Joseph Hachem: Reflections of a World Series of Poker Champion

For most locals and tourists, it was a day like any other in the blistering summer heat of Downtown Las Vegas. But on July 15, 2005, nine men braced themselves for the challenge of a lifetime, competing at the final table of the World Series of Poker Championship.



There was plenty of pressure on the finalists. The difference between ninth place and first was $6.5 million. A strong finish also would guarantee corporate sponsorship for future tournaments. And any mistake they made would be hyperanalyzed by poker fans for years to come.



Yet, all the man in seat No. 1 could think about was the coveted diamond-and-gold bracelet that comes with the most prestigious title in the industry – World Series of Poker champion.



Joseph Hachem (pronounced "Ha-shem"), a dapper man with dark features and a brilliant smile, had played poker for nearly a decade, but was experiencing the WSOP for the first time. The 39-year-old Lebanese-born Australian citizen waited until his children were grown before jetting across the globe to Las Vegas.



Hachem already had turned in a satisfying WSOP performance, finishing 10th in the $1,000 no-limit hold'em event a few days before the championship began. While he just missed making that televised final table, he was content with his performance and could have returned home with pride. But his experience wouldn't be complete without participating in the championship. So, he entered the old-fashioned way, by plunking down $10,000 in cash.



Seven grueling days later, he'd outplayed and outlasted more than 5,000 contenders, and the proverbial "brass ring" was within reach. Sitting there amidst the other eight participants, attempting to digest the drama and wonder of the moment, he felt a rush of euphoria.



It was almost 5 p.m., and Benny's Bullpen was abuzz with media, fans, tournament staff, and players, all anxious for the event to begin. There was a moment of silence to honor those in the poker industry who had passed on, followed by a somber and dignified rendition of the national anthem.

Tournament Director Johnny Grooms introduced 2004 Champion Greg Raymer, who gallantly defended his title by placing 25th the day before. Raymer gave a stirring speech about what the WSOP experience meant to him. He finished by expressing his deep respect for the players at the table, saying, "Each one is a champion, though only one will officially earn the title."



Raymer passed the microphone back to Grooms, who introduced each of the nine players. "Joseph Hachem, from Melbourne, Australia," was the first to take his seat, and while his brother and cousin cheered from the stands, he received an even rowdier ovation from fellow countrymen. "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!" was heard throughout the arena.



All nine men would play their part in a performance that would be reported, related, captured, and aired over various media – but only one would emerge immortal.



Hachem struggled with a short stack for most of the day, until he caught a lucky break against Aaron Kanter with four players remaining. Hachem limped in from the button and Tex Barch called from the small blind. Kanter, in the big blind, raised to $1,240,000, and Hachem moved all in. Barch got out of the way, and Hachem and Kanter both stood up while Kanter requested a count. It would cost him another $500,000. He pondered for a moment and then called, showing pocket nines (9 9). Hachem turned over the Q 7, and would need to improve to stay alive. Right away, Hachem paired his queen on a flop of Q 8 2. The turn was the A, and Kanter had only two outs, needing a 9 to win. But, a deuce came on the river, and Hachem doubled up.



"Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!"
Hachem slowly but methodically increased his stack, and by the time Kanter and Barch hit the rail, he was in the lead going heads up against Steve Dannenmann. Scores of fans cheered "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!" each time the man from down under pulled in a pot.



Then, after 14 grueling hours of intense competition, it took just six hands for Hachem to acquire every chip on the table.



The blinds were $150,000-$300,000 with a $50,000 ante when Dannenmann made it $700,000 to go. Hachem called, and the flop came 6 5 4. Hachem checked to Dannenmann, who fired another $700,000 into the pot. Hachem came over the top for $1,700,000, and Dannenmann called. The A fell on the turn. Hachem made the first move with a $2,000,000 bet into Dannenmann, who quickly raised it to $5,000,000. Hachem thought for a while and then took his stand. "I'm all in." Without a moment's hesitation, Dannenmann called and showed the A 3, for top pair. But Hachem had made a straight on the flop with a mere 7 3. The only thing that could save Dannenmann was one of the three remaining sevens in the deck, which would counterfeit Hachem's hand to split the pot.



The entire crowd was on their feet. "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!" The river card was the 4, and with that, Hachem had done it. He was the world champion.

Time stopped as Hachem tried on the bracelet and toasted his victory with champagne. He shared the moment with the fans by taking a victory lap around the stage to the never-ending cheers of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!"



His first interview was with Norman Chad of ESPN. "The money's great, I'd be lying if I said it's not," said Hachem, "but the bracelet is the thing. It's an honor and a privilege to wear it."



That was then, and this is now. As we draw closer to the World Series of Poker, Joseph Hachem prepares to defend his title.



Lisa Wheeler: What was the World Series of Poker experience like for you last year?



Joseph Hachem: It will last forever in my heart and mind. It was an absolutely life-changing experience. The experience was a mixture of anxiety, exhaustion, stress, and exhilaration. Bring it on, brother!



LW: What was your frame of mind going into the World Series?



JH: I was totally confident in my game and my ability. The reasons were that I'd had a record-breaking year playing online, and my live tournament and cash results were great, also. Then I arrived in Las Vegas and destroyed the cash games. I entered the $1,000 no-limit hold'em rebuy event with its 850 entrants, and placed 10th. It was my first event outside of Australia and five times larger than any field I'd ever played live. I was feeling pretty good about myself and actually had to employ the help of my roommate in Las Vegas to check my ego. He reminded me to play my game and not get too cocky for my own good.



