getting bad with the bad boy of poker

I sat across the table from arguably the best poker player in the world today.

It is Player appreciation weekend at Ultimatebet.com and Phil Hellmuth, Jr., the bad boy of poker is making surprise appearances at tables throughout the weekend. I was sitting at a $.25- .50 no limit table with two or three other players, when guess who shows up. He sat directly across from me and we went heads up three times. Twice, I was on a draw and he raised me big on the turn and I threw them away. The time I will tell everyone about (and as I get older, the story will get better) I had Jack/Queen of clubs and I raised fifty cents. Phil was on the big blind and he called me, as did someone else. I had a flush draw and straight draw on the flop and Phil checked. I raised fifty cents and he called. I hit the nut straight on the turn and bet again and he called again. The river was a rag, so I missed my flush, but I had the nut straight and there was no hand that could beat me. The board didn’t pair and there were no more than two of any suit on the board. To non-players, that means the straight was the best hand. The straight to the ace, which I had, is the best available hand in that circumstance. Players like Phil and I would call it, therefore, the nut straight, or, in shorthand, the nuts.

I bet big and Phil came back over the top. The third guy folded. I went all in and Phil called. Phil turned over JQ off suit and we split the pot.

I told him I’d tell my grandchildren that I went heads up with Phil Hellmuth and I didn’t lose. If he replied, I couldn’t tell. There were twenty people waiting in line to get on the table and two hundred observers and everyone was chatting.

I sent Ultimatebet an e-mail and asked if the player I had played was poker’s bad boy. They replied that according to their records, I had, indeed been playing this afternoon with Mr. Hellmuth.

I tell anyone who will listen that I absolutely don’t like Phil Hellmuth when I see him on TV. He was anything but a jerk this afternoon. Maybe I’ll have to change my mind about him.

I'm sure that Phil reads my blog regularly for tips to help keep his game sharp. The following is a special message just to Phil. I took it easy on you this afternoon, but look out next time, because I'll be playing for real.

At least around the table and here in Jimbo’s world.