Joseph Hachem Gears Up for 2006 WSOP

Wednesday, May 10, 2006
by BroadbandPoker.com Staff and AP

With the 2006 World Series of Poker just a little more than a month away, one has to wonder what 2005 Main Event Champion Joseph Hachem has been up to and will he be ready to defend his title?

Hachem currently is on a European tour ahead of this defense of his WSOP Main Even title.

He appreciates the chance to travel, but has so far resisted moving from Melbourne to the United States.

Joseph Hachem recently said this when speaking to Australian Press.

"It's been a pretty tough decision because from a professional point of view, I should be in the United States but from a family point of view I need to be at home," Hachem said.

"My kids are 15, 13, 11 and 10 and it's an important time for their dad to be around - my family is my priority.

He insists the $7.5 million won at last year's World Series of Poker (WSOP) has not changed his life.

"The money hasn't changed my life at all."

"The fame and the social status has changed, but my life before I won the World Series was good anyway - I had a nice house, a nice life."

"The money didn't go to my head, I didn't suddenly go and buy a Ferrari or all that other stuff."

Hachem was a relative nobody when he attended the WSOP last year, but will be a walking target for big game hunters over the Vegas felt this July.

"I'm not just another player any more," Hachem said.

"When I go back, I'll be studied and scrutinised and watched, and others will have higher expectations."

"Now I'm a walking target."

"When I come to the table people want to take me down, bust me out of the tournament just so they can have a story to tell."

"To them, its worth their $10,000 entry fee to say I played against Joe Hachem today."

So why not quit while ahead then, why take the risk?

"To me, its a business," Hachem said.

"Over the long run, poker is close to 70-30 in terms of skill to luck."

"So, I'm not going back to see if I can get lucky."

Since his win, there had been huge growth of poker participation in Australian casinos and online since the last three WSOP Main Event winners all played or qualified online through Poker Stars.

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