LW: What do you believe you took away from the overall experience?



JH: I have always known this: Winning the World Series of Poker helped reiterate to me how important it is to be true to myself. It's also important for me to make decisions I'll be proud of for years to come.



LW: How has winning the 2005 World Series of Poker changed your life?



JH: My life could not be more different. But, the important things still haven't changed. My family is still my number one priority.

LW: Describe your itinerary over the past year.



JH: Wow! Crazy is the only way to describe it. I've traveled all over the world in a short time and have been busy with tournaments, public appearances, and interviews. Here is a taste of my travels for the month of May 2006: Melbourne to L.A. to New Orleans to London to Norway to Sweden; back to London and L.A., then on to Las Vegas. I'm going from there to New Orleans, then back to L.A., and home to Melbourne. Remember, that's one month.



LW: What are your duties and responsibilities as poker ambassador for PokerStars?



JH: What I represent as ambassador for Pokerstars is the same as my image within the poker industry – to portray poker in a positive light. I always strive to be as good an ambassador as I can be for the poker world, whilst promoting the benefits of playing online poker.



LW: What are the benefits of this marriage between you and PokerStars?



JH: I started playing online poker on PokerStars in 2001. I had played hundreds of their tournaments before winning the World Series of Poker. I believe it's the number one online tournament site, which has 100,000 players logged on at any given moment. This means a player can find any game at any time. As for PokerStars.com as a company, they are by far the most reputable and honorable people I've ever dealt with. So, PokerStars is the perfect fit. We are both in the business of promoting poker and lifting its image in the public eye.



LW: What are your proudest accomplishments since becoming a World Series of Poker champion?



JH: I'm proud of making it deep in several tournaments. But most of all I'm proud of how I've handled the responsibilities of being "the face of poker" since July 2005. I am very happy with my fifth-place finish in the World Series of Poker Tournament Circuit Paris/Bally's $10,000 no-limit hold'em event. I believe I was robbed of a win after my opponent made a totally ridiculous play. He raised all in with J-10 offsuit against my pocket kings.



Here is that play as described by the live updates log of CardPlayer.com:



Kido Pham had the button in seat No. 2, J.C. Tran raised to $18,000, Pham reraised to $50,000, and Joseph Hachem came over the top for a total of $150,000. Tran folded, and Pham thought for a moment before moving all in. At first, Hachem wanted to know what he was in for, and asked for a count of Pham's remaining chips. But, then it hit him: "It doesn't matter." Said Hachem, "I call." Hachem turned over a pair of kings (K K), while Pham showed only the J 10.



As the chips were counted down, Scotty Nguyen said, "I threw away the other two kings, baby." The crowd exploded into laughter, releasing the tension of the big all-in situation.



Hachem still had Pham out-chipped and outdistanced. Pham needed to improve to stay alive.



The merciless flop came J J 2, and Pham had caught trip jacks to take the lead. The air was let out of the crowd, which appeared very pro-Hachem. It became pretty quiet in the tournament arena.



The turn card was the 6, and Hachem needed to catch a king on the river to seek justice. But, the A fell on the river, and Kido Pham doubled up in a huge pot to take the lead with about $600,000 in chips.



Hachem was still alive, but down to his last $40,000.



JH: Oh well, that's poker.



LW: Have you continued to develop your game online or in live tournament events?

JH: I began by playing poker in brick-and-mortar establishments, but playing online and practicing my strategy has been an integral part of my personal training.



LW: It's clear that you have a background in business. Are you still a broker, or have you put that occupation aside to focus on traveling and playing in tournaments?



JH: I'm concentrating on my poker career, which has been my wish for many years. Winning the World Series of Poker has made that dream a reality. I feel very privileged.



LW: What will be your role in representing PokerStars during the 2006 World Series?



JH: Playing the best poker of my life and being a good ambassador for PokerStars and the poker industry.



LW: What events will you be playing?



JH: I'll play some of the higher buy-in preliminary events, and the H.O.R.S.E. event is getting a lot of buzz. I'll probably give it a try. But I'll be entering the main event, of course.



LW: How does your mindset differ this year from last year, going into the World Series?



JH: There is a lot more pressure on me to perform this year. The fans' expectations are high. Poker players have a different perspective and understand how difficult it is to win any tournament, let alone the World Series of Poker. I'm going to play the best poker I can and dodge as many bullets as possible. I'm sure the snipers will have me in their sights and that I'll be a tempting target.



LW: Which player has influenced you, and which do you most respect?

JH: I'll never forget when an unwell gentleman stood up from his motorized cart and hobbled over to congratulate me, a total stranger, on winning the World Series of Poker. That was a moment. And you know what? I think Doyle Brunson is undoubtedly "the man." He's the epitome of a poker professional who continues to compete at the highest caliber.



LW: What do you believe are the most critical elements in becoming a successful poker player?



JH: It's important to identify your own strengths and weaknesses. It's also critical to utilize self-discipline. Without it, you're a loser "full stop." To understand your limits and manage a bankroll is the one critical element that leads players who can't or won't apply self-discipline to simply "go broke."



I encourage everyone to just have fun at poker, because if you're not having fun, you should get a day job.