button in Safari
Team PokerStars Player Profile -- Joe Hachem
Age: 40
Career Highlights: 2005 WSOP Main Event winner, 2006 WPT Five-Diamond Classic winner.
Born in Lebanon, Hachem moved to Australia in the early 1970s where he worked as a chiropractor and mortgage broker. Married with four children, he shocked the poker world by beating a record-breaking 5619-player field in the 2005 World Series Main Event and pocketing $7.5 million for his championship win. In 2005, he made the decision to play in the WSOP only after his friend won a seat on PokerStars. Hachem becomes the fourth World Series champion to call PokerStars his home.
Joe Hachem was a chiropractor by trade before a rare blood disease made him give up his work. It also could have been a factor that helped him win the World Series. By giving up his work as a chiropractor, Hachem spent more time playing poker. He has made two final tables in Australian No-Limit Texas Hold'em events along with earning final table berths in Pot-Limit Omaha and Pot-Limit Texas Hold'em. Before the 2005 Main Event, Hachem placed 10th in the $1,000 No-Limit Texas Hold'em Rebuy Event. He just missed the final table in this event, but outlasted 884 other players to take home $25,850. This would prove to be chicken scratch compared to what he was about to win.
After Joe Hachem's friend won a satellite playing on PokerStars, Hachem decided to join him for the trek to the United States and try the Big Dance for himself.
Hachem battled his way through the massive tournament, one time facing elimination after calling an all-in with pocket threes. It was the half-way mark in the tournament and Hachem hit a three on the flop to give him a set and keep him alive.
Being one of the smaller stacks at the final table, Hachem battled back to face off against Steve Dannenmann for the 2005 World Series Championship bracelet. After some battles back and forth, the defining hand happened. Hachem, holding 7-3 offsuit, called a raise by Dannenmann, who held A-3 offsuit. The board came 6-5-4 giving Hachem the flopped straight and left Dannenmann hoping to hit his open-ended straight draw. When the ace fell on fourth street, Hachem came out betting and found himself getting raised by Dannenmann. Hachem went all in and got the call he wanted. A four of clubs came on the river and so did Hachem's 2005 World Series Championship title.
Cheers of "Aussie, Aussie, Oi!, Oi!, Oi!" came from Australian supporters in the crowd. Joe wrapped himself in a Australian flag and shouted, "Thank you, America!" Hachem has started a poker craze in Australia with his Main Event win. He is only the fourth non-American to ever win the World Series Championship, an event he underlined late in 2006 when he captured the prestigious WPT Five-Diamond Classic title (ironically after a memorable final table battle with new Team PokerStars member Daniel Negreanu).