Hellmuth gets #10

It had to happen, the signs were there. After already making two final tables and six cashes at the 2006 World Series of Poker, Phil Hellmuth Jnr. finally took the last step and won his record equalling tenth WSOP title.

He now joins legends Doyle Brunson and Jonny Chan on ten bracelets, and the race is on to get to 11.

The No-Limit Hold’em with Rebuys championship was played over a three-day period. There were 754 entries and 1,691 rebuys — including a record “48” by Daniel Negreanu, believed to be the most of any major tournament in history. Negreanu’s heavy investment failed to pay off as he finished out of the money. It took two long days to eliminate Negreanu along with 745 players.

The nine finalists returned to the Rio poker stage on Day Three. The final table consisted of several players with high-stakes experience, but only two former gold bracelet winners – Phil Hellmuth, Jr. with nine wins (coming in) and Ralph Perry, who won his first-ever gold bracelet last week.

Hellmuth had already made it to two final tables this year. Both times, he came up short. The first setback came when the largest gallery in WSOP history left stunned after seeing Hellmuth finish second to Jeff Cabanillas. A week later, in the Omaha High-Low championship, Hellmuth finished a disappointing sixth.

But this time, Hellmuth would get the intangible breaks that had shattered him in the past. One of the most dramatic hands of the entire year took place when Hellmuth was dealt pocket fives and flopped a five – making a set. The trouble was – there were three diamonds on board. An amazing turn of events ensued when a fourth diamond fell on the turn, to match Helppi’s lone fifth diamond. Helppi, holding a flush, was one blank on the river away from winning his first WSOP title. But the board paired on the final card and Hellmuth made a full house.

The look of anguish on Hellpi’s face afterward was worth a thousand words. Picture getting hit in the stomach with a sledgehammer. Hellpi could not believe his eyes and could not disregard the crowd’s roar for Hellmuth. If there was a turning point, this was it.

A short time later, Hellmuth regained the chip lead when he called Hellpi’s all-in raise holding pocket kings. Hellpi tabled an ace-ten. An ace failed to appear for Hellpi, which only added to the proverbial prairie fire that would engulf the final table and result in Hellmuth’s explosive victory.

The final hand of the tournament came when Hellmuth (with ace-jack) called Hellpi (with ace-nine) after the Finn made an all-in pre-flop re-raise. Neither player made a pair, so the ace-jack played and Hellmuth won the championship. That set off a half-hour celebration that rocked the Rio tournament area to its core.

Lost in the great storyline that was Hellmuth’s victory was the supporting cast, led by Juha Hellpi. The Finnish poker pro, who has won more money in Europe than any other player over the last three years, collected $331,144 for second place.

As the boisterous crowd flooded onto the stage and began to chant, “Ten! Ten! Ten!” in unison, Hellmuth basked in the glow of what was perhaps his most satisfying poker victory. The 1989 WSOP certainly came to define Phil Hellmuth as a world champion. But wining gold bracelet Number Ten now establishes Hellmuth as a bona fide living legend.

With the victory, his first at the World Series in over two years, Hellmuth joined his fellow poker legends Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan, who have already won ten gold bracelets each. Brunson and Chan both won their tenth titles last year, leaving Hellmuth behind to simmer over the last 13 months. Now, the three-way race to win gold bracelet Number Eleven is on.

“I honestly would have paid a million dollars for this moment,” Hellmuth told a cheering crowd afterward. “I know it’s my time. I don’t play this well every World Series…this year is my time. I’m maybe the best hold’em player in the world, at the top of my game and I felt it would be a shame if I didn’t win the bracelet. Nothing else matters from here, but I do anticipate a successful run in the championship event (next week). I really feel like I can win it.”

Anyone who still doubts that this poker victory meant everything to Phil Hellmuth, Jr. would be advised to reflect upon his final question whispered in the most straightforward manner possible to the Tournament Director as he walked away from the Rio poker stage. “So, how much money did I win?” Hellmuth asked.

Event #34
$1,000 No-Limit Hold’em with Re-buys
Final table results:

1. Phil Hellmuth, Jr. Palo Alto, CA $631,863
2. Juha Helppi, Helsinki, Finland, $331,144
3. Daryn Firicano, Boston, MA $187,219
4. John Spadavecchia, Lighthouse Point, FL, $163,817
5. Terris Q. Preston, Toronto, Canada, $140,414
6. Elio Cabrera, Miami, FL, $117,012
7. David Plastik, Las Vegas, NV, $93,610
8. Rafael Perry, Las Vegas, NV, $70,207
9. Antanas Guoga (Tony G), Vilnius, Lithuania, $46,805