Phil Hellmuth had a quick day and a rough bustout in the $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller at the World Series of Poker, where he played what he is calling his word hand of the year.
Hellmuth was one of 194 entries in what is his biggest buy-in of the year so far, but he won't be playing against Stephen Chidwick on Sunday for $2.1 million and an 18th bracelet, all thanks to a clash that he called "horrendous" and "frustrating" in a post on social media.
It is not necessarily a bad summer for Hellmuth thus far — he has eight cashes and a third-place finish in the $2,500 Omaha8/Stud8 Mix — but it's never a good WSOP for Hellmuth if he doesn't walk away with a bracelet.
The aforementioned hand, which was captured by PokerGO, was a chance for Hellmuth to get a stack going after he bought in on Day 2. It went south with a brutal runner-runner.
Hellmuth explains
Hellmuth took to X, where he spoke directly with his fans. "Folks, played my worst hand of the year. Bought into the $50K Pot-Limit Omaha."
Hellmuth had limped in with "king-king with the ace-three of spades" The board fell nine-ten of spades with a five. "So, I have to bet. I have kings and a flush draw."
He didn't bet. "Instead, I checked in third position. Then a deuce came and another deuce came and I lost all my money to a guy who had ace-four-deuce-ten."
"It was as bad as I could play a hand. The worst PLO play I've made in a long time. Horrendous. Frustrating."
Back in the Mix
Fear not Hellmuth fans, there is a lot more poker to play at the 2025 WSOP and the 17-time champ has jumped over to the Nine Game Mix, a warmup event for the $50,000 Poker Players Championship later this week.
The PPC is a crown jewel tournament for pros, and Hellmuth will have to check some of his ego to beat the best in the world at nine different games.
"Let's see what happens," Hellmuth said. "I'm trying to battle my ego a little bit, folks. I know you guys are shocked at that. But I think I have it under control, we'll see what happens today."
As of press time, Hellmuth still had chips on Day 2 of the Nine Game. There are just under 100 players left in the field, and a patient Hellmuth is still in with a below-average stack — perhaps the humility the Poker Brat needed.
