Daniel Hachem Has a Real Shot at Winning WSOP Main Event Just Like His Dad

Get ready for a Hachem to hear some “Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!” chants in the WSOP Main Event. But they won’t be for Joe Hachem this time around.

The 2005 winner is instead following along as his son, Daniel Hachem, is taking a similar journey he went on 21 years ago. Daniel Hachem is one of two sons of former Main Event winners battling on Day 5 in the $10,000 buy-in World Championship event. Todd Brunson, Poker Hall of Famer and son of 1976 and 1977 champion, Doyle Brunson, also made it this far.

This isn’t the first time the younger Hachem has run deep in the tournament his dad once won for $5 million. Daniel made Day 6 in 2019, before being eliminated in 79th place out of 8,569 players. He also earned a min-cash in 2022 and finished 179th place in 2024. Hachem has done everything but reach the final table, although that could change in a few weeks.

A Second Hachem WSOP Main Event Champion?

Joe Hachem was among three former champs to reach Day 3 of the 2026 WSOP Main Event along with at least one son, joining Phil Hellmuth and Michael Mizrachi. He didn’t make it to Day 5 with his son, but he cashed in 803rd place for $22,500 after a Day 4 elimination.

No parent-child duo has ever both won the WSOP Main Event. But if Daniel Hachem continues stacking chips at his current rate, there will be a first. PokerNews caught up with the Main Event champion hopeful on a Day 5 break.

“I just think people really protect their chips in this tournament. I think you can take advantage of that by being aggressive,” Hachem said when asked about his terrific record in the Main Event, having cashed four times and finished as high as 79th in the 2019 edition.

“I’ve found it not easy, but it’s been a common thing for me that I’ve been able to accumulate chips early on in this tournament, specifically. I just think people play too tight in this tournament, especially early on, and I think there are just chips to be won.”

“To be able to say that me and my dad are the first father-son duo to win this event would be incredible.”

Turning to what it would mean to follow in his father’s footsteps, Hachem added, “It would mean everything to me. Like you said, I’ve been deep a couple of times. Not deep enough, but to win this, just to be able to say that me and my dad are the first father-son duo to win this event would be incredible.”

And finally, could we see another raucous Australian rail if Daniel continues to run deep? You betcha. “One hundred percent. I’ve already told a few friends if I make it to the final 27, I’ll fly them over. I’ve got my family here. There’s already a little Aussie crew here, so it’ll be loud if I run deep for sure.”

With around 300 players remaining on Day 5, Hachem has around 2.7 million in chips as he looks to make his deepest run yet in the Main Event. You can follow all the action from the Aussie, and the remainder of the field with PokerNews’ live reporting below:

Eliot Thomas is an Editor at PokerNews, specializing in casino and poker coverage. He is currently on the ground in Las Vegas covering the 2026 World Series of Poker and has previously worked at the European Poker Tour and Triton Super High Roller Series.