John Cernuto, known to many in the poker world as “Miami John,” passed away at the age of 81 after a prolonged battle with colon cancer.
Cernuto spent the last days of his life in hospice care, surrounded by his family and friends. He leaves behind a reputation as one of the best mixed game players in the poker world, and one of the most respected members of the poker community.
His poker career spanned more than four decades, and in that time he managed to amass 597 live tournament cashes, more than any other player in the world.
This record and his impeccable reputation in the poker circles led the likes of actor and poker player James Woods to make a case for Cernuto to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.
A Poker Champion to His Final Days
Born in 1944, Miami John worked as an air traffic controller until the 1980s, when he was one of the many fired during the Ronald Reagan administration in 1981.
He took on poker in the 80s, and started recording his first official tournament cashes in 1987, according to Hendon Mob.
From his early days as a poker player, Cernuto was a jack of all trades, playing Texas Hold’me, Omaha, Stud, and other poker games, seemingly with the same level of proficiency.
Over his career that spanned decades, Cernuto won three WSOP bracelets, two WSOPC rings, and dozens of other tournaments across different poker tours and standalone events.
He amassed nearly $6.5 million in tournament winnings, despite never getting involved in the “high roller” tournament scene. Most of his cashes came in events where buyins ranged from $200 to $1,500, which makes his feats even more impressive.
Even late in his career, Miami John still had what it takes to battle with the very best players in the world, as evidenced by his performances at the recent WSOP festivals.
In July 2024, less than a year before his passing, Cernuto placed 3rd in the $1,500 Eight Game Mix event at the WSOP, while making multiple deep runs at other events at the same festivals.
His incredible talent for poker games and his inexhaustible stamina made John into a true poker legend whose name will be remembered by thousands of players who played with him for decades to come.
A Strong Case for a HOF Induction
The Poker Hall of Fame is an elite club, reserved for the best and most deserving players in the poker community.
The rules of the Poker HOF indicate that any candidate must have stood the test of time and competed against the best players in the world, which Cernuto has done at a level few other players have.
With nearly four decades spent as a professional poker player and countless wins on the tournament circuit, Miami John has built a legacy that most players can only dream of.
The competition for PHOF inductions will be stiff in the years to come, with many amazing players deserving of a place among the poker elite, but the name of John Cernuto certainly deserves a very strong consideration.
A case for Cernuto’s induction into the PHOF was made last year by his friend James Woods, who got into poker mostly thanks to John.
The prominent actor and a regular on the mixed game circuit argued that John taught him and many other players how to think about the game of poker and left an everlasting mark on the poker world.
Whether he makes it into the Hall of Fame or not, Cernuto’s legacy in the poker community will live on through generations of younger players who admired and respected him as one of the toughest competitors in their sport.
