December 19, 2005 (Atlanta, GA) – Poker is a game of power: The power to be courageous, the power to win with nothing in your hand but a fistful of determination and the power to turn rags into royal flushes. Bluff Magazine polled a panel of industry heavyweights and poker pundits to identify the most powerful and influential names at the final table of the poker industry – ‘The Poker Power 20’. This definitive list ranks individuals and organizations based on their demonstrated ability and willingness to be an evolutionary force in the industry.
‘The Poker Power 20’ is more than a list of top money earners in poker. “To truly reflect the juggernaut that poker has become, ‘The Poker Power 20’ includes the companies, the brains trusts and the innovators that have aided poker’s phenomenal commercial success,” said Bluff Editor, Michael Caselli.
The near exponential growth of poker can be measured in more than just financial terms. Poker’s success and influence is now felt all across the entire social spectrum and can be measured by the number of celebrities, heroes and revered entrepreneurs it has created, along with the unbelievable amount of new players it is attracting. All those finalists honoured in ‘The Poker Power 20’ have been integral components of this redefinition of poker in the public consciousness.
The list of finalists includes modern-day poker heroes such as Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese, Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu, and Phil Hellmuth – everyone’s favorite guy to love to hate. It also includes behind-the-scenes poker movers and shakers such as tournament director Johnny Grooms, player agent Brian Balsburgh and WPT co-founders Steve Lipscomb and Lyle Berman. Additionally, ‘The Poker Power 20’ honors pioneering websites such as PartyPoker and PokerStars.
The results of Bluff Magazine’s ‘Poker Power 20’ will be available in its January issue.