He stunned the world of poker after beating a record-breaking 5,618 player field in the World Series of Poker 2005, where he won a tremendous prize cash sum of $7,500,000. That’s right, we’re obviously having Joseph Hachem in mind, also known to some as Joe Hachem.
Born in Lebanon, Joseph Hachem moved to Melbourne, Australia in the early 1970s where he worked as a mortgage broker, and later on a chiropractor. Joe is married and now a father of four children. We assume he is a good provider by now.
Hachem began playing poker at a serious level in 2003 and became a well-known character at the tables in Australia. His success was only in small numbers and his full time job lasted for quite some time, until he faced Aaron Kanter with a short stack in a tournament he was not supposed to win.
Full Tilt Poker Bonus CodeIn early 2005, Hachem was tempted to join the World Series of Poker main event, after his friend had won a trip and the entry fee on Poker Stars. Instead of attempting to win a qualifier online, he paid the full sum of $10,000. The fact that Hachem had already finished at 10th place at an earlier WSOP $1,000 NL tournament prompted him to make yet another attempt. His take on the main event was probably the best investment in his life as he lasted all the way to the heads-up against Steve Dannenmann. Not only did Joe beat him. He won with one of the lowest starter hands in the history of WSOP, after being dealt 7-3 of spades. Hachem went for a gutshot and called a pre-flop raise and realized that when the flop dealt 6-5-4, he was just two cards away from $7,5 million. A minute later the venue was filled with excited Aussies who couldn’t believe that their countryman was the winner.
Today, Hachem still plays poker at a very high level. Despite winning the largest poker tournament in the world, Hachem invests a lot of time at the online poker room tournaments. He is currently endorsing Poker Stars and has always done so, even before winning WSOP 2005. With over 100,000 raked hands, you are not that unlikely to find him at some of the high stake tables. So what are you waiting for? Go hunt some Lebanese.