| |
Joseph Hachem
Joseph Hachem was born in Lebanon but moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1972 where he still resides with his wife, Jeannie, and their four children. Hachem worked as a chiropractor for 13 years before a rare blood disorder in his hands forced him to quit - he then worked in mortgage-broking where he claims he had his ups and downs. During that time, Hachem began playing poker at first in casinos, but for the past two years has been playing mainly online. Little was known about this part-time poker player before the 2005 World Series of Poker, but now the world knows him as the man who won the biggest prize pool in the history of poker - 7.5 million dollars and a shiny $63,000 bracelet to boot. Joseph Hachem fulfilled every poker players dream, outlasting 5,619 players including almost all of the game's top professionals to win the most coveted title in poker after nine days of grueling competition at the Rio Hotel and Casino then finally Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. The final table lasted an amazing 14 hours and in the end produced 9 millionaires but only one champion. Some pessimists belittle Joseph's prize of 7.5 million pointing out how much will be lost to U.S. and Australian taxes, but they're forgetting about the tens of millions in commercial contracts that instantly surrounded Hachem after the win - and if he "plays his cards right", he'll easily triple or quadruple the amount of the prize money during the year he reigns champion.
Although the WSOP victory is Hachem's first major tournament win (and first ever entry into the WSOP) he was on his way to building a name for himself in Australia with around $40,000 in tournament winnings from various cashes including: 5th place in the Australasian Poker Championships $1,000 No Limit Hold 'em event, 3rd place in the 2003 Crown Melbourne Championships Limit Hold 'em event, and 5th place in the 2004 Melbourne Holdem Championships Limit Hold 'em event. Also, at the 2005 WSOP, Hachem had a respectable 10th place finish in the $1,000 No Limit Hold 'em event collecting $25,850. Joseph Hachem is the first WSOP Champion in three years that didn't win his seat to the Main Event through an online satellite tournament, although several players at this year final table did, most of them earning more than the champions of any previous year. Become the next Joseph Hachem - check out our guide for getting started in online poker.
Click here for the
Joseph Hachem
stats page
|
|
