Joe Hachem

Joe Hachem was born in Lebanon but moved to Melbourne, Australia, with his family in 1972. He took up poker after he was forced to give up his chiropractic practice due to a rare blood disorder in his hands.

In 2005 he survived a field of 5619 players to win the World Series of Poker No Limit Hold’em Championship Main Event and $7.5 million in first place prizemoney. Hachem was only at the world series in Las Vegas because a friend had won an entry via an online satellite. He decided to buy-in for $10,000 and test his luck in the main event, and the rest is poker history.

During his world series win, his catch phrase “Pass the Sugar” became famous on ESPN, as did the chants of ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’ from his Australian friends on the rail every time he won a pot.

Joe backed up his 2005 WSOP win with a series of impressive tournament placings, cashing in three events at the 2006 WSOP. In December 2006 he won the WPT Bellagio Five Diamond Classic, to become only the second poker player ever to surpass $US 10 million in career tournament winnings, and cementing his reputation as a legitimate poker champion.

As a member of Team PokerStars, Hachem has impressed fellow players and fans alike not just with his stellar play at the tables, but also with his friendly demeanor and willingness to be an ambassador for the game.

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Joe Hachem’s winning WSOP hand

7c 3s

The flop came 4-5-6, giving him the straight and defeating Steve Dannenmann’s A-3, pair of aces.

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Joe Hachem’s Poker Career Highlights

• 2005 WSOP Main Event winner – $7,500,000
• 2006 WPT Bellagio Five Diamond Classic winner – $2,182,075
• 2006 WSOP NL Holdem Short Handed – 2nd – $256,800
• 2006 WSOP PL Holdem – 4th – $90,482
• 2006 WSOP Main Event – 238th – $42,882
• One of four players to be both a WSOP and WPT Champion
• One of his dreams is to win the Aussie Millions

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Joe Hachem Quotes:

“Pass the SUGAR!”

“Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!”

“I used to be a lot more excitable. I’m of Lebanese origin so my blood is at boiling temperature at rest. I’m very emotional.”

“A million dollars changes my life, let alone $7.5 million. It changes everything…”

“The money’s great, I’d be lying if I said it’s not. But the bracelet is the thing. It’s an honor and a privilege to wear it.”

“I just thought I’d be world champion, get a nice endorsement and go back to my normal life. Bullshit, there’s nothing normal about my life these days!”