Biography of Sam Farha

Born in Beruit, Lebanon in 1959, Sam was a talented gambler at a young age. He showed skill at Pinball, Pool, and Pacman. In fact, he made money on all three, often gambling on his skill with characteristic confidence. Legend has it young Sam once bet $5,000 on a game of Pacman- guess what? He won.

Unfortunately, during his formative years, the shifting political climate in Lebanon finally exploded, and a civil war broke out. Sam clearly was intelligent and ambitious enough to be successful wherever he chose to hang his hat, so in 1977, he decided to immigrate to the United States. He attended the University of Kansas, where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration. After completing his degree, Farha moved to Texas to go to work with his brother. Young Sammy bounced around, working a few jobs before he found his true calling at a Poker Table. It started off as a weekly game with friends for a few dollars, but with a competitor like Farha, it didn’t take long before he was a regular in Las Vegas.

In 1990, Sam Farha gave up working and bet on his future as a professional Poker player. He started off playing moderate limit games, and earned a reputation as a very difficult player to play against. His real breakout came in 1996, when he won the WSOP event for Pot-Limit Omaha. He continues to play large cash games, and came very close to a WSOP main event title, but was thwarted by Chris Moneymaker’s Cinderella run in 2003, where Farha was the last man knocked out by Moneymaker.

Sam Farha is known by his opponents as a very difficult man to play against. He plays an aggressive and unpredictable game of Poker, frequently relying on his ability to beat his opponent mentally. Watching Sam play, it’s obvious he’s a true gambler, with a no-nonsense approach to playing cards. And like most gamblers, Sam Farha is a superstitious man; witness the cigarette he usually has in his mouth when playing- Sam doesn’t smoke!

Currently residing in Houston Texas, Sam is enjoying the fruits of his labour. He is currently working on a biography, and is also a spokesman for Harrah’s Casino. Watch for Sammy to be a dominant force at any table he sits down, and expect to see another WSOP bracelet on his wrist very soon.