My Phil Hellmuth Story

Picture the scene. Downtown Las Vegas, Binions Horseshoe Casino, It is, of course, the World Series of Poker. The year is 2002. It is just after lunch, and I am standing outside of the tournament area, waiting with the other players for the afternoon session to start. I have had a reasonable morning, caught some decent hole cards, and overall my stack is intact. Suprisingly so now looking back, as I'm playing like a rabbit caught in the headlights. I was what used to be called 'dead money' by the pro's. An amateur waiting to be polished off. That was in the 'pre moneymaker' era anyway. I glance across the room, and there, stood patiently waiting with the rest of us, was Phil Hellmuth.

So what was I, this amateur doing in the WSOP? I had been extremely lucky in an Ultimatebet.com tournament and won my seat. The more I think about it now, the more unbelievable it seems. But it happened and I was there, playing the 'Big dance' at the Mecca of poker.

There are many people I look up to in life. Authors, scientists, etc. Among my greatest heroes are professional poker players. Those who make a living playing cards. Those who treat money as mere poker tokens. Who will bet what is for most of us, maybe a years salary. And think nothing of it, if lady luck is unkind. Those who have no boss, and choose their hours of work. I see these people as the last great pioneers, rejecting the squareness of the world. Living by the fragile fate, of the turn of a card.

One of these heroes is a player called Phil Hellmuth. Here is some stuff about Phil www.philhellmuth.com/about.html

In short Phil is an extremely successful player. He has been called brash, arrogant and many other names.
I think this is what is known as 'goes with the territory'. Now, as I stand there across the room from Phil, I'm thinking 'Well, surely I cannot pass up this opportunity to talk to Phil....' but, it's the WSOP, he might be psyching himself up, or going over last minute strategy decisions. How will he react to me, the dead money, just introducing myself to him?

I gather my courage, it will be worth it, if I can just get Phil to give me some words of wisdom. On my side is the fact that Phil is part of the UB team. He will probably be aware of me winning the seat, as I am the only UB seat winner that year.

I walk over and look up. I stand about 5'10" and Phil is much taller. I introduce myself and explain who I am. Phil grins and congratulates me. He looks calm and relaxed. I thank him and ask him what his strategy will be for the next session. He takes a second or two to think, and then gives me some poker wisdom, I take with me every time I play.

he says

"Well, if they come fast that's good, and if they come slow, that's good too". And finishes with another big grin. I wish him good luck, and we part. I'm conscious of not out staying my welcome.

For any non poker players reading this, he means, that he will play whatever hand he is dealt, and whatever player he will face. Playing poker with the flow, rather than with a pre-conceived or false strategy.

unfortunately Phil did not go on to win that year. Even more unfortunately neither did I. I was busted by the British pro Julian Gardner. His pair of fives killing my Diamond flush draw.

But that is another story.

A conceit of poker players.

At the table, poker players are ruthless people. Not suprising when the object of the game is to take all your opponents money. That is, not to prove you are better, stronger etc, but to completely crush your opponents into the ground, every time you play them.

But what may be suprising to non-poker players is the friendships that are made between poker players. There is a quiet, knowing smile shared between poker players who meet, because they all know what it is like to win big, lose big, bust and the many other possible scenarios.

I have made a few such friends through my own poker experience. I started playing on-line sometime in 2001, at Ultimatebet.com. There were about 400 regular players at that time. As you spend hours at the table names are repeated and remembered, and personalities emerge, at the end of a network cable. A 'group', What is the collective noun for poker players?, of us used to congregate around the .10-.25c NL tables. I feel we all learned to fold, fold, and then fold some more together. There are maybe ten players from those days I am still in contact with. One of those players, lets call him 'Jerry Lewis' springs to mind. It is unusual these days that I will sit with players, I know can play, for very long, but me and jerry were there recently. I had JJ in the hole and made a set on the flop, as there was only me and Jerry in the hand I announced my hand, and we checked it down. This is known as 'soft play' or 'cheating', and one other player at the table was a bit upset by our actions. Another player at the table had no objections to this 'deal'. I realize that this play is not in the spirit of the game, but I take no pleasure in taking money from a friend, and is it turned out, we both left the table soon afterwards.


Another good friend from those halcyon days, recently sent me a book all the way, from the United States, and it's not even a poker book! It is also this player that, during a particularly bleak spell, running bad, was there, to help me rebuild my confidence, and get back in the game.

During the 2002 WSOP, I made another friend from the other side of the software, who was working for UB at the time. We are now in regular contact thanks to the wonder of the internet. Also during that great trip, I met several US and British Pro players. It amazed me how generous they were with their time, to explain strategy tips or have a beer at the bar with me, a poker nobody amateur.

These are just a few of my poker buddy experiences, I hope you get the picture. In a world where every player believes he is the best in the world (except me, I know....) Away from the table, it is my experience, that these people are the opposite of their table images and the ruthlessness of their actions is replaced by kindness and generosity.

To blog, or not to blog?

If you read any poker books, they will tell you, you have to fold a lot of hands. That gives you plenty of time to contemplate the current game, and also, life.

So I thought I'd blog the rest of the time, as I have already extensively studied the view from my window. If you have ever visited Stevenage in Hertfordshire, you'll understand why it is unlikely, Constable would have painted 'Four teenagers, comically dressed, hanging around.'

So is there going to be anything interesting in it? I don't know, I thought I'd ramble and see what happens.....