Sam Farha

When the civil war erupted in Lebanon in 1975, the Farha family moved to the United States in search of a better life.

The young Ihsan "Sammy" Farha went on to earn a degree in business administration from the University of Kansas. While completing his studies, he also learned to play pool, ping ball, and the video game Pac Man so well that he earned substantial money by playing these games against others for cash.

After graduating from college, he moved to Houston, Texas. That is where he had his first encounter with poker, in the eighties. Shortly after, he made a trip to Las Vegas. His winnings at the poker tables made him realize he could make a living playing cards. Farha then decided to quit his job and moved to Vegas.{{Cite web|title=Sammy Farha's Life: Biggest Profits, Losses, Private Life & Net Worth|url=http://somuchpoker.com/sammy-farhas-life-biggest-profits-losses-private-life-net-worth-2/|website=Somuchpoker.com}}

Farha's biggest tournament finish was in the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event, where he finished second to Chris Moneymaker for $1,300,000.{{Cite web |last=Luo |first=Michael |date=24 August 2003|agency=Associated Press |title=From 'dead money' to big bucks |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/sports/2003/08/24/from-dead-money-to-big/50339861007/ |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=New Bedford Standard-Times |language=en-US}} On TV, Farha was identified as an "investor", a job Farha said he never actually held but was rather an identity he held to convince people to start a game with him. On the second day of play, Farha lost a major pot to Barry Greenstein leaving him with only 10% of the average stack. He was considering leaving at this point and was talked into staying in the tournament by Greenstein. He lost the final hand to Moneymaker when he went all-in with a pair of jacks on the flop, only to be called by Moneymaker who had flopped bottom two pair, which held after the final river card was dealt.{{cite web|url=https://grantland.com/features/the-oral-history-2003-world-series-poker-which-chris-moneymaker-turned-39-25-million/|title=When We Held Kings: The oral history of the 2003 World Series of Poker, in which an amateur named Moneymaker turned $39 into $2.5 million and the poker boom was born|first=Eric|last=Raskin|website=Grantland|date=22 May 2013}}

In a rematch between Farha and Moneymaker a few months later, organized by PokerStars, Farha won.{{cite web|url=http://archives2.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=326319|title=The 2+2 Forums Older Archives: Moneymaker vs Farha Rematch, Sept 14|website=archives2.twoplustwo.com}} They played against each other again in a special "grudge match" during 2011 World Series of Poker, which was won by Moneymaker in best-of-three format.{{Cite web |last=Dalla |first=Nolan |date=2 June 2011 |title=MONEYMAKER SAYS, 'PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM' |url=https://www.wsop.com/news/2011/Jun/3338/MONEYMAKER-SAYS-PLAY-IT-AGAIN-SAM.html |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=WSOP.com}}

All of Farha's WSOP bracelets have come in Omaha events.{{Cite web |title=37th World Series of Poker - WSOP 2006, Omaha Hi/Lo |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=15821 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=41st World Series of Poker - WSOP 2010, Omaha Hi/Lo 8 - Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=40112 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}

• Farha has also finished in the money in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, once for $75,000 and the other time for $125,000.{{Cite web |title=2006 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Heads Up No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=17358 |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=NBC National Heads-Up Championship 2009, No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=35652 |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}} He also has three cashes in World Poker Tour events, for a little over $100,000.{{Cite web |title=Rendez Vous a Paris, Grand Prix de Paris / WPT - No Limit Hold'em |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7431 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2004 Festa al Lago III Poker Tournament, The Doyle Brunson North American No Limit Hold'em Poker Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8263 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Fifth Annual Five Star World Poker Classic, WPT - No Limit Hold'em Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=24516 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}
• Farha co-authored a book Farha on Omaha, a detailed guide on Omaha poker strategy. Farha intersperses basic strategies with his own personal strategies, so players can learn not only the game but also the style of Farha himself.
• Farha is working on a book, tentatively titled Luck is Far More Than Enough, a reality TV poker series, and a video game.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}
• Farha is a spokesman for Harrah's casino in Las Vegas.
• Farha has appeared on the GSN series High Stakes Poker, in seasons 1-4.{{Cite web |date=7 January 2019 |title=High Stakes Poker Reviewed: Sam Farha and Daniel Negreanu Clash |url=https://www.pokernews.com/strategy/high-stakes-poker-reviewed-sam-farha-daniel-negreanu-33039.htm |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=PokerNews.com |language=en}} Farha also made a cameo appearance in the 2007 film Lucky You.{{cite web | last=Dozet | first=Iva | title=Spot the Poker Pro: Cameos in Film, TV, and Music Videos | website=PokerListings | date=2024-04-22 | url=https://www.pokerlistings.com/blog/spot-the-poker-pro-cameos-in-film-tv-and-music-videos | access-date=2025-03-02}}
• As of 2017, his total winnings exceed $2,800,000 in live tournament poker,{{Cite web |title=Sam Farha's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=12524 |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}} although he tends to primarily play in high-stakes Omaha cash games. His eleven cashes at the WSOP account for $2,586,105 of those winnings.{{Cite web |title=Sam Farha |url=https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=251&pagecolor=ffffff |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=WSOP.com}}

• [https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-players/5277-sam-farha Card Player profile]
• [https://www.globalpokerindex.com/poker-players/sam-farha-12524/ Global Poker Index profile]
• [https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=12524 Hendon Mob profile]
• [https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/sammy-farha/ WPT profile]
• [https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=251 WSOP profile]
• [http://www.poker-player-profiles.com/sam-farha/ PokerPlayerProfiles.com profile]

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Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:Lebanese poker players

Category:American people of Lebanese descent

Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners

Category:Sportspeople from Beirut

Category:People from Wichita, Kansas

Category:University of Kansas alumni

Category:People from Houston

Category:Sportspeople of Lebanese descent