The World Champion is an Aussie

At 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 16 at the 2005 World Series of Poker championship event, I was commentating live for CardPlayer.com and RealNetworks: "With four players left in the championship, the blinds at $120,000-$240,000, and a $30,000 per man ante, Joseph Hachem calls $240,000 on the button. Golf pro 'Tex' Barch calls from the small blind, and 26-year-old Aaron Kanter does what he's been doing successfully for the last 12 hours – he raises $1 million more. Kanter has won a lot of money by making his opponents fold their hands before the flop. What's this? Hachem has just announced that he's all in!"



Just then, a loud, quick, rhythmic chant came from the crowd: "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!"



I continued with my commentary: "Kanter looks interested and has asked for a chip count. The dealer counts down the chips and determines that the raise is roughly $5 million more. After a moment, Kanter calls and flips up his holecards: the 9 9. Now, Hachem shows the Q 7. What a great call Kanter has made here! He picked off the Hachem bluff and now Kanter is a two and a half to one favorite to win the $13 million pot and eliminate the Australian Hachem. Hachem will need a queen, a diamond flush, trip sevens, or a fluky straight of some kind to win this pot. Here comes the flop. Wow, the flop is Q-8-2, and Hachem has hit his miracle queen for the biggest pot of his life!

Dannenmann	Hachem

"Now, Kanter needs some help. He will need a 9, or a running jack-10 to make a straight. With a turn card ace and a river deuce, Hachem has doubled up. What a tough beat here for Kanter. He made the call of his life and still lost the pot. You have to feel for him here. I don't blame Hachem for making the move, considering that Kanter has been raising and reraising him for the last 12 hours of play. But give maximum credit to Kanter for making the tough call with pocket nines."



Let's now fast-forward to 6:30 a.m., as my commentary continues: "With two players left, the blinds at $150,000-$300,000, and a $50,000 per man ante, Steve Dannenmann makes it $700,000 to go on the button. Of course, Hachem will call with almost any two cards because the raise is so small relative to the size of the pot.



Here comes the flop, the 6 5 4, and Hachem checks. Dannenmann bets out $700,000, and Hachem makes it $1.7 million to go. Dannenmann calls the $1 million raise, and the next card is the A. Hachem bets out $2 million, and Dannenmann starts talking to him. Hachem is silent for the moment. Dannenmann better be careful here. He has a ton of chips left, and there is no need to go crazy with a lone pair or a bluff when his opponent may have him in bad shape. But Dannenmann raises $3 million more, and now Hachem moves all in! Hachem is talking to Dannenmann as Dannenmann contemplates calling his last $15 million off. Dannenmann calls!



"Now, the hands are flipped up. There's 7-3 for Hachem, which adds up to a made straight! And A-3 for Dannenmann, which adds up to one pair of aces and a straight draw. Oh boy, I really hate the way Dannenmann played this hand. Why put all of your chips at risk with one pair? After all, he had $20 million left and the board looked really threatening. In my opinion, Dannenmann shouldn't have raised $3 million, and for sure should have folded for the $15 million reraise.



After all, it is easy to give Hachem credit for two pair, a straight, or even a better ace, like A-7. The cold, hard fact remains that Dannenmann put $20 million into the pot when drawing dead to a tie!



"In any case, Dannenmann will need a 7 on the last card to tie, or Hachem is your 2005 World Champion. The last card is a 4! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!"



Congratulations, Joseph, your picture will look good on the World Champions of Poker wall!