Melbournes own Joe Hachem was among stars like Ben Affleck and Matt Damon who played poker for a favourite charity tournament this week.
The Ante Up For Africa tournament gathered together 138 Hollywood, television and sporting celebrities with professional poker players on Thursday to play Texas Hold Em and raise much-needed funds for charity. Organizations benefiting include ENOUGH and the International Rescue Committee that provide crisis support to war-torn and poverty-stricken regions of Africa.
Hackem rose to fame by winning in 2005, and entered this tournament a hot favourite, but Alex Bolotin won this year over he, Affleck and Damon and like most of the players, promptly donated half his $177,730 winnings to charity.