Phil J. Hellmuth, Jr. was born July 16, 1964 and is the greatest World Series of Poker player ever because he owns a record 11 bracelets including a WSOP Main Event title in 1989. A member of the Poker Hall of Fame his 1989 win made the 24 year old Phil Hellmuth the youngest player to win the WSOP Main Event by defeating heads up the two time defending champion, Johnny Chan.
In 2006 Phil Hellmuth won his 10th WSOP bracelet in the $1,000 No Limit Holdem with rebuys event tieing him with Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan. Phil Hellmuth's bracelets have all come plahying Hold'em, where as Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan have won other poker variation events. In 2007 he conquered the poker world when he won his 11th bracelet in the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Event. Hellmuth holds the record for most WSOP Cashes at 63 and is tied with TJ Cloutier for most WSOP final tables at 39. Phil Hellmuth won nearly has won nearly $6 Million at the WSOP and is ranked 7th on the WSOP All Time Money List.
Well known for his nickname, the Poker Brat, Phil Hellmuth is a very sore loser. The Poker Brat regularly makes negative remarks about his opponents' skills especially after taking bad beats. One of these remarks accused an amateur tournament player of not even being able to spell 'poker' after his opponent went all in preflop with King Jack and beat Hellmuth's Ace King when he hit a jack and won the pot. Phil Hellmuth has also been quoted as saying:
"If luck weren't involved, I guess I'd win every one"
"I've revolutionized the way to play Texas hold 'em."
Many pros and amatuers believe his attitutude is disrespectful, nobody can question his poker skills. His ego is intensified when under the spotlight and some of his actions are probably done for the cameras as he sells himself as the 'Poker Brat'.
World Series of Poker bracelets
1989 $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship $755,000
1992 $5,000 Limit Hold'em $188,000
1993 $1,500 Limit Hold'em $138,000
1993 $2,500 No Limit Hold'em $161,400
1993 $5,000 No Limit Hold'em $173,000
1997 $3,000 Pot Limit Hold'em $204,000
2001 $2,000 No Limit Hold'em $316,000
2003 $2,500 Limit Hold'em $171,400
2003 $3,000 No Limit Hold'em $410,860
2006 $1,000 No Limit Hold'em with rebuys $631,863
2007 $1,500 No Limit Hold'em $637,254
Phil Hellmuth has written and produced some excellent poker strategy books. Phil Hellmuth's most famous one,
Play Poker Like the Pros
In 2005, Hellmuth won the first National Heads-Up Poker Championship. He defeated Men Nguyen, Paul Phillips, Huck Seed, Lyle Berman and Antonio Esfandiari on the way to the final against Chris Ferguson whom he defeated in two out of three games. While trying to repeat in 2006, he lost in the first round to Chip Reese.His total live tournament winnings exceed $9,580,000, ranking him fourth on the All Time Money List behind Jamie Gold, Joseph Hachem and Daniel Negreanu.
Phil Hellmuth owns a stake in poker stocks most notably one online poker room in particular. In 2009 his site pushed him a pot in an online poker hand that he had lost, making for an embarrasing situation. Hellmuth of course returned the money and the computer glitch was quickly fixed.
Record 11 WSOP Bracelets
Phil Hellmuth has 11 total bracelets which makes him the winningest player at the WSOP.
The Phil Hellmuth journey began in spectacular fashion when he won the World Series of Poker Main Event back in 1989. Legendary poker player Johnny Chan was trying to win an unprecedented third straight World Championship title and had maneuvered his way through the field until he was heads-up. Little did he know that the relatively unknown player across from him, Phil Hellmuth, would one day have more bracelets then anybody in the world. The young Hellmuth overtook Johnny Chan that day and the rest is history.
| Year | Tournament | Prize ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | $10,000 No Limit Hold'em World Championship | $755,000 |
| 1992 | $5,000 Limit Hold'em | $168,000 |
| 1993 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em | $161,400 |
| 1993 | $2,500 No Limit Hold'em | $173,000 |
| 1993 | $5,000 Limit Hold'em | $138,000 |
| 1997 | $3,000 Pot Limit Hold'em | $204,000 |
| 2001 | $2,000 No Limit Hold'em | $316,550 |
| 2003 | $2,500 Limit Hold'em | $171,400 |
| 2003 | $3,000 No Limit Hold'em | $410,860 |
| 2006 | $1,000 No Limit Hold'em with rebuys | $631,863 |
| 2007 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em | $637,254 |
Phil Hellmuth's Record 11 World Series of Poker Bracelets have all come in Hold'em. Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson are not to far behind Phil Hellmuth. One of Phil Hellmuth's future challengers to his total titles would be the talented pro poker player Phil Ivey, who now has 6 bracelets.
Phil Hellmuth stares down an opponent at the World Series of Poker.
Phil Hellmuth's Nickname is The Poker Brat
Nicknamed the The Poker Brat, Phil Hellmuth tends to be very outspoken and critical of many players and those player inferior decision making abilities at the poker table. Bad Beats really tend to set him off. In one hand, he tells an amateur tournament player that he could not "Spell Poker'. This was in response to his opponent catching a jack in a preflop all-in pot when Phil Hellmuth had him dominated Ace-King to King-Jack.
Phil Hellmuth Famous Quotes:
"If luck weren't involved, I guess I'd win every one"
"I've revolutionized the way to play Texas hold 'em."
Phil Hellmuth Trying to Hold it Together Against Annie Duke in the WSOP Tournament of Champions
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Annie Duke's Unexpected Win at the Tournament of Champions Sets Phil Hellmuth Off. The one table winner-take-all televised invitation only tournament paid $1 Million for first place; second place Phil Hellmuth got $0.
Phil Hellmuth's Short Stack Strategy
High Stakes Poker Hellmuth Rebounds from Tilt Against Daniel Negreanu
Phil Ivey takes over 1/2 million dollars from Hellmuth in Chinese Poker
Sam Farha vs. Phil Hellmuth
1989 WSOP Main Event Final Hand
High Stake Poker Insta-Call by Phil Hellmuth on Barry Greenstein
Hoyt Corkins versus Phil Hellmuth
Toto Leonidas Puts a Tough Beat on Phil Hellmuth
Another Phil Hellmuth Rant
Biography of One of Poker's Most Famous Players
Phil J. Hellmuth, Jr. was born July 16, 1964 One of the Greatest Tournament Players in the World Holds Record 11 WSOP Bracelets World Series of Poker Main Event Champion, 1989 Poker Author Poker Site Owner Poker Television Star Holds Record for Most WSOP Cashes 2005 Won the first National Heads-Up Poker Championship. Hellmuth defeated Men Nguyen, Paul Phillips, Huck Seed, Lyle Berman and Antonio Esfandiari. In the finals Hellmuth beat Chris Ferguson in two out of three games. Phil Hellmuth's Poker Face is near the top of Tournament Poker's All Time Money Winners. World Series of Poker Hall of Fame Member |  |
Phil Hellmuth the Poker Instructor
Phil Hellmuth loves to teach people how to play poker like those that teach strategy at poker schools. Hellmuth is arguably the greatest tournament poker player ever since he broke onto the world poker stage by winning the 1989 World Series of Poker Championship after an intense heads-up battle against two time World Champion Johnny Chan.
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