"In my book, he's the best tournament holdem player in the world." While Phil Hellmuth has made that claim about himself for years, it means something entirely different when Doyle Brunson says it. Doyle made this declaration from the ESPN stage just moments after Hellmuth won his 11th bracelet.
There's no better litmus test for the truth behind a gambler's words than, well, gambling on it. The Texas Dolly placed at least $400,000 in wagers that Hellmuth would win his 11th bracelet this summer. Looks like it's time for some "suckers" to pay up...
...but can the people on the other side of those bets really be considered suckers? It's difficult enough for many tournament pros to make it out of the first level, much less emerge from three days of poker with a victory.
In the last several years, the common philosphy has been that "tight-aggressive" play gets you in the cash; playing "loose-aggressive" brings home the most trophies. Phil Hellmuth's two bracelets in the last two years indicate otherwise.
While many players come out firing in the early stages, we all know Hellmuth doesn't even bother showing up until late in the second hour. For Hellmuth actual significance lies in what most would dismiss as a gimmick; he simply waits to play until the chips mean something. A loose-aggressive player who happens to be running well may win one event; the poker brat has remained at the top for a lifetime.
While his risk-averse style of play makes him a target early in tournaments, winning the small pots ensure that he sticks around long enough to capitalize on his opponent's mistakes. Combine his patience with his own patented brand of incessant table chatter and you have a formula for continually frustrating opponents.
A few players emulate this style of play. WPT players of the year Erick Lindgren and Daniel Negreanu both encourage small-ball poker while relying on their reading ability; 2005 WSOP champion Joe Hachem has enjoyed an incredible two-year stretch of success.
But Phil Hellmuth's staying power brought him not only a record 11th bracelet, but a title only the godfather of poker can bestow: The Greatest.
