After months of speculation regarding who would be selected using what criteria, the list of 218 player was released Tuesday.
Membership in the league will be based on an individual player's adjusted lifetime earnings in qualifying tournaments; the number of major poker titles won; and the number of cashes and amount earned since 2008.
Qualifying tournaments include live open events with a minimum buy-in of $1,500.
Players can qualify for five, three and two-year tour cards based on their achievement level.
For the upcoming 2011-12 season, the league will issue 27 five-year cards, 55 three-year cards, and 136 two-year cards.
League Commissioner Annie Duke stated "“Our goal in setting the objective qualifying criteria was to capture the best live tournament players – not a certain set of personalities,” said league commissioner Annie Duke.
“Keeping the league membership small not only ensures the highest quality of tournament play, but also allows FS+G to provide a superior playing experience and outstanding service levels to our members.”
Beginning with the first tournament scheduled for August 9-12, the league’s first four $20k main events will feature $400,000 in added prize money.“Keeping the league membership small not only ensures the highest quality of tournament play, but also allows FS+G to provide a superior playing experience and outstanding service levels to our members.”
Combined with the league's $1,000,000 freeroll championship next February, FS+G is guaranteeing $2.6 million in added prize money to league members in its first year.
Each event will also begin with a satellite-style $1,500 Pro-Am awarding temporary league cards and main event entry to the top nine finishers.
Poker legend Doyle Brunson shared “This type of league has been a dream of mine for more than 50 years. I’m honored to be included in this elite group and look forward to the challenge of competing with so many other skilled live tournament players.”
The list is sure to be scrutinized by poker media, fans and players, but Annie Duke insisted:
“These players are an exciting mix of seasoned veterans and young talent,” added Duke. “They are the best of the best and we congratulate them on their achievements in poker and earning league membership in our inaugural season.”
The full list:
Akenhead, James 2 Year B
Alaei, Daniel 5 Year
Antonius, Patrik 2 Year A
Arieh, Josh 3 Year
Bach, David 2 Year A
Baker, David 2 Year B
Baker, David 2 Year B
Baldwin, Eric 3 Year
Bansi, Praz 2 Year A
Barbero, Jose Ignacio 2 Year B
Bari, Allen 2 Year B
Baron, Isaac 2 Year B
Bell, Christopher 3 Year
Benyamine, David 3 Year
Billirakis, Steve 2 Year B
Binger, Mike 3 Year
Binger, Nick 2 Year B
Bjorin, Chris 3 Year
Bloch, Andy 2 Year B
Bonavena, Salvatore 2 Year B
Bonomo, Justin 2 Year A
Boyd, Dutch 2 Year B
Brady, Matthew 2 Year B
Brecher, Steve 2 Year A
Brenes, Humberto 2 Year A
Brown, Chad 2 Year B
Brunson, Doyle 2 Year A
Buchanan, Shawn 3 Year
Buchman, Eric 3 Year
Busquet, Olivier 2 Year A
Cajelais, Erik 2 Year A
Cantu, Brandon 3 Year
Cernuto, John 3 Year
Chan, Johnny 5 Year
Channing, Neil 2 Year B
Chen, Andrew 2 Year B
Chiu, David 5 Year
Cimpan, Cornel 3 Year
Clements, Scott 5 Year
Corkins, Hoyt 5 Year
Cunningham, Allen 5 Year
Daneshgar, David 2 Year A
De Wolfe, Roland 5 Year
Deeb, Kassem (Freddy) 5 Year
Demidov, Ivan 2 Year B
DeWitt, Jason 2 Year B
Do, Quinn 2 Year A
Duke, Annie 2 Year A
Dwan, Tom 2 Year B
Eastgate, Peter 3 Year
Ellis, Mike 2 Year B
Esfandiari, Antonio 3 Year
Ferguson, Chris 5 Year
Filippi, Amnon 2 Year B
Flack, Layne 3 Year
Flowers, Randall 2 Year B
Forrest, Ted 2 Year A
Fricke, Jimmy 2 Year B
Froehlich, Eric 2 Year B
Giang, Chau 3 Year
Glantz, Matthew 2 Year B
