Joe Hachem Back on Top

2005 World Series of Poker champion, Joe Hachem, has proven to be quite the champion since his $7.5 million victory last year. He cashed four times at the 2006 WSOP, including two final tables and a deep run in the Main Event and final tabled a WSOP Circuit event, as well. Now, to top off the year, he has won the $15,000 Doyle Brunson North American Poker Classic at the 2006 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio (mouthful, yes). Coming out on top in a tournament with one of the largest prize pools in WPT history has its privileges, namely a $2,207,575 check and a $25,000 in the WPT World Championship.

It was a good looking final television table to start, with a healthy mix of new faces and accomplished professionals. Fan favorite, Daniel Negreanu, began the day as the chip leader with $4.67 million in chips, but 2006 WPT Scandinavian Open champ, Mads Andersen was close behind. Hachem, Edward Jordan, David Redlin, and Jim Hanna were all bunched up behind them, ranging from $2.3 million down to $1.8 million. With the rapidly increasing blind and ante structure of WPT events, it was still anyone’s tournament, although the favorites definitely looked to be the top three. Not only did they have the most chips, but they were the most seasoned of the bunch.

Negreanu and Hachem both came out swinging, winning most of the first several pots. Negreanu added to his chip lead right out of the gate, winning a pot worth well over $1 million. He followed that up not a half hour later with a knockout of Jordan, A-K over 8-7. Hand number thirteen proved quite unlucky for Jordan, but he still won $169,145.

At this point, it already looked like Negreanu wouldn’t be stopped. He had doubled his chip stack up to $9 million, triple that of Hachem in second place. The race for second was on. Or was it?

Just five hands later, after some raising and re-raising pre-flop, Hachem and Redlin got all of their chips into the pot, Hachem with a dominating Q-Q over Redlin’s A-Q. Redlin nailed his Ace on the turn, though, leaving Hachem with one solitary out, the last Queen, or Redlin was doubling it. As if to make up for all the suck outs he endured at final tables (not to mention his A-A falling to J-J in the WSOP Main Event this year), Hachem was graced by the poker gods, as his two percent odds to win came through with the glorious Queen of diamonds. Redlin was re-sucked out on to depart in fifth place.

At a break a short while later, Negreanu was still in control, but he was down over $1 million from his peak, while Hachem had risen about the same. The other two players had made up some ground, as well, particularly Hanna, who had virtually doubled up.

The hand after the break, Andersen took a tumble, losing around $1.7 million to Hachem. Hachem rivered two pair with Q-J, but it is unknown whether or not the river actually did it for him, as Andersen mucked his cards. With blinds at $50,000/$100,000 after that hand, Andersen was in desperation mode with only about $1 million remaining in his stack. Andersen obviously knew this, too, as aside from one limp, his only move pre-flop was all-in.

That move finally worked out the fourth time he did it, when he pushed with A-Q and was called by Negreanu and his A-9. The best hand held up and Andersen doubled through Negreanu. Unfortunately, he gave it all back and then some on the next two hands, as Negreanu took him out on the fortieth hand of the final table.

After this, Hachem went on a tear, winning four of the next six hands, growing his stack to $6.5 million, now within striking distance of Negreanu’s $8.1 million. Hanna was in third with a still playable (despite the crazy blinds) $3.4 million.

Hanna lost about a third of his stack over the next few hands, primarily because he called a raise to $1 million by Hachem pre-flop on hand fifty-two, only to have to fold to an all-in after the flop. He was able to turn it around, however, three hands later, doubling through Negreanu with K-J versus K-9. This was one of two big hands that started the downfall for the 2004 Player of the Year.

The second was hand sixty-three, when Negreanu raised to $400,000 pre-flop (blinds were now $80,000/$160,000 with a $15,000 ante) and was called by Hanna. Both players checked the A-A-K flop. After a 10 on the turn, Hanna led out with a $500,000 bet and Negreanu called. Similarly, after the 5 on the river, Hanna led out again with an $800,000 and was called. Hanna took down the huge pot with Q-J, for a turned broadway straight.

At the break a couple hands later, Hanna was now the chip leader with $7.78 million. Hachem, continuing to steadily grow his stack, was nipping at his heels with $7.385 million, while Negreanu had taken a dive down to $2.34 million.

Only a few hands after the break, Negreanu was shown the rail by Hachem. All the chips went into the middle pre-flop, Hachem’s 4-4 against Negreanu’s K-10. Negreanu did not improve, exiting in third.

Daniel Negreanu’s $592,000 cash made him World Poker Tour’s all-time money winner. While he was probably disappointed that he did not win the tournament, that big of a check must have been SOME consolation.

Going into heads-up play, Hanna had the chip lead, $9.52 million to $7.985 million.

Heads-up didn’t last long. On just the sixth hand, Hanna lost about $4 million. He had re-raised to $900,000 pre-flop and then led out with a $3 million bet on the flop, only to see Hachem move all-in. Hanna took a few minutes, but eventually had to concede the pot.

Three hands later, on the eightieth hand of the final table, Hachem ended it. Both all-in pre-flop, Hanna had Q-J and Hachem held A-6. Both paired their top card on the flop, but that was it. Hachem eliminated Hanna for the victory.

In winning the Doyle Brunson North American Poker Classic, Joe Hachem joined two exclusive groups. First, he became the fourth poker player to win both at WPT title and the WSOP Main Event championship, following in the footsteps of Doyle Brunson, Scotty Nguyen, and Carlos Mortensen. The second club only has one member – Hachem himself. He is now the only player to ever win two tournaments with paydays of over $2 million.

Originally published December 20, 2006