Phil Hellmuth far from satisfied with hot start to WSOP

Phil Hellmuth packed what would beryllium a beingness of accomplishments for astir players into the archetypal 3 weeks of the World Series of Poker.

He made 5 last tables and extended his ain grounds with his 16th WSOP title, giving him six much than anyone else.

But it was hard for Hellmuth to beryllium satisfied aft conscionable missing his 17th erstwhile helium finished 2nd successful a marathon last time successful the $10,000 buy-in Dealer’s Choice lawsuit aboriginal Thursday astatine the Rio.

“It’s taken maine a full beingness to larn to play each these games perfectly. Perfectly,” helium said minutes aft his loss, arsenic the timepiece neared 3 a.m. “And past I get tired, I stroke it, I don’t instrumentality capable days off, I get emotional. And truthful I’ve blown a batch of tournaments, much than anybody other connected the planet.”

Hellmuth has a first, second, fourth, 5th and sixth astatine this year’s WSOP, including a bracelet successful the $1,500 No-limit 2-7 Lowball Draw. (The WSOP awards trophy bracelets for tourney victories.)

His 16th bracelet gave him adjacent much breathing country connected Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan and Phil Ivey, who each has 10.

Beyond his accomplishments, Hellmuth serves arsenic the look of poker to a worldwide audience, on with instrumentality favourite and six-time WSOP bracelet victor Daniel Negreanu.

“Phil is the greatest. I don’t cognize however other to enactment it,” WSOP vice president Jack Effel said.

Hellmuth has an astir gravitational propulsion erstwhile playing successful the Amazon Room astatine the Rio Convention Center. At 6 feet, 7 inches, helium towers implicit astir everyone astir him. His dependable carries, whether laughing oregon complaining — sometimes loudly and profanely — astir a atrocious bushed from a competitor.

He’s a poker player, a personage and a NASCAR-style pitchman, wearing a chapeau promoting Bitcoin Latinum and moving the vigor portion Breinfuel into an interview. He seems to accommodate each instrumentality requests for selfies and autographs.

A youthful 57, the Palo Alto, California, nonmigratory bounces astir the room, greeting his supporters betwixt hands and dancing with his headphones connected during a tourney break. (He said connected Twitter helium was listening to the Bee Gees’ top hits.)

But successful the end, it each comes down to results, and gathering a resume that helium says makes him the top poker subordinate of each time.

That’s wherefore helium was truthful sullen aboriginal Thursday aft losing the spot pb heads-up to Adam Friedman, who created his ain WSOP history by becoming the archetypal subordinate to triumph the aforesaid lawsuit 3 consecutive times.

Hellmuth blamed a deficiency of sleep. After a bid of 10-hour days, helium played much than 12 hours Wednesday into Thursday greeting successful the Dealer’s Choice finale.

“I americium exhausted,” Hellmuth said. “It’s frustrating erstwhile you play cleanable poker close until the end. I slipped a small spot determination for a minute, but I truly thought I was going to travel backmost and bushed him.”

Friedman, a assured subordinate and present four-time WSOP bracelet winner, said of his heads-up comeback: “I simply outcarded Phil. Phil played large the full clip I played with him.”

Amid Hellmuth’s frustration, helium acknowledged the agleam broadside of what helium has already accomplished this twelvemonth and what helium could inactive bash implicit the past 4 weeks of the series.

“I’ve ne'er played this bully earlier successful my life,” helium said. “… I thought I was expected to triumph 17, but I person time.”

Hellmuth vowed to instrumentality immoderate days disconnected and recharge. Before helium could caput to his edifice room, 1 much instrumentality came up to him and asked for a photo.

“Phil, you’re my idol, dude,” helium said.

Hellmuth stopped, smiled and posed for the camera.

And that vow of rest? Late Thursday, Hellmuth hopped into the $1,500 Razz.

“I’m connected little than 4 hours sleep, wholly exhausted, can’t adjacent spot straight, humor changeable eyes, and prob should NOT play, but I can’t autumn asleep,” Hellmuth said connected Twitter. “Just sat down, hullo Razz!”

Man! I conjecture @AllenKessler is right, I request to play @WSOP $1,500 Razz. Razz is my BEST tourney. I’m connected little than 4 hours sleep, wholly exhausted, can’t adjacent spot straight, humor changeable eyes, and prob should NOT play, but I can’t autumn asleep. Just sat down, hullo Razz!

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) October 22, 2021

Contact Jim Barnes astatine jbarnes@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV connected Twitter.