Phil Hellmuth is still recovering and even losing sleep over falling one spot short of capturing WSOP bracelet #18 this summer. Yet the loss hasn’t dented his motivation or his goal of reaching 24 bracelets.
One of the players tipped to pass him on the all-time bracelet list is Shaun Deeb, who has dismissed Hellmuth's chances of winning another. Last December he told the WSOP's Jeff Platt: "I don't think Phil will win another bracelet. The game has passed him by."
Hellmuth begs to differ.
“I think it's frustrating that Shaun Deeb said that I will never win another bracelet,” says Hellmuth. “I'm convinced I'm going to win 24. People have forgotten how good I am at no-limit. I can win any no-limit tournament, any structure, any day, anywhere.
“All that criticism gives me more fuel to win and a puts a little chip on the shoulder," says Hellmuth. "I do believe I'm going to get 24 WSOP bracelets.”
PokerOrg caught up with the Poker Brat soon after his near miss for bracelet #18 against Darren Rabinowitz. Needless to say, Hellmuth had plenty to get off his chest.
'I have to play the right tournaments'
How are you feeling about your poker after this summer’s WSOP?
You know, I'm just going to say this. Last year I only played two tournaments in the PokerGO Studio. This year I went to the studio early in the year. In the very first tournament with some of the game’s greatest players, I made a final table. I even had the chip lead for a while.
In my third event there, I made the final table and also had the chip lead for a bit. Both times I didn't close right, and both times I can blame myself. But the point is I made the final six. All right, I said, 'This will show them that I'm back.'
It sounds like you’re saying you’re not going to let any distractions get in your way of reaching the 24-bracelet goal you’ve set for yourself.
You know, I've worked really hard to get myself in this position. So now I'm going to commit to poker for the next four or five years more than my business ventures. My number one thing is poker.
What do you plan on doing differently?
It's time to commit to playing more events. And I have to rewrite my schedule for the World Series of Poker.
How so?
I have to play in the right tournaments. I have to play more no-limit hold’em where I can last hours without picking up hands – where I can make final tables and move from eighth all the way to third without making hands. There's just so much you can do with the perfect reading ability and the knowledge I have.
It’s also time to make sure that I focus more on pot-limit Omaha as well as no-limit hold'em because there's so much more skill involved. Then, if I make the final four or five, I have a much better chance of actually winning a bracelet.
Beyond the runner-up finish versus Darren, you had some other deep runs. Were you happy with your play overall?
During the Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, I could see the mistakes that a lot of the other guys were making.
After that event, I was so upset because it's limit, and there's only so much you can do, right? I played almost perfectly, which isn't that hard to do in that game with that many players.
I watched everybody else make all these silly mistakes. And then I'm the one who doesn't finish higher. I should have been in the top three for sure.
Poker brings the Hellmuths closer
Your sons were playing throughout the summer, and Nick cashed in the Main Event. You have to be incredibly proud of them.
We're incredibly fortunate, because my sons live one mile away from my wife and me. But still, you don't see your kids as often as you would like.
We’ve been seeing Phillip, especially, playing more at the WSOP.
Well, Phillip decided to come into poker about two years ago. About that time I started getting phone calls from him daily. I had more issues with Nick at the time. Phillip and I would get emotional with each other on these phone calls. And we found ourselves, at the end of it all, the closest we'd ever been in our lives.
The same thing with Nick and me. We're as close as we've ever been. And now they’re very close. When they are on trips with me, they sit in the backseat and talk about hands.
It's just wonderful to see their relationship grow. So, now we're super close as a family.
ESPN is back: 'But they need to do more'
You’ve been part of the ESPN era of the WSOP from the beginning. How did you feel about its return this summer?
I was happy that ESPN was back. That's obvious. I didn't like that it felt a little rushed, right? Here's Day 1, one hour, then here's Day 2. I think they only did four episodes leading into the Main Event final table.
In the past on ESPN, they had around 16 hours of coverage leading into the final table. You got to really understand and meet the players.
My sons and I did some great clips together in the studio for them. They didn't use any of that. Forget it being about my sons and me, it’s the WSOP Main Event. It's just fun to learn about everybody’s stories.
I’d imagine a lot of fans agree with that take.
It's true. The stories are important. It would have been great if they had done a big special on Greg Mueller.
Also, it would have been nice if they had done a special on Shaun Deeb and his family in New York. I would have enjoyed seeing his wife and kids on camera.
Having ESPN back is great, but they need to do more.
‘You can't make this up’
You and Nick Palma got into a squabble almost immediately at the beginning of the WSOP. Then somehow, he was there again on the final day of your summer. How did that all play out?
You can't make this up when it comes to Nick Palma. It was 45 minutes into my first tournament of the series, and he and I got into it.
It was partly my fault. I was just like, my God, is this going to be my summer? Is it going to be a rough summer? Was it a sign?
Nick and I were fighting back and forth [see video below], and then Mike Matusow said he’s actually a really good guy. So, I shook Nick’s hand and thought that was the end of it. I didn't see him the entire summer.
And then Nick was battling with you at your last final table of the series for the bracelet.
I know. The last day of the series, Palma was there. We were both incredibly polite and nice to each other. And afterward, he was a real man. He apologized for anything that he did or said, and I apologized for my part.
You two almost got heads-up – that would have been crazy fun to see.
Actually, it would have been fun.
But it was just weird that we had this boom early on in the series. I never have that much drama during the whole summer. It's rare, and that one happened right away. It was weird that it was Nick at the beginning of the summer and Nick at the end.
Palma/Hellmuth Image courtesy of WSOP.
