Phil Hellmuth

Celebrity

1964-07-16

Quotes by Phil Hellmuth

• I wanted to become good at golf because I saw a lot of really successful people being good at it - and I planned on being successful.

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• Internet players have successfully addressed the all-in play from a mathematical perspective. For example, it's fairly common to see a net player move all-in over the top from the big blind with a hand like K-Q when they have less than twenty big blinds remaining. And for good reason - it works!

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• Oakley's sunglasses are hot and I feel a little extra cool when I wear them.

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• Shoving with K-Q is a tactic that does work well for Internet players and weak players. In the old days, though, grizzled pros would have eaten up those guys by utilizing the traditional, more conservative style of poker that emphasizes play on the flop.

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• The flop bet is a useful tactic for both old-school and new-school players because it can be effective if you are strong, weak, or somewhere in between. Betting out weak on a bluff can allow you to pick up an uncontested pot while betting out strong gives you the opportunity to control the size of the pot.

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• I normally raise pre-flop with K-K or A-A but occasionally I'll limp in, especially if it appears that the others at the table are playing tight. I don't want anyone to fold too soon when I've got such a big hand.

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• When my reading ability is sharp, I can dodge bullets, baby! I have no problem folding super-strong hands and that saves me a ton of chips.

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• Players too often bet too much money when they hit a strong hand. That only serves to drive opponents out of the pot, and that means a lost opportunity to maximize the value of a powerful hand.

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• One or two great lay downs per tournament will give you a few extra lives while a few well-timed bluffs will give you a ton of extra chips.

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• Mental and physical preparation is critical in tournament poker events like the WSOP.

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• Look, I never enjoy risking my tournament life with a marginal hand, but if you want to be a poker champion, that's exactly what needs to be done. Just don't do it too often!

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• It used to be considered an art form to win a tournament without having to shove all your chips in the middle.

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• Playing only when you have a strong hand, also known as being a slave to the cards, is simply not the way to win tournaments.

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• I used to make it deep in poker tournaments without ever moving all-in because other players knew that when I raised it up, I had the goods.

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• All-star lay downs are all about reading your opponents, trusting your instincts, and then making the right move.

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• Consistently playing suited connectors like 8c-7c for raises and reraises will cause big chip swings. If that's what you want, well, strap on your seatbelt, because you've got a turbulent ride ahead of you!

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• Before you decide to play with live straddles in your home game, remember that this twist essentially doubles the size of the game. It's often used by players who have been losing and are trying to get lucky and win a big pot.

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• Without a doubt, the WSOP in Las Vegas is by far the most prestigious event in the poker world.

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• Some players like to add a little more spice to their no-limit Hold 'em game. They add a live blind, also known as a straddle, where the player to the left of the big blind voluntarily puts up twice the big blind before looking at his hole cards. The player in the straddle then has the option to raise it up when the action returns to him.

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