Poker Player Profile: Joe Hachem

Joe Hachem is Australia’s top ranked poker player. A chiropractor turned WSOP main event winner, Joe Hachem became an instant poker celebrity when he claimed the $7 million main prize at the 2005 World Series of Poker.

Joe Hachem Stats:

Birth Date: 03/11/1966

WSOP Bracelets: 1

Tournament wins: 2

Money finishes: 28

Total prize money: $10,414,659

Residence: Melbourne, Australia

Joe Hachem Bio:

Joe Hachem moved from Lebanon to Australia as a six year old. He studied medicine, eventually qualifying as a chiropractor. In 2002, at age 36, Joe Hachem was forced to give up his career as a chiropractor due to the diagnosis of a rare blood disease.

Joe Hachem Poker Career:

While working as a chiropractor Joe Hachem had been an enthusiastic recreational poker player, playing both online and at his local casino. When his career as a chiropractor came to a sudden end, Hachem decided to focus all his energy on playing top level tournament poker.

Between August 2000 and July of 2005, Joe Hachem made slow but steady progress in his tournament poker play, finishing in the money at ten local poker tournaments. This modest success prompted Hachem to travel to Las Vegas for the 2005 World Series of Poker.

Within days of arriving in Las Vegas, Joe Hachem achieved his first taste of success at the World Series of Poker. Finishing in 10th place in the No Limit Hold ‘em event and winning $25,000, which he then used to purchase an entry into the WSOP main event.

Joe Hachem moved through most of the No Limit Hold ‘em main event short stacked, and only moved into the chip leader position when three players were left at the final table. Hachem hit a straight on the final flop of the tournament to win the $7.5 million main prize.

Joe Hachem Playing Style

Joe Hachem is notorious for his explosive temper and unpredictable style of play. His tendency to play to the river with weaker hands makes him a bad beat risk for his opponents, and he takes advantage of this by playing all his hands very aggressively.