Champion of Poker

Sam Farha was born in 1959 in Lebanon, but moved to the United States during his teens to escape the Lebanese Civil War. He attended the University of Kansas, where he got his degree in Business Administration. He later moved to Houston, TX to work with his brother. At this point in his life, Farha began to play poker and soon became successful at it. Eventually he left his job in 1990 to play professional poker.

Farha took down his first major poker title in 1996 when he won the $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha bracelet and $145,000. He remained relatively quiet in the tournament world until 2002 when he finished in 3rd in the $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha event at the WSOP.

Farha’s best World Series of Poker Main Event finish occurred the year everything changed in poker. Most anyone that follows poker knows that Farha finished 2nd to Chris Moneymaker in 2003 and Moneymaker’s win started the current poker boom. Before heads-up play started, Moneymaker actually offered an even split of the prize pool out of respect for Farha’s game. Farha thought he had a good chance to win and turned down the deal. $1.3 Million for 2nd place is still not a bad finish. A few months later, PokerStars.com scheduled a rematch between the two players and Farha won the rematch.

Farha would win his next major poker title in 2006 when he would take home the bracelet in the $5,000 Omaha 8 or Better event. This win would earn him $398,560. After having a quiet 2007, Farha would return to the WSOP in 2008 and cash twice, making a final table in the $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event and finishing 6th.

For his career, Sam Farha has won over $2.19 Million in live tournaments. Farha is always at the table with his signature cigarette. In addition to tournaments, Farha can be found in many high stakes cash games, especially Omaha. He is also a regular guest on High Stakes Poker.

Outside of Poker, Farha co-authored the book Farha on Omaha, which will serve as a strategy book for both cash game and tournament Omaha. He has also served as a spokesman for Harrah’s entertainment and is supposedly working on production of a reality TV show.

Sam Farha many times at the table has the look of the classic Vegas gambler or maybe a mob pit boss that has decided to play a few hands. His wild and unpredictable style keeps opponents guessing and his preference for Omaha tends to lend him to gamble a little more in other poker games.

Sam Farha is a true Omaha specialist that has taken his skills and made himself a champion of poker. If not for a well times bluff and a fortunate flop in the 2004 WSOP Main Event, he very well may have been a Holdem champion as well. Regardless, Farha is a fearsome opponent at the table and one you probably want to stay away from unless you want a good story about how you lost your money to him.