Poker World Reacts to Joe Hachem’s Amazing Bubble Fold
As Day 2 of the 2023 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas played down to the money bubble, the kind of cooler every poker player in the world has nightmares about played out on the featured WPT Live Stream table.
Ben Bianco, who was under the gun, raised to 40,000 at 10,000/15,000 blinds. Joe Hachem, the 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event champion, was the next player to act, and looked down at 
. With 500,000 in his stack, just a fewspots away from the money, Hachem three-bet to 120,000, and the action folded back around to Bianco.
After a few moments Bianco, who had Hachem well outchipped, four-bet and put Hachem all in. With 
in his hand, Bianco would have to fade a king or a four-card straight or flush draw to bust a tough player out just before the money.
But a funny thing happened along the way. Hachem didn’t snap-call with his pair of kings. While Hachem contemplated his decision, an announcement played over the speakers that advised dealers to finish their current hand and hold up, a tell-tale sign that hand-for-hand play on the bubble had arrived.
For some amateurs, that might have been enough of a sign to grind it out until a min-cash was locked up, but not for Hachem.
“This would be the sickest fold,” said Hachem. “I know you’ve just got it.”
Hachem picked his cards up to pitch them in, and Bianco chimed in.
“If you show it, I’ll show it after you fold,” Bianco said.
Hachem promptly showed his two kings.
“You are a sick man,” Bianco added.
“What did we just witness?” asked Henry Kilbane, who was part of the commentary team.
Kilbane’s sentiments were soon echoed on social media, especially once the clip was posted.
— TonyDunstTV (@tonydunsttv) December 17, 2023
lol, I don’t even wanna post the clip, this is just insane, what a guy!
— giraf ganger (@Girafganger7) December 17, 2023
joe 3b folded this lol what am I watching pic.twitter.com/ls3wamNbCR
— Chris Brewer (@Chris_D_Brewer) December 17, 2023
I confidently said ill jump fully clothed into a freezing pool (6c) if Joe Hachem folds Kings here.
I swear he must have heard & wanted me to suffer
Wtf is this? https://t.co/XLJla7uCpMpic.twitter.com/JhGRaWTNot
— Beriuzy (@beriuzy) December 17, 2023
Unpopular opinion:
Joe Hachem made a good but ultimately routine fold there with Pocket Kings
— David Lappin (@dklappin) December 17, 2023
There are some very good reasons why he won the #MainEvent. @JosephHachemhttps://t.co/mrySoIJjwt
— Greg Raymer (@FossilMan) December 17, 2023
Prior to the start of Day 3, Hachem added his perspective.
“Sometimes you just know”
We ran into @WPT legend @JosephHachem at the start of Day 3 and he told us what was going through his head before folding POCKET KINGS on the bubble!
Good luck today Joe!
Live Updates: https://t.co/hl1MeMRhtVpic.twitter.com/w0GrI3S5fu
— World Poker Tour (@WPT) December 17, 2023
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