Like Fine Wine…..Gets Better With Age

For anybody who was unaware, Phil Hellmuth won his record breaking 11th World Series of Poker title this week taking him one clear of two other living poker legends, namely Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan. As if the poker world needed any further proof, Hellmuth underlined that he is one of the greatest No Limit tournament players of all time.

In my opinion, this latest success could be his greatest ever win surpassing his other ten bracelets.  He bested a field of over two and a half thousand players for starters and this is a phenomenal feat in itself. But in today’s tougher poker climate, it could also just be the toughest field he has ever had to face as well. The standard of play in poker now is higher than what it has ever been with players getting years of poker experience in a fraction of the time by playing online poker.

Despite this and all of the players using well known “Kill Phil” strategies that negate a top players edge, wading through a field of this size in 2007 is an absolutely unbelievable achievement. Also you have to bear in mind that far more players will go after a player like Hellmuth because knocking him out would make a great story for them to tell their friends and family when they get home. So a player like Hellmuth has a lot to contend with that other players do not and yet he still prevailed.

Even if you don’t like his temperament and the fact that he is a sore loser (you want to hear me rant and rave at the screen) then you cannot take away the fact that he is unsurpassed in No Limit hold’em poker tournaments……Phil Hellmuth…..I salute you as not just a very talented poker player but for taking poker to level that closely resembles an art form.