Phil Hellmuth is known for many things. He is the all-time World Series of Poker bracelet leader with 15 WSOP bracelet victories. He is also currently on a 7-0 heads up winning streak in Poker Go’s High Stakes Duel after defeating Antonio Esfandiari three times, Daniel Negreanu three times, and sports broadcaster Nick Wright last month. One thing that Hellmuth isn’t known for is staying quiet.
Hellmuth earned the nickname “Poker Brat” due to his antics and tirades at the poker table. On Twitter you will often find Hellmuth preaching #POSITIVITY, the title of his book. You won’t find Hellmuth keeping quiet, even when he’s supposedly been banned from social media.
“With my besties for a week, started Friday”, Hellmuth tweeted along with a picture of a beautiful view. “They have me on a social media ban!” The problem, of course, was that this picture and tweet were sent out early Monday morning. If Hellmuth were actually following the week-long social media ban, his announcement would have been impossible.
“How’s that going?” Liv Boeree asked in the first response to Hellmuth’s tweet. Hellmuth simply responded, “Doh!”
The announcement of the social media ban that started on Friday wasn’t Phil Hellmuth’s first tweet since Friday. Hellmuth made four retweets over the weekend and also gave a plug to a newsletter he has been enjoying right after making his ban announcement.
Phil Hellmuth is no stranger to paradoxes
Announcing via social media that you are currently banned on social media creates a paradox. And yet when this tweet comes from Phil Hellmuth, it all makes sense.
Hellmuth is one of the most polarizing figures in poker. His results speak for themselves; there is simply no way that luck alone could catapult anyone to a World Series of Poker Main Event victory, 15 WSOP bracelets, 165 WSOP cashes, and over $24 million in documented tournament earnings. And yet Hellmuth so consistently plays completely differently from game theory optimal and what computer solvers suggest that many poker players do not respect his game.
What about Hellmuth’s #POSITIVITY? This is clearly a life mantra that he takes seriously. Hellmuth routinely tweets out positive messages and partakes in many charitable acts. As is the case with his poker winnings, the results speak for themselves. Yet with all of the positivity that Phil Hellmuth lives and preaches about, he is perhaps best known for his extremely negative meltdowns at poker tables.
Is Hellmuth’s “white magic” as powerful as computer solvers? Can a man be simultaneously beaming with positivity and boiling with rage? Is it possible to be on a social media ban and still be posting on social media?
When it comes to Phil Hellmuth, anything is possible. You can catch him at the tables again on PokerGo when he faces Tom Dwan in High Stakes Duel III Round 2 on Wednesday, August 25. You can also catch him on Twitter after his social media ban is over... or whenever the mood strikes him to tweet again.
Featured Image Credit: Flickr - World Poker Tour
