News
MEET THE 2011 NOVEMBER NINE: BADIH BOU-NAHRA
Jul 22 2011 10:00 AM EST
Name: Badih “Bob” Bou-Nahra Age: 49
Hometown: Belize City, Belize
Seat: 2
Chip Count: 19,700,000 (ranks 6th)
Profession: Businessman (Grocery Wholesaler)Years Attended WSOP: 4
Question: Central American people tend to be very passionate about what they do, and you are no exception. Why is that so?
Bou-Nahra: In Belize, we are very passionate people. We love sports. We love life. Everybody is having a great time right now. Everybody was watching the WSOP during the last few days on ESPN. Everybody was cheering for me. It’s unbelievable. Nobody believed that somebody from Belize would ever get to this stage of the WSOP.
Question: The most famous poker player from Central America is Humberto Brenes. He was in the crowd cheering for you. Do you know him well?
Bou-Nahra: Oh yes, I know Humberto. I’ve played with him many times in Costa Rica. I’ve played with him in the World Series of Poker. I’ve played with him on the same table six or seven times. It's always fun to be around him.
Question: What was your goal, realistically -- when you first entered this year's Main Event?
Bou-Nahra: In this tournament, I played it day-by-day. Everyday, I played for the next day. Except the last day, I played hand-for-hand. When we got to the final ten players, I played it really hand-by-hand. I was supposed to knock out one of the players that was still in. Everyone is going to see that on ESPN when they show it, but I folded because there was a bet, a raise and a shove -- and I folded pocket queens. It was called by K-9 and he showed pocket jacks and the jacks held up. t was mad. But I thought to myself, if I’m going to make the final nine, I better put the queens in the muck.
Question: What do you expect your cheering section to be like when you come back to Las Vegas three months from now?
Bou-Nahra: I’m coming back with the same crew and many more. I’m going to fill 60 seats. Ten on the stage and 50 in the room.
Question: Tell us a bit more about your background.
Bou-Nahra: I grew up in Lebanon. My grandfather moved to Belize 56 years ago. My mother was born in Belize and my father was born in Lebanon. They got married in Lebanon. In 1982 I moved to Belize and I’ve been living in Belize since then. I have a couple of condos in Florida, with my brothers and my mom. So we go back and forth, back and forth. My mom and my sister live there in Florida.
Question: What about your business?
Bou-Nahra: I am in wholesale groceries. Wholesale only. My brothers work in a department store, as the family business is a department store.
Question: If you win the world championship, will that change you?
Bou-Nahra: Money is great, but it might slow me down a little bit in my business where I can take it more easy. But it will not change a single part of my personality.
Question: What does your family think about this experience?
Bou-Nahra: I have three kids. My oldest child is 29. My daughter was with me the whole time. She is 24 and she was here. Every hand by hand she was here. They’re all coming with me in November!
Question: Which of the remaining players do you respect or fear the most?
Bou-Nahra: I respect everybody. I fear no one.
Question: How many WSOP events did you play this year?
Bou-Nahra: Just two. This is the second. I played one of the $1,500 buy-ins and this one. I usually come and play more. I usually come for two full weeks, then go back, then come back for the final one, which is the Main Event. But I got tied up this year and could only come back for this one.
Question: For you, is poker fun or is poker a business?
Bou-Nahra: Fun. One-hundred percent.
Question: If you could accept second place right now, would you take it?
Bou-Nahra: Wow. (Very long pause) Right now, yes. In November? I don’t know. Too good of an opportunity to pass up, at this moment.
Question: One last thing -- what do you want the world to know about Badih Bou-Nahra?
Bou-Nahra: Don’t write about me. Write about my country -- Belize.
