of the world’s highest rated players in both cash and tournament, this Perth born pro won his first WSOP bracelet in 2007 after finishing runner up in the Pot Limit Holdem event. After some 20 years in pro poker at home and abroad he remains a prestigious player and a constant challenger for tournament honours.

Bill Argyros

One of our most colourful players, “The Croc” is a multiple winner of tournaments on both sides of the Tasman and overseas. He captained Australia in the 2003 Shane Warne Poker Ashes and has been MC and consultant to Foxtel and others.

Lee Nelson

In the past few years this USA/NZ expatriate has compiled an envious record in the Asian Pacific region and in the PokerNetwork Australasian Rankings. “Final Table” remains a leader in tournament poker, a recognised poker author, a TV personality and a strong supporter of Australian poker.

Mel Judah

He may now spend most of his times overseas but this long time player has been active in Australian Poker since 1981. Long regarded as the father of Aussie poker he remains a legend in his own time, winning two WSOP bracelets 1989 and 1991 and made the final table in the 1997 WSOP main event. The WPT win at the Bicycle in 2003 adds to these remarkable achievements

Gary Benson

The man in the black jacket has been around since the first Casino tournament in Tasmania 1981. He is one of the few Australians to have won a WSOP bracelet (Stud 1996) and is regarded as one of our most consistent poker performers.

Tony Guoga

This Lithuanian born pro’s enviable poker record includes successive final tables in the WPT Grand Prix de Paris. He was European Poker Champion in 2005 and won the first Asian Poker Tour title in Singapore 2006. Owner of PokerNews and PokerNetwork, he has had considerable influence on the growth of Poker in Australia.

Maurie Pears

Maurie is an early veteran of Poker in Australia who has been active in the promotion and development of the game since 1981 both as an owner of Casinoz and PokerNetwork as well as a player of note. He has taken a significant role in the growth of Casino Tournament Poker in Australasia before his retirement from play in 2007. He retains an active interest in casino poker activities and was responsible for the establishment of the Australian Poker Hall of Fame which was recently launched in association with Crown Casino and PokerNetwork.