Who Will Finish With Most Bracelets?
Last post, we discussed the merits of whether or not Phil Hellmuth should be hated. Well whether you hate him or love him, the truth is that he does hold the most World Series of Poker bracelets and is considered, by many, to be the best player in the world. But will he always hold the record in this category? Or will he fall to a better player as time progresses.
Before the last World Series of Poker, Phil Hellmuth only had ten bracelets and shared the record with two other players; Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson. The two should be immediately recognizable names for anyone who has watched poker before, but for those who haven’t…just know that they are the poker equivalents of Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle. Both Brunson and Chan have won Main Event titles, like Hellmuth. In fact, Chan has won two in a row and is the last person, and possibly the last person ever, to achieve this feat.
But can the two sustain winning for many more years? Their advanced ages may be saying “no.” Brunson looks and seems like a man who is only five to ten years away from death or retirement. It is quite possible that he has already lost much of the stamina needed to last through long tournaments and it would not be a surprise to see his wins spread out more. Chan, while not in his seventies like Brunson, is also older than Hellmuth. But not by much.
So in the end it should be a two man race. But based on Phil’s consistent success and his younger age, of nearly ten years, it is hard to vote against him. Especially when one considers that he already has the lead.
Filed under: Texas Holdem
