Phil Hellmuth’s 76th career WSOP final table ended in a disappointing seventh-place finish on Monday night, leaving him still chasing a record-extending 18th bracelet.
The result in the $10,000 Limit Omaha 8 or Better Championship was still good for $54,214, boosting his all-time winnings at the WSOP to $18,528,855, which remains fourth all-time behind only Daniel Negreanu, Antonio Esfandiari, and Michael Mizrachi.
Falling at the final table
Hellmuth entered the final eight in fifth place after a good start to the day, and it appeared it might continue as he won the first pot at the final table to move up to fourth with 1.7M chips, good for 17 big bets.
He was soon joined by his wife Kathy, and his good friend Mike Matusow came by at an opportune time as well, calming the Poker Brat after he lost a sizeable pot to Scott Clements.
But it continued going downhill from there.
Hellmuth couldn’t gain any traction, and while he continued to battle, another big pot didn’t go his way, leaving him steaming again.
After raising the small blind and being called by Todd Brunson in the big blind, Hellmuth bet all three streets on a 
board and was called down by Brunson.
Hellmuth tabled aces and tens, but Brunson had rivered a flush on him, prompting the Hall of Famer to rise from his seat in frustration before tossing his cards to the muck.
Bemoaning his misfortune, Hellmuth told his wife, “Nobody has the patience to win this ***ing thing except me, and I might run out of chips.”
Aces cracked again
That pot left him with just four big bets, which he clung to for as long as he could before electing to get them in against chip leader Dylan Weisman.
Hellmuth raised the cutoff and was called by Weisman in the big blind to see a flop of 
.
Weisman check-raised Hellmuth, and Hellmuth called to see the turn.
Weisman bet, and Hellmuth went into the tank with a decision that could potentially end his tournament. After a couple of minutes, he raised to get his final chips in the middle.
Hellmuth’s executioner tabled 
for the nut flush, with the nut low draw as well. Hellmuth again had aces with 
, which were drawing dead before the 
completed the board and officially ended his tournament.
Hellmuth shook hands with his tablemates and departed with his wife, ending his day far sooner than he would have hoped. A long summer lies ahead, and if anyone can make another run at the World Series of Poker, it’s the all-time bracelet leader.
