Column: The Rebirth Of Phil Hellmuth

Following a record 12th bracelet at the World Series of Poker, Barry Carter takes a look the change in attitude of Phil Hellmuth in the last 12 months.

I don't care how long you have been around the industry, I don't care what your personal thoughts are on either man: I don't think there is anyone in poker who didn't have goose pimples when they heard that both Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth were heads-up for different bracelets at the exact same time.

The only bad result would have been neither man winning one (the best would have been them being heads-up against each other) and for me we got a great result. Ivey just missed out on bracelet number 9, while Hellmuth captured a record 12th WSOP title. 

One of the most interesting things, for me, about the outcome is how symbolic it is of change in perception of these two icons of poker. Two years ago, Phil Ivey was the hero, an unbeatable enigma who was idolised by all. Hellmuth was a pantomime villain, considered past his best by many, with question marks over his ability and attitude.

In the present day, although he is still as iconic, Ivey certainly doesn't have as many fans since the demise of Full Tilt and has felt a backlash by some in the poker community. Hellmuth, on the other hand, silenced lots of critics and won a lot of fans last year with his new, more humble, attitude during his impressive run of three 2nd places at the series.

Ivey is not exactly a villain, and Hellmuth all of a sudden isn't the best player in the world, but their identities are changing, and it almost seems like fate that Hellmuth wins bracelet 12, when Ivey misses out on number 9. 

The end of the Poker Brat?

No more sponsor, no more costumes?

So what has changed? Well first of all, although he would disagree, I think it is a good thing that Phil missed out last year. The three 2nd places were an amazing feat in themselves, and as they were all in non hold'em disciplines, they managed to dispel the idea that Phil is "just a hold'em player". The fact that he couldn't catch a break heads-up in any of them also helped to humble the former "Poker Brat."

To listen to his winner's interviews yesterday (And also the runner up interviews from last year) you could identify a different mindset. Phil would mostly talk about the quality of his decision making, or his level of focus, or indeed the quality of his opponents. These are things he would previously never acknowledge, and in his former life as the Brat, he simply would talk about how much he deserved to win, or how unlucky he was not to.

But I think the main reason why we have seen the rebirth of Phil Hellmuth is a direct result of him getting rid of his sponsor. It never helped that he was representing a shady site to begin with, but I can't think of anyone else in poker who had more commitments to a sponsor that Phil. The public appearances, the temper tantrums, the interviews, the elaborate entrances, the hollywooding at the table - these were as much for the benefit of his sponsor than they were an accurate reflection of what Phil Hellmuth is all about.

Losing his sponsor has helped to narrow his focus back to playing poker. He doesn't do many interviews during the series any more, he didn't have an extravagant entrance last year and I expect he wont this year, and with no major sponsor on his cap any more, he has no reason to act the fool to get airtime. It also probably helps that he is playing his own money, rather than a sponsors.

The real Phil Hellmuth?

In one of his winner interviews he paid tribute to his family, and his son presented him with his most recent bracelet. This is another telling sign of just who the real Phil Hellmuth might be, a family man. He doesn't actually play a great deal outside of bracelet events and spends a lot more time at home than a lot of other poker professionals can probably boast, and this is another likeable quality that is allowing to manifest in the wake of the Poker Brat.

He still has an ego, he will still have tantrums and act inappropriately at times, he still completely lacks self awareness whenever he takes to the twitterverse, and some may still have questions about his overall game. But we all have to admit that Phil has more passion about the World Series than anyone else in poker. He will never be to everyone's liking, but these are cynical times for poker, and I for one am happy to see a bracelet go to someone who cares about it as much as Phil does.

By Barry Carter