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.
[ Back to top ]
