Poker Boom Era Fan Favorite Sammy Farha is Back and Deep at the WSOP

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Jun 11, 2024 2 min read

Sammy Farha, a popular figure on televised poker shows during the 2000s, is back at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), and has a shot at winning his first bracelet since 2010 on Tuesday.

The old-school poker player who resides in Texas is among the final 15 players in Event #27: $1,500 Big O. At the time of publishing, he had an above average stack on Day 3, but was among the chip leaders for much of Day 2.

It's Been a While

Farha was among the most colorful characters during the poker boom era. He brought life to televised poker, regularly competing on shows such as High Stakes Poker and Poker After Dark. But he hasn't appeared in the public eye much the past decade, although he still grinds cash games in Texas.

In December 2021, he was reportedly involved in a physical fight outside the scandal-ridden Legends Poker Room in Houston.

Farha first gained mainstream notoriety when he lost heads up to Chris Moneymaker at the 2003 WSOP Main Event. Moneymaker, with pure air, pulled off arguably the most memorable bluff in poker history in one of the tournament's key hands.

But Farha, who already had won a bracelet prior to 2003, would go on to post some impressive tournament results over the following 7-10 years. He won bracelets in 2006 and 2010, and has nearly $3 million in lifetime live tournament cashes, according to The Hendon Mob, a number that will be increasing on Tuesday. First place is set to pay $306,884, and with 14 players remaining at the time of publishing, he's locked up at least $15,962.

It's been 14 years since Farha last won a bracelet, a drought that could come to an end on Tuesday. But that isn't what's on his mind as he progresses through Day 3, which he explained in an interview with PokerNews during a break.

"You know, I don't think about it because if I win, I win. If I don't win, it's not going to change my life. I play every day to win," he said about potentially ending the bracelet drought.

Winning a bracelet would put Farha back in the spotlight for the first time in a decade. But that doesn't make him all that excited.

"I don't care about the spotlight, I never did," he explained. "I was playing for myself (during the High Stakes Poker days). I mean, I wasn't like the other pros that wanted attention. I was there to win. I got attention for a while, but that wasn't my intention."

The Lebanese poker player, whether he cares or not, will receive plenty of attention should he win the Big O event.

Follow Sammy Farha's Run in the Big O Event at PokerNews

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