You knew this was coming, as many poker pros are tired of dealing with the swell of amateurs showing up at poker tournaments.

When he ran the World Series of Poker, Jeffrey Pollack welcomed entries by the thousands with the mantra, “Anybody can enter, anybody can win.” He is now launching a pro league aimed at showcasing poker’s proven somebodies.

USA TODAY has obtained eligibility criteria and a list of 218 players approved to compete, if they choose, when play begins Aug. 9-12 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Eligibility combines poker earnings and titles with a heavy dose of what-have-you-done-lately?

The list of players eligible is topped by such stars as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth. But they are far outnumbered by pros who’ve built consistent winnings without celebrity.Those absent include a $12-million winner at the 2006 World Series.

Qualifier Annie Duke has decided not to play and instead become the commissioner. Meanwhile, some like Chris Moneymaker are not on the eligibility list. Duke explained that he’s “on the bubble.”