Joe Hachem – “Poker Is Dying”

WSOP Champ speaks his mind on the state of poker.

“I’m very saddened…”

It’s always refreshing to hear what someone really thinks, whether you agree with it or not. In this video, shot by Thomas Keeling for Bluff Magazine, 2005 World Series of Poker Champion speaks from his heart after recently meeting 2013 WSOP Champ Ryan Reiss at the Aussie Millions about the state of poker.

From the decline of the role of “poker ambassador”, by calling out Jamie Gold and Jerry Yang, to the state of “young geniuses” bumhunting the fish and making poker no longer a fun game for people to play, Hachem plainly states “poker is dying.”

In his opinion what makes poker great is the stories about the people playing it, not their check-raising ranges and that when it comes to tournaments like the WSOP, the money is a secondary prize to the pride of being a champion.

Maybe it’s because the high profile poker world is full of young kids who have yet to socially mature and see the big picture. There’s hope yet though, as Hachem sees players from years ago who used to sit silently at the table finally coming out of their shell making people feel less intimidated and more willing to get it in.

21+ in OH. Please play responsibly. For help, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or 1-800-GAMBLER.
published 10 years, 2 months ago • by • permalink

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