The 9-player televised final table, which started at 4:48pm on Friday July 15, ended at 6:44am on Saturday July 16. The 2005 final table eclipsed the previous record set in 1983 by 18 minutes.
A former chiropractor who quit his practice to become a poker professional three and a half years ago, Hachem (pronounced "HAH-shem") won the record $7.5 million first prize and the coveted white gold world championship bracelet after 7 days of play.
Joseph Hachem poses with the money after winning the 2005
WSOP World Championship Main Event
"The bracelet means everything to me," said Hachem to ESPN poker commentator Norman Chad after the tournament. "The only thing that will top this is for me to see my grandchildren, if and when I have them."
Hachem's entourage of fellow Australian supporters chanted "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy, Oy, Oy!" each time Hachem won a pot. Hachem obliged his supporters by draping himself with the Australian flag during his post-tournament celebration.
In a heads-up match that lasted only 6 hands, the Lebanon-born Hachem eliminated 39-year-old accountant Steve Dannermann of Severn, Maryland on Hand 232.
With blinds at 150000-300000, Dannermann opened for 700000 and Hachem called. On a flop of 6h 5d 4d, Hachem checked, Dannermann bet 700000, Hachem raised to 1.7 million, and Dannermann called. When the As hit the board on the turn, Hachem bet 2 million, Dannermann raised to 5 million, Hachem moved all-in and had Dannermann covered, and Dannermann called.
"I flopped the second nuts," said Hachem during the post-tournament press conference. "I had to give him the bait. When the Ace came (on the turn) and he called my all-in, I said 'Thank you'".
Hachem turned over 7c 3s for a seven-high straight while Dannermann turned over Ad 3c for one pair. Dannermann needed one of the three remaining sevens to split the pot, but drew the 4c on the river to exit the tournament in second place with a prize of $4.25 million.
Dannermann, who started playing poker 18 months ago, had no plans to quit his accounting practice to become a poker professional. "I have too many people who depend on me," said Dannermann to the media after the tournament. "Poker is boring."
34-year-old pub owner and former professional poker player John Derick "Tex" Barch of McKinney, Texas was eliminated on Hand 226 by Hachem.
With blinds at 150000-300000, Dannermann opened for 750000 from the button, Hachem called from the small blind, Barch moved 5.65 million chips all-in from the big blind, Dannermann called, and Hachem called. Dannermann and Hachem checked down a board of 3d Tc 3d Qh 9c. Hachem turned over pocket Jacks, Dannermann turned over pocket Sevens, and Barch mucked his hand.
Barch, who told the interviewer during his ESPN exit interview that he had Ace-Six on his elimination hand, took home $2.5 million for finishing 3rd.
Barch was the last surviving satellite qualifier at the 2005 WSOP Main Event Final Table, having earned his seat by winning a $1030 buy-in single-table "shootout" held at the Rio Pavilion Convention Center.
The last surviving Internet qualifer at the WSOP Main Event Final Table, 27-year-old poker pro Aaron Kanter of Elk Grove, California, lost a pivotal hand against Hashem on Hand 179.
With blinds at 120000-240000, Hashem limped in from the button, Barch called from the small blind, Kanter raised to 1.24 million from the big blind, Hashem moved all-in for 6.5 million, and Kanter called. Hashem's Qd 7d outdrew Kanter's 9s 9d with a board of Qh 2h 8c Ah 2c to cut Kanter's stack by one half.
Kanter was eliminated on Hand 211 by Barch. Kanter moved his remaining 3.67 million chips all-in and Barch called instantly. Barch's Js Jh held up against Kanter's Ad 9d on a flop of Kh 7h 9h 8s Js.
Kanter, who qualified by spending $50 to win a series of single-table "shootout" tournaments at PartyPoker.com, earned $2 million for his 4th place finish.
39-year-old charity worker Andrew Black of Dublin, Ireland was stunned by Dannermann on Hand 125. With blinds at 100000-200000, Barch opened for 600000, Dannermann called from the button, and Black called from the big blind. On a flop of 5c 6c 9s, Blacked bet 1 million, Barch folded, Dannermann pushed all in for about 7 million, and Black called after thinking for 2 minutes. Black showed Ts 9h for top pair while Dannermann showed As 6d for middle pair. Dannermann outdrew Black on the river with the Ac to stay alive in the tournament.
