Belize’s Badih Bounahra at World Series Of Poker championsip in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Belize gained world attention following last night’s World Series of Poker championship in Las Vegas where Belizean Badih Bounahra climbed to sixth spot and earned the right to compete in the coveted finals on November 5th. In the World Series of Poker Hold ‘Em Championship, Badih Bounahra was one of over 6,000 players who signed up for the tournament and now finds himself in the top five of the remaining players for the finals.
Badih Bounahra’s family owns the Mirab Stores in Belize City and his brother Pierre Bounahra told the media in Belize that since Badih made it into the top six he is guaranteed to return to Belize with at least half a million dollars. This is Badih’s seventh year of playing at the World Series of Poker. The final poker table takes place on November fifth.
Badih Bounahra – 2011 WSOP Poker Player Profile
Badih Bounahra will record his second WSOP cash during the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event. His first came in 2008, when he finished 51st in a $2,000 No Limit Hold’em event for $7,500. Talk about a repeat performance!
In November 2008, Bounahra took down a $1,020 No Limit Hold’em Second Chance tournament during the PokerStars Latin American Poker Tour’s stop in San Jose, Costa Rica for $30,000. The five-figure score was his largest live cash prior to the 2011 WSOP Main Event.
He has also found success on the island nation of Aruba, where he banked $8,000 for taking 50th in the UB Aruba Poker Classic in 2007. Two years later, Bounahra was back in the money in Aruba, this time finishing as the runner up to Renea Mahaffey in a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em preliminary event.
Although he started Day 8 of the 2011 Main Event in Las Vegas with the second smallest stack, he quickly shot into the top ten. On a flop of 6-5-J, Bounahra led out for 675,000 and online poker pro Phil USCphildo Collins moved all-in. Bounahra called all-in for his remaining stack of 4.56 million and both players tabled their cards, with over 10 million in chips hanging in the balance.
Collins showed K-J for top pair, but Bounahra had him dominated with 6-5 for bottom two pair. The board ran out 10-4 and Bounahra doubled up – talk about good timing heading into the 2011 WSOP November Nine.
Collins’ involvement in the hand may have been a product of an earlier pot where Bounahra raised to 850,000 after Collins limped before the flop. Collins thought for a few moments before relinquishing his hand and Bounahra flashed a woeful 10-5 suited. He told the table while raking in the pot, “Gotta make a bluff sometimes.”
Bounahra 49, hails from Belize, where he owns and operates a card room. He was seated at the ESPN feature table when the 2011 WSOP Main Event field was redrawn at 18 players and held the fourth largest stack of his tablemates. Throughout his live poker play, you can often catch Bounahra wearing his trademark Belize baseball cap.
In an interview with ESPN on the WSOP rankings, Badih said “I am not a professional player. I’m calm and relaxed. Being an amateur probably puts more pressure on them, not me. I’m playing for the country of Belize. Everybody knows about it, it’s going crazy. It’s going to be even better now. It’s a very good thing for everybody.”
July 24 Update:
Badih has returned home to Belize and in an interview with the media stated:
Bob Bou-Nahra
“I’ve never dreamed of it but its every poker player’s dream to be there.”
Question:
“Now what was it that made you advance so far? Was it luck, skills or just guts?
Bob Bou-Nahra
“In the beginning it has to do with a little bit of luck and skills but then getting to the end you have to build chips. Chips are bullets that you use to attack other players. The more you build chips the more you have bullets to fire.”
Question:
“You are now being seated 6th with 19.1 million chips. What do you expect in November?”
Bob Bou-Nahra
“Take number one for Belize.”
Question: “Why do you wear you Belize hat?”
Bob Bou-Nahra
“This is not about me. This is about Belize.”
Question:
“I know that people will be offering tens of thousands of dollars to use their hats – advertising their products at the big final in November. Will you continue using your Belize hat?”
Bob Bou-Nahra
“That hat is in a safe place right now taking a long vacation. It won’t be used until November.”
Question:
“Lastly you are now a poker celebrity worldwide. What do you think of your new found fame?”
Bob Bou-Nahra
“I don’t think much of it. I was asked that question by an ESPN reporter and he asked me ‘since the whole world knows about you right now, what do you want to say about yourself,” and I said that I don’t want to say anything about me and all I want to do is promote my country Belize.”
Bou-Nahra is seated 6th with 19.1 million in chips and will make a minimum of 872 thousand -US dollars – even if he is the first one out in the final nine. And if he goes all the way and wins Bo-Nahra would gain some measure of gambling immortality while also talking home 8.7 million US dollars.
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