Updated on 22 Feb 26 by
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Badih Bounahra: Age Not an Issue

49-year-old Bob Bounahra will be hoping to defy his veteran status at the table and teach all the 20-something young guns a lesson. Find out more about the businessman from Belize here.

Badih Bounahra: Seat 2, 19,700,000 in chips

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Badih "Bob" Bounahra

Badih "Bob" Bounahra's rise to prominence has been one of the fairytale stories of the 2011 WSOP. By Bounahra's own admission, he is a recreational player, and poker will always be a social experience first and foremost.

In wake of reaching the November Nine, Badih declared, "I am not a professional player. I'm calm and relaxed. Being an amateur probably puts more pressure on them, not me".

Bounahra was actually born in Lebanon, but his allegiances lie with his adopted country, Belize. Throughout the closing stages of the Main Event, Bounahra was seen donning a Belize baseball cap, and maintains that the whole population is spurring him on.

Bounahra runs a private card room at the Princess Casino in Belize City, along with a wholesale and grocery business. He boasts a smattering of live cashes over the past few years, including a 51st place finish in the $2,000 NLH event at the 2008 WSOP for $7,582. His biggest score came at the $1,020 LAPT San Jose Second Chance, where he ran out winner to the tune of $30,054.

Rather like self-deprecating amateur Darvin Moon back in 2009, Bounahra is insistent that a big pay day won't change his character, "It won't change me. It's not going to change anything in my personality. I'll stay the same". Bounahra is a family man, and says his priority is to finance his youngest son's education.

Having never played online, Bounahra will be facing a host of 3-bets and 4-bets by all the online whizzkids at the table. Just how Badih reacts to this aggression will determine how far he can go.
 

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