Born in Lebanon in 1972 and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Joseph Hachem achieved worldwide poker fame and fortune after winning the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Hachem worked as a chiropractor for several years before a rare blood disorder made it too difficult to continue his work. Before playing poker he also worked as a mortgage broker.
Little was known about this part-time poker player before the 2005 World Series of Poker. With his win in 2005 came a prize of $7.5 million and a $63K gold bracelet. During that game, 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 Hold'em 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.
Player Stats
2008: 5th place Victorian Poker Championship A$1,000 H.O.R.S.E.
2008: 23rd place WSOP $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.
2008: 35th place WSOP $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
2008: 11th place EPT Grand Final Main Event
2008: 20th place WPT Bay 101 Shooting Stars Championship Event
2008: 6th place Canadian Open Poker Championship No Limit Hold’em
2007: 8th place APPT Macau Main Event No Limit Hold’em
2007: 3rd place Victorian Poker Championship A$15,250 No Limit Hold’em
2007: 10th place Victorian Poker Championship A$1,100 No Limit Hold’em
2007: 98th place WSOP $1,000 No Limit Hold’em
2007: Winner Poker After Dark II WSOP Champions II
2007: 23rd place Aussie Millions Main Event
2007: Winner WPT 5th Annual Five Diamond World Poker Classic Doyle Brunson N. American Poker Classic No Limit Hold’em
2007: 238th place WSOP Main Event
2007: 4th place WSOP $2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em
2006: 15th place WSOP $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em
2006: 2nd place WSOP $2,500 Short Handed No Limit Hold’em
2006: 3rd place Melbourne Australia Hold’em Championship Main Event
2006: 7th place EPT Scandinavian Open DKr 10,000 No Limit Hold’em
2006: 67th place WPT Pokerstars.com Caribbean Adventure Main Event No Limit Hold’em
2005: 5th place WSOP Circuit Event $10,000 Championship Event
2005: Winner WSOP Main Event
2005: 10th place WSOP $1,000 No Limit Hold’em
2005: 15th place Crown Australian Poker Championship A$1,000 Pot Limit Hold’em
2004: 9th place Crown Victorian Poker Championship A$1,000 Main Event
2004: 15th place Crown Victorian Poker Championship A$200 Pot Limit Hold’em
2003: 3rd place Crown Melbourne Championship A$150 Limit Hold’em
2003: 8th place Crown Australian Poker Championship A$360 Hold’em
2002: 5th place Australian Poker Championships A$1,000 No Limit Hold’em
2001: 16th place Australian Poker Championship A$1,500 No Limit Hold’em
2000: 4th place Crown Australian Poker Championship A$360 Pot Limit Omaha