Black was eliminated when he lost a "coin flip" on Hand 149 against Dannermann. Black opened for 700000, Dannermann raised to 3.2 million, Black went all-in for 8.2 million total, and Dannermann called. Dannermann's As Kd outdrew Black's Th Td on a board of 2c 3s 8h Kc 9c.
Black, who finished 14th at the 1997 WSOP Main Event, received $1.75 million for finishing 5th.
42-year old independent film production assistant Scott Lazar of Studio City, California made two bad calls on consecutive hands to finish in 6th place.
On Hand 69 with blinds at 80000-160000, Lazar opened from the small blind for 500000, Hachem moved all-in, and Lazar called instantly. Hachem's As Qs held up against Lazar's Ks 9s on a board of Ah Ts 4s 5c Jc.
On the very next hand (Hand 70), Lazar opened from the button for 350000, Black moved all-in and had Lazar covered, and Lazar called. Black's pocket Jacks stood up against Lazar's Qc Td on a board of 3c 5s 8s 4c Kh.
Lazar was very upset with himself during the ESPN exit interview, telling the interviewer "I stopped thinking once we were 6 handed" and "That was a total meltdown."
Harrah's Entertainment tournament officials had to calm down Lazar before awarding him the $1.5 million prize.
The last PokerStars.com qualifier at the WSOP Main Event Final Table, 27-year-old truck driver Daniel Bergsdorf of Umea, Sweden, was eliminated on Hand 65 by Barch.
With blinds at 80000-160000, Hachem opened for 360000, Barch re-raised to 2.36 million, Bergsdorf moved all-in for a total of 2.74 million, and Barch called. Barch's pocket Tens flopped a set with Ts Qd 4h to take the lead against Bergsdorf's pocket Jacks, and Bergsdorf got no help from the 8d on the turn and the Qh on the river. Bergsdorf earned $1.3 million for finishing 7th.
PokerStars.com had qualified 2003 and 2004 WSOP World Champions Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer respectively.
24-year-old University of Pennsylvania law student Brad Kondracki was eliminated in 8th place by Black on Hand 49 when Black's pocket eights stood up against Kondracki's As Qc on a board of Ks 9c 5s 5h 6c.
Kondracki, who qualified by winning a "double shootout" Internet tournament on PokerStars.com for $160, took home $1.15 million in prize money. Kondracki started playing poker two years ago while he was finishing his bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Cornell University.
The youngest player at the 2005 WSOP Main Event Final Table, Kondracki told the media that he would continue his education, but he would definitely consider playing made-for-television invitational poker tournaments if they don't interfere with law school.
Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, the only player of the 9 who had won WSOP bracelet events and the only player who had previous experience at a WSOP Main Event Final table (in 2001), was eliminated in 9th place after two hands involving brutal outdraws.
On Hand 2, Matusow's Kc Kh ran into Lazar's Ad Ah. Matusow flopped a set with Kd Qh 6h to become the prohibitive favorite to win the hand, but Lazar caught the 2h on the turn and the Jh on the river to make the nut flush.
Matusow was eliminated on Hand 28 by Dannermann. With blinds at 50000-100000, Dannermann opened for 300000 and Matusow called from the small blind. On a flop of 5s 2c 3s, Matusow bet 600000, Dannermann moved all-in and had Matusow covered, and Matusow called. Matusow's pocket tens were ahead of Dannermann's Ac Jc, but Dannermann made the wheel straight on the turn with the 4h and Matusow got no help on the river with the 9c.
Matusow received $1 million for his 9th place finish.
(Note: The Final Table of the 2005 WSOP Main Event was the last to be held at Binion's Gambling Hall under an agreement between Harrah's Entertainment and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman as part of the centenary celebration for the City of Las Vegas. Harrah's has announced that the 2006 WSOP Main Event will be held in its entirely at the Rio Pavilion Convention Center.)
| Rank | Name | Winnings |
| 1 | Joseph Hachem | $7,500,000 |
| 2 | Steve Dannenmann | $4,250,000 |
| 3 | Tex Barch | $2,500,000 |
| 4 | Aaron Kanter | $2,000,000 |
| 5 | Andrew Black | $1,750,000 |
| 6 | Scott Lazar | $1,500,000 |
| 7 | Daniel Bergsdorf | $1,300,000 |
| 8 | Brad Kondracki | $1,150,000 |
| 9 | Mike Matusow | $1,000,000 |
