All of our railbirds got the chance to ask Phil Hellmuth what he thought
i in this thread recently, and from these, we chose the best. Here they are!
Authors of winning questions will receive one mousepad signed by Phil each.
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mrmnko
Do you find that your table presence intimidates other players?
Hell yeah!
G.W.D.
Online poker has created an attitudinal revolution in the current game. Where will the next revolution in the game come from and how do you think it will manifest itself?
I’m not sure about that, but perhaps it will be cell phone poker.
watchdog26
Phil, the one thing that I admire the most about you is your sense of family. My question is with all the traveling and late nights involved with poker how do you manage to stay so close to your family? Does your wife play at all?
My wife doesn’t play much, and she never reads my books, watches my DVD’s or spends much time watching me on TV (except the WSOP coverage). Maybe this is good, it keeps her world her world, and my world my world. My wife is mad at me right now because I hung out so much with the new Guess jeans model Surrenda in Aruba. My wife also knows that I’ve been faithful to her for 18 years and counting. I am looking forward to spending most of the next 3 months with my family. I travelled too much earlier in the year, but now I have only one trip planned until Dec 1…
vger76
How do you think your table persona would have been accepted back in the old west days, playing against the likes of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp? Are you glad your gentlemen/ladies opponents can't wear six-shooters these days?
Believe me, I wouldn’t have been stupid enough to incite Wyatt Earp!!! Still, since I cannot control myself very well sometimes, I may have been forced to have a fast gun back in the day!!
AlCapwned (winning question)
What do you think of the recent success of Annette Obrestad and how do you think this will effect the poker community? Do you think this will bring a poker boom similar to the Moneymaker effect but with women?
Absolutely! Her win was enormous for poker. Imagine if Michelle Wie won an open tournament—nevermind made a cut—and this is what the impact may well be. Poker will hype this win, and it could be another “Moneymaker moment.”
infestus
How long did you play before you knew you were good enough to go professional?
About 18 months.
Teeee
Would you ever fold pocket A's preflop, and if so what would be your reason for doing so? Have you ever folded them preflop?
No, I never have folded them preflop. I wouldn’t fold them pre-flop in a regular tournament.
MrNobody
What is your best advice for building an online bankroll with a starting bankroll of under $100?
Ask Annette!! My answer is build is patiently, starting with $1 buy-in one table sit and go’s, and hopefully ending with a big score in a tournament or side game…
Naota
What do you do during those really long tournaments to help keep you focused on playing your best game?
I exercise a ton, and even meditate fairly regularly. Also, I believe in my new “Pro Player” Endurance Formula, and I drink one or two of those per day. And I do “Sleep” st the table a bit.
JBug40 (winning question)
You have an image of tight/agressive at a table and you are also known to trap people. That being said, do you feel that you are sometimes missing on bigger pots because of that image? People will fold to your bets because they usually feel that you will bet with "the goods". A good player will also know that you are trying to trap them. How do you deal with those players?
Soemtimes I do miss out on winning bigger pots, but that is balanced nicely by the fact that I cannot lose too many chips in any one given pot. Sometimes I do mix it up and play big pots. Sometimes I give up trapping for an hour or two or a day or two. I think that it is important to mix it up when you play, but I do believe in tight play 80-90% of the time.
conboy32
Why do you come in late to the start of a tournament?
Just to get more sleep is how it started, but then I noticed that everyone plays their “A game” for the first few hours anyway. Also, by coming late I have more energy later on in the tournament.
Undercover_Stud
I myself have a hard time picking up tells on people. What would you say is the most common physical tell your opponents show to you?
When they squirm in their chairs, or jump a bit when a card has “Hit” them. Also, the speed of their bets can be interpreted as a sign of weakness or strength. Most players bet quickly when they’re weak.
prozach
What advice could you give a fellow tight/aggressive player to get respect at the table?
Move all-in! Play tight, but then over-bet so much that they take notice of you! Like move all-in for $5,500 with you’re A-K when someone opens for $800.
Pey (winning question)
Do you think you have a fair chance to win the WSOP main event again, or is there too much luck involved with the high amount of players attending every year?
I will win it again someday. I truly believe that. I don’t know how, why, or when but look for me to win the WSOP main event at least one more time!!
eurythmech
Would winning a non-hold 'em event mean more to you than winning another hold'em bracelet?
I don’t care either way, but it would be nice to pick up a few non-hold’em bracelets..
snaskov (winning question)
What would happen if the Phil Hellmuth of today and the Phil Hellmuth that won the WSOP at the age of 24 sat down at the same table?
Today I know a lot more than I knew back then. I am more solid, more grounded, more mature, and more powerful. Still, that 24 year old kid has some real talent!
DAzero22
Do you prefer playing in larger tournaments against a bunch of unknowns with the mindset that you can outplay all of them and ultimately win the tournament, or do you prefer playing against other professional poker players?
I won both ways. Back in the days it was all pros, now it mostly amateurs. So whatever, bring em on!!
BeIVdeR
What music do you listen to when you're at the table?
Rap (like Jay Z), rock (like 80’s, 90’s. and modern), and pop stuff as well…
MrBurr
How do you feel you compare to Stu Ungar, the only person to have won the main event three times?
Stu was amazing. He had boundless talent, but he also had a few problems dealing with his own power and success. We are two very different animals that share a knowledge of no limit Hold’em at the highest levels.
ShowMeJohn
I like to read and I have a very extensive library. How do I get an autographed copy of your book?
Catch me at the WSOP!! Also, I believe that there are some available at EBAY. Thirdly, I did a leather bound signed edition that is beautiful.
SHERRY524
It's an honor to address you. I find I have a hard time with aggressive bluffers online. I find myself getting caught with second best sometimes. What is the best strategy for playing against aggressive bluffers online?
Trap them! Let them bluff off their money to you. Smooth call with A-A, K-K, or Q-Q, or even A-K, and let them bet the pre-flop, on the flop and even on the turn. Stall and act like your weak, and then POUNCE all-in on the turn!!
niccollette (winning question)
Do you believe poker is a sport or a game?
Both! But mostly a game.
kurtan (winning question)
Is there any specific player or type of player that you don't want to play against?
Not really, but the super aggressive online players (often times youthful) of today can be a pain until they bust themselves. Sometimes I adjust my game—to even tighter--when they’re around.
MrZingo
What is your biggest achievement outside of poker?
My wife and kids? My best selling book? My award winning DVD’s? Fortune? Fame? All of the above?
KikkomaN
You seem to get very emotional sometimes at the table, how do you avoid going on tilt afterwards?
I simply remind myself that I’m the best and it doesn’t make sense for me to go on tilt. I sometimes think that if I continue to play my A game, then I’ll win all of the chips on the table. Plus the whole world is watching me play these days and I damn well better play like a 11 time WSOP champ!!!
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That’s all for now, folks. I would like to thank Phil on behalf of all of Railbirds for answering the questions, and wish him the best of luck in life and in winning more WSOP bracelets!
06-19-2008, 03:55 AM
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