5 Tips From Phil Hellmuth to Beginning WSOP Players
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It was 30 years ago that a 24-year-old Phil Hellmuth walked into Binion's Horseshoe and began his attempt to win the World Series of Poker Main Event. A few days later, he'd changed poker and made a game seen as one for old men in cowboy hats accessible to young players with strong math skills.
Three decades on, Hellmuth has accumulated 15 WSOP bracelets, five more than anyone else in history. We sat with Hellmuth to find out what he'd say to the young men and women who'll walk through the halls of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino this summer, looking to create their own history and achieve what Hellmuth did — that first major victory at a young age.
What would Hellmuth tell himself if he was walking in to play the WSOP for the first time at the end of May?
"I would tell Phil Hellmuth Junior, you'll be the greatest of all time, stay on the path!"
Bad example. Hellmuth's belief in his own ability is legendary. But for a random new WSOP player readying for a first-ever tournament and dreaming of greatness, the Poker Brat's advice is much more sensible.
Here are his five tips for beginning WSOP players hoping to follow his footsteps.
1. Take Shots
"I'd say play within your bankroll and give yourself some chances," says Hellmuth. "Some people fly in for two events, get in their money with kings or aces against jacks, lose and then go home. They've given themselves one or two chances and that's it! You have to give yourself some opportunities."
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2. Embrace the Grind
"I'd say come to Vegas for 10 days, play five tournaments with $1,500 buy-ins, and grind in some satellites to try to win those buy-ins. If you're lucky enough to be able to play in five tournaments in 10 days, then you've given yourself a chance to find out if you're good enough," Hellmuth recommends.
Hellmuth laments what potentially great players might miss if they don't have the stomach for the grind.
"If my nines don't hold up to Johnny Chan's A♠7♠, maybe it's different," he says, alluding to the hand that gave him the Main Event title and his first WSOP bracelet in 1989.
"Maybe I have 16 or 17 bracelets or maybe I have a lot less. There are probably some great players who gave up too early. We don't know how good they might have been."
3. Be a Nice Person
Hellmuth's happiness is legendary, and he even published his most recent book, #Positivity: You Are Always In The Right Place At The Right Time. He credits positivity for a lot of his achievements at the WSOP.
"I have a reputation for being a nice guy — a family guy — and I have a balanced life," he says. "Some young players aspire to have that."
Hellmuth believes his popularity extends to that of his fellow peers.
"A huge amount of poker players are happy for me when I win. I feel like I have a great relationship across the board, and I can only think of one that hates me. In 30 years and considering the thousands of players I've met and played against, that's amazing."
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4. Keep Tilt External
While that may sound crazy — after all, the Poker Brat is famous for his blow-ups — Hellmuth believes his ability to externalize his emotions is a key weapon in his poker armory.
"There was a big article written about how well I handle my emotions and then when I put it out in the poker world, there was a lot of laughter," he says. "But the point wasn't how I handle my emotions on the outside, because I don't. I'm still the Poker Brat. It's more about how you handle your emotions on the inside."
For years, fans have loved the pantomime that routinely plays out on the surface of poker's most famous face other than Doyle Brunson's. But Hellmuth thinks how he's reached maturity is fairly unique.
"There's no doubt that I've tilted a lot in my life, but I've gotten much better," says Hellmuth. "That's part of growing up and having a wife who challenges you on everything in your life. Most people don't have that or need something really traumatic to prompt growth."
5. Be Serious About Your Legacy
It has been said that there are two types of people — those focused on short-term enjoyment, and those who identify more with creating a legacy. Hellmuth definitively sees himself as part of the latter camp.
"Who's remembered in 100 years? Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods?" he asks. "Maybe I will be because I'm the greatest poker player, but more likely it's because I started the positivity movement. I feel a responsibility to inspire the world and part of me inspiring the world is doing things that people say isn't possible, like winning 15 bracelets. I take that very seriously."
If you want to emulate Phil Hellmuth at the World Series of Poker, then the best advice is to start early and stay focused. If your journey to 15 bracelets starts this summer, Pokernews will be there to report it, every day of the 2019 WSOP.
