Joe Awada

A poker biography of Joe Awada.

Quick Information

Name - Joe Awada

Born - 1957, Beirut, Lebanon

Poker Room - Not Available

Biography

The world of professional poker is populated with individuals who have proven time and again that they have the wit and perhaps the luck to constantly win. However, there are a few who proves that they can stand out from the crowd by laying their cards on new green felt tables. One of these so-called Renaissance individuals is Joe Awada.

From Lebanon, then thirteen-year-old Awada moved to the United States. Despite being unable to speak English, his determination to help his relatives made him a survivor. He soon found himself selling cotton candy and snow cones for a traveling circus and was able to send money home. The circus influenced him so much that he started training acrobatics and juggling in his spare time. He was able to become so good at it that the Ringling Brother Circus took him in.

Unfortunately, a vehicular accident ended his blossoming juggling career prematurely. He was forced to find another job and a friend suggested trying out card dealing. Thus, he started as a card dealer in Circus-Circus where he somehow used his juggling skills as card dealing called for great wrist skills. His experience as a dealer exposed him to the intricacies of the game, which helped him a lot when he eventually became a player. Moreover, he started putting up his own business whose main thrust is to create games for large casino plays. He named his company Gaming Entertainment, Inc., where he remains to be the CEO.

Ranking 43rd on the 2004 money list, Awada boasts of a World Series of Poker gold bracelet, his prize after winning the 2004 $5,000 Seven-Card Stud event. The event was one with much drama. He was able to win his first gold bracelet within one card as his opponent drew out after catching runner-runner. This left Awada in second place. After a week, he arrived to triumph at the $5,000 Seven-Card Stud event.

At the 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Awada finished second to Scott Fischman in the $1,500 no limit hold'em event. Awada would have won the gold bracelet in that tournament were it not for a bad beat on the river that kept Fischman alive; Fischman won the tournament on the very next hand. Later in the same WSOP, Awada did win a gold bracelet in the $5,000 seven-card stud event; he defeated "The Flying Dutchman" Marcel Lüske. Three months later, he also made the final table of the World Poker Tour (WPT) third season event won by Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson.

The year 2004 proved to be a very successful year for Awada as he won several poker challenges. These include the Festa al Lago III $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em event, the Plaza Ultimate Poker Challenge $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event, and the World Series of Poker $5,000 Seven-Card Stud event. He has gained the nickname "The reigning king of Seven-Card Stud" among press people after his last-mentioned victory in the World Series of Poker.

At the age of 46, this father of six children is enjoying respect from the poker community by being one of the best in the game and constantly coming up with new tricks to astound both his fans and idols.

Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 December 2007 )

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