Gomes, Alexandre 3 Year
Graham, Matthew 2 Year B
Greenstein, Barry 5 Year
Griffin, Gavin 2 Year A
Gromov, Dmitry 2 Year B
Grospellier, Bertrand 3 Year
Guoga, Antanas (Tony) 3 Year
Habib, Hasan 3 Year
Hachem, Joe 3 Year
Hairabedian, Roger 2 Year A
Hamrick, Dean 2 Year B
Hansen, Gus 2 Year A
Harder, Christian 2 Year B
Harman, Jennifer 2 Year A
Haxton, Isaac 2 Year B
Heimiller, Dan 2 Year A
Hellmuth, Phil 5 Year
Helppi, Juha 2 Year B
Hollink, Rob 3 Year
Isaia, Alessio 2 Year B
Ivey, Phil 5 Year
Jacob, Alex 2 Year A
Jacobo, Fernando 2 Year B
Jacobson, Martin Per 2 Year B
Jaka, Faraz 2 Year B
Jamshidi, Sirous 2 Year B
Jetten, Peter 2 Year B
Johnson, Marco 2 Year B
JØrgensen, Theo 2 Year A
Juanda, John 5 Year
Kabbaj, John 2 Year B
Karr, Mclean 2 Year B
Kassela, Frank 2 Year A
Katchalov, Eugene 3 Year
Keikoan, Matt 2 Year B
Kenney, Bryn 2 Year B
Kessler, Allen 2 Year B
Khan, Hafiz 2 Year B
Khan, Hevad 2 Year A
Kitai, Davidi 2 Year B
Klodnicki, Chris 2 Year B
Kostritsin, Alexander 3 Year
Kranich, Moritz 2 Year A
Krause, Andreas 2 Year B
Kravchenko, Alexander 3 Year
Kwaysser, Valdemar 2 Year B
Lacay, Ludovic 2 Year B
Langmann, Florian 2 Year B
Lawson, Ted 2 Year A
Lederer, Howard 5 Year
Lellouche, Antony 2 Year B
Leonidas, Toto 3 Year
Lester, Jason 2 Year A
Levy, Adam 2 Year B
Lichtenberger, Andrew 2 Year B
Liebert, Kathy 3 Year
Erick Lindgren 5 Year
Lisandro, Jeff 5 Year
Little, Jonathan 3 Year
Lunkin, Vitaly 3 Year
Mackey, James 2 Year B
Madsen, Jeff 3 Year
Mahmood, Ayaz 2 Year B
Makhija, Amit 2 Year B
Manole, Mihai 2 Year B
Marafioti, Matt 2 Year B
Marchese, Thomas 2 Year A
Markholt, Lee 2 Year A
Martin, Michael 2 Year A
Matros, Matt 2 Year B
Mattern, Arnaud 2 Year B
Matusow, Mike 5 Year
McDonald, Mike 3 Year
Medic, Nenad 3 Year
Mercier, Jason 3 Year
Minieri, Dario 2 Year B
Mizrachi, Michael 5 Year
Mizrachi, Robert 3 Year
Mizzi, Sorel 2 Year B
Molson, Will 2 Year B
Montgomery, Scott 2 Year B
Moore, Chris 2 Year B
Mortensen, Carlos 5 Year
Mueller, Greg 2 Year B
Negreanu, Daniel 5 Year
Nguyen, Men 5 Year
Nguyen, Scotty 5 Year
Obrestad, Annette 3 Year
Pagano, Luca 2 Year B
Papola, Jeffrey 2 Year B
Parker, John Brock 2 Year B
Pasqualini, Jean-Paul 2 Year B
Perry, Ralph 3 Year
Pescatori, Max 2 Year A
Pham, David 3 Year
Pham, Thang 2 Year A
Phan, John 5 Year
Phillips, Carter 2 Year B
Pilgrim, Dwyte 2 Year B
Racener, John 3 Year
Rajkumar, Vivek 3 Year
Ramdin, Annand (Victor) 3 Year
Raymer, Greg 2 Year A
Reinkemeier, Tobias 2 Year B
Rheem, David (Chino) 3 Year
Rinaldi, Claudio 2 Year B
Robl, Andrew 2 Year B
Rodman, Blair 2 Year A
Romanello, Roberto 2 Year B
Rouhani, Farzad 2 Year B
Rousso, Vanessa 2 Year B
Ruthenberg, Sebastian 3 Year
Saarisilta, Nichlas 2 Year B
Schulman, Nick 3 Year
Schwartz, Noah 2 Year B
Seed, Huck 5 Year
Seidel, Eric 5 Year
Seiver, Scott 2 Year A
Selbst, Vanessa 5 year
Shak, Daniel 2 Year B
Shamseddin, Soheil 2 Year B
Shorr, Shannon 3 Year
Shulman, Barry 3 Year
Singer, David 3 Year
Smith, Gavin 3 Year
Smith, Jordan 2 Year B
Smith, Justin 2 Year B
Smyth, Marty 2 Year A
Soulier, Fabrice 2 Year B
Sowers, Mike 2 Year B
Steicke, David 2 Year B
Stein, Samuel 2 Year B
Storakers, Johan 2 Year B
Sunar, Surinder 3 Year
Sung, Steve 2 Year B
Tehan, Joe 3 Year
Teltscher, Mark 2 Year A
Terry, Todd 2 Year B
Thew, Julian 2 Year B
Thien Le, Nam 3 Year
Thorson, William 2 Year B
Timoshenko, Yevgeniy 3 Year
Torelli, Alec 2 Year B
Tran, JC 5 Year
Trickett, Sam 2 Year B
Tureniec, Michael 2 Year A
Ulliott, Dave 3 Year
Van Alstyne, James 3 Year
Vedes, Tommy 2 Year B
Wahlbeck, Ville 2 Year B
Watkinson, Lee 3 Year
Watson, Michael 3 Year
Wattel, Mike 2 Year B
West, Timothy 2 Year B
Williams, David 3 Year
Young, Justin 2 Year B
Young, Ryan 2 Year B
