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The
man the poker community loves to hate, due to his often
childish behaviour and massive ego at the tables. Phil
thinks he is the best player in the world and he’s not
shy about saying so, much to the derision of those
around him. Still, when all is said and done Phil is a
valued member of the poker world and a player whose game
is much respected. When Phil is on, he just might be the
best NLH tournament player on the planet.
Biggest
Poker Accomplishment:
Won the WSOP Main Event in 1989 at the age of 24, making
him the youngest World Champion in history. Phil has
also taken home 3 WSOP bracelets in a single year,
something only Ted Forrest and Phil Ivey accomplished.
Playing
Style: Highly
adaptable. Phil can play fast, slow, or somewhere in
between, and he always knows exactly when to change
gears.
Strengths:
Hellmuth might be the best in the world at reading other
players. When his reads are on, he will often correctly
predict the exact 2 hole cards his opponents are
holding. This has enabled him to make both insane calls
and lay downs over the years.
Weaknesses:
Steam control. Phil has one of the worst tempers in
poker, and his propensity to go on tilt has cost him
millions of dollars over the course of his career.
Tournament
Winnings: Over
$6.5 million to date (and millions more with his various
business ventures).
The
Bottom Line:
Phil sometimes likes to imply that he has clairvoyant
powers when it comes to playing cards. The night before
the final table of the $2500 Limit Hold’Em event at
the 2003 WSOP, Phil had a dream that he would win
everything with a pair of 4s. The next day, Phil got
heads-up with Young Pham, and ended up busting him out
with…you guessed it…a pair of 4s.
Rank
(out of 10):
8.5
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