Originally Published: June 10, 2009, 04:45 AM

The Greatness of Hellmuth

Posted By Diego | Poker News | June 10, 2009, 04:45 AM |

Yeah, sure, you’re thinking, “But what about Stu, Doyle, Amarillo, and the rest?” The key word here is “Hold’em.” While the other legends of poker may have more impressive resumes overall, Phil has won all 11 (eleven!) of his WSOP bracelets in Hold’em. This is a feat that may never be topped.
Not many people take the time to pay respects to the loudest mouth in the game. But someone should. When Phil cries out, “If it weren’t for luck, I’d win every one,” you almost want to believe him. Sitting down with this monster of the felt is daunting, even for the top professionals. Nobody wants to be berated constantly. And moreover, nobody wants to be beat by the loud mouth doing the berating.
So, what are the things about Hellmuth that make him a great poker player? In no particular order, we’ll run over a few key essentials that make it possible for Phil to hit blackjack while the rest of the poker world is splitting 7s.
1: He’s adaptive. No matter what you throw at Phil, he’s able to adapt and react. Sure, you’ll see clips of him getting donked on the river, but that happens to everyone. Phil has been the best “pro” at adapting to the influx of amateurs in the poker world.

2: He’s loud! This may get under your skin, and if it does, you’re playing right into his hands. When most people have blowups at the table, like Mike “the Mouth,” they quickly lose their chips. But with Phil, the louder he gets, the harder he plays. It may be funny, but the last thing you’d want to do is have Phil yell at you. You’re on his radar if so.

3: He’s a winner. When Phil was only 24, Johnny Chan was going for his third consecutive WSOP win. The two met in heads-up play, and Phil demolished Chan. That has been a theme of Hellmuth’s career; he’s consistently bested other “pros” in the poker world, and now holds a record 11 bracelets.

4: He’s entertaining. This plays into the “loud” part, but he’s not always angry. Phil is one of those guys who constantly chirp about everything. His class clown nature makes him nearly impossible to read. Many have tried, few have succeeded.

5: He’s truly the “poker brat.” Like his nickname suggests, Phil is the guy that nobody wants at the table. And whatever reason you don’t want to play him, this means you already lose if he sits down with you. He’s already in your head. Phil, with everything that comes with him, is the hunter. The rest of the pack is simply the hunted. You might escape the wrath with a lucky beat here and there, but overall, Phil’s talent will outshine any luck.

You don’t have to be a fan favorite to be good. Tyson, Dennis Rodman, Barry Bonds, and now Phil Hellmuth have all proven this to be true. You may hate his guts, but I doubt you really want to play the guy.

Embed Yeah, sure, you’re thinking, “But what about Stu, Doyle, Amarillo, and the rest?” The key word here is “Hold’em.” While the other legends of poker may have more impressive resumes overall, Phil has won all 11 (eleven!) of his WSOP bracelets in Hold’em. This is a feat that may never be topped.<br /> Not many people take the time to pay respects to the loudest mouth in the game. But someone should. When Phil cries out, “If it weren’t for luck, I’d win every one,” you almost want to believe him. Sitting down with this monster of the felt is daunting, even for the top professionals. Nobody wants to be berated constantly. And moreover, nobody wants to be beat by the loud mouth doing the berating.<br /> So, what are the things about Hellmuth that make him a great poker player? In no particular order, we’ll run over a few key essentials that make it possible for Phil to hit blackjack while the rest of the poker world is splitting 7s.<br /> 1: He’s adaptive. No matter what you throw at Phil, he’s able to adapt and react. Sure, you’ll see clips of him getting donked on the river, but that happens to everyone. Phil has been the best “pro” at adapting to the influx of amateurs in the poker world.<br /> <br /> 2: He’s loud! This may get under your skin, and if it does, you’re playing right into his hands. When most people have blowups at the table, like Mike “the Mouth,” they quickly lose their chips. But with Phil, the louder he gets, the harder he plays. It may be funny, but the last thing you’d want to do is have Phil yell at you. You’re on his radar if so.<br /> <br /> 3: He’s a winner. When Phil was only 24, Johnny Chan was going for his third consecutive WSOP win. The two met in heads-up play, and Phil demolished Chan. That has been a theme of Hellmuth’s career; he’s consistently bested other “pros” in the poker world, and now holds a record 11 bracelets.<br /> <br /> 4: He’s entertaining. This plays into the “loud” part, but he’s not always angry. Phil is one of those guys who constantly chirp about everything. His class clown nature makes him nearly impossible to read. Many have tried, few have succeeded. <br /> <br /> 5: He’s truly the “poker brat.” Like his nickname suggests, Phil is the guy that nobody wants at the table. And whatever reason you don’t want to play him, this means you already lose if he sits down with you. He’s already in your head. Phil, with everything that comes with him, is the hunter. The rest of the pack is simply the hunted. You might escape the wrath with a lucky beat here and there, but overall, Phil’s talent will outshine any luck. <br /> <br /> You don’t have to be a fan favorite to be good. Tyson, Dennis Rodman, Barry Bonds, and now Phil Hellmuth have all proven this to be true. You may hate his guts, but I doubt you really want to play the guy.<br /><a href='http://www.cards-mania.com'>Cards Mania</a> | <a href='http://www.cards-mania.com/Poker/The-Greatness-of-Hellmuth'>The Greatness of Hellmuth</a>