From their press release:

"... it’s time for me to pursue other career opportunities..."

I'm trying to determine what kind of "career opportunities" for a professional poker player would outdo being one of the most visible representatives of the world's largest poker site.

Maybe start your own room/site?

Maybe join a coming US site?

This type of statement is fairly standard when people leave a job or other employment. He means...he will pursue something.

More likely 888 throw a bunch of money at him

"On Monday, November 7 2011, Joe Hachem and cricketer-turned-poker-enthusiast Shane Warne will be on hand to officially launch Club 23 – a new gaming lounge at Crown Casino Melbourne. Situated in the premium east end of Crown Melbourne, Club 23 has been created with opulence and style in spades. What’s more, you’ll be able to admire the plush surroundings while sitting down to play an orbit or two of poker."

I must have been too critical in the last PS survey.
sry Joe

You do realise poker stars probably decided to ditch him? And not the other way around.
I don't know American sports but would an American football team keep a player on if he was 50? No, yet would because he's no use any more!

A slightly better (but still imperfect) analogy would be whether or not a major brand would still keep the 50-year-old athlete to continue endorsing the product. In such a case, it depends on whether or not that athlete's name and/or image is still powerful enough to warrant the sponsorship, even in retirement. Jerry Rice still appears in Nike ads. Hell, look at all the former athletes who appeared in those "What's G" Gatorade adverts. (See also Nike/Michael Jordan.)

Other than that, I'm with you... I don't live in Australia, but I have a hard time believing Hachem's name has the clout -- and thus, the value -- to PokerStars that it had five years ago.

Whenever these break-ups happen, I generally assume that much the decision to part ways rested with the site rather than the player. The "we're very sad to see him go" and "we appreciate his contributions to the brand" soundbites are just acts of magnanimity.

Heard he joined HaHa Poker. Word on the street. But the street's very ignorant.

Just to maintain the distinction between Poker Headlines and NVG, here's a link that supports this bit of news: http://www.dailypkr.com/news/?id=1310

i think this is just a typical "re-re-written' story and the author just made "did JH sign w/" into "JH signed w/" ... but just my 2cts.

there's no press release so far, which doesn't mean it's not true.


as i posted in NVG, Hachem will make an announcement "regarding his new business partnership in Asia" - Sunday 22 January, 11am at Club 23, Crown Casino.

Very Happy to have Joe on Board. Good luck Joe, JC, Nam in the Aussie millions High Roller here at Crown Casino in Melbourne. High Roller venue looks amazing - looks like 18 players just started. More on their way, should be a good turnout for this 100k event.

BTW, just to be clear HaHa poker is nothing to do with us and am pretty sure the HaHa release about Joe was a little inaccurate

Yeah, fair enough... I didn't think it was confirmation, just identifying the "street" in the previous post. My understanding of the Poker Headlines forum was that instead of saying "I've heard X" we're supposed to say "I've heard X and here's where I heard it: [link]."

PokerNews reported your news in re Asian Logic on Saturday:
http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/0...ogic-11857.htm. Nothing on the AsianLogic website yet, however.

ah, okay ... had in my mind, that this site posted it later. but my head is sometimes a lil' bit messed up

anyway: that asian logic story seems (more) legit, since the press conference and the 'shaking hand pic' ^^:

http://www.pokerasiapacific.com/joe-...logic4224.html


edit

oh .. wait ... my head again,

tom hall just confirmed