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Phil burst onto the poker scene in 1989, when, at the tender age of 23, he won the WSOP Championship Event and in the process, stopped Johnny Chan from winning his third consecutive title.
With the whole poker world watching that event in the hope of watching Chan with his third title, many questions were asked about this new kid on the block. Was Phil the “real deal” or was he just an average player who had a lucky streak. In the following years, Phil answered his doubters by winning nine WSOP bracelets, numerous less-renowned tournaments and holding his own in the big cash games with the best players in town.
Phil is the self-confessed “Poker Brat” and is known for hurling criticism and verbal taunts at his opponents with a distinctive scrawny accent – especially when things aren’t going his way. Phil is anything but camera-shy and enjoys the grand entrance. In particular, he always arrives late at the first day of the WSOP Main Event every year. Some say it’s simply superstition, others say that arriving late ensures that ESPN commentators will talk about it for the first hour or so and then capture his arrival on camera. You be the judge.
Despite all his success, Phil has his flaws. First, his poker books suck!!! Phil has thrown a number of books into the public arena that provide nothing more than basic strategy, limited insights and anecdotes that are simply included in a deliberate and obvious attempt to prove that Phil is the best player of all time. Second, Phil is certainly not an all-rounder. The vast majority of his tournaments victories (especially WSOP) are in hold’em. Phil seems to have limited success in other variations of poker.
However, Phil is certainly a proven champion at tournament poker and has enjoyed the celebrity status gained from the poker explosion in recent years. Phil is still relatively young for a poker player and we certainly haven’t heard the last of him yet! |
