Phil Hellmuth has taken exception to Bryn Kenney after receiving some shade from the chief on poker’s all-time cash checklist. Kenney just lately appeared on the Digital Social Hour Podcast and mentioned his life in poker, however some feedback concerning the 17-time World Series of Poker winner drew loads of curiosity.
Kenney described Hellmuth because the “biggest winning WSOP player,” but in addition went on to notice a few of his shortcomings.
“He’s played some high rollers and hasn’t really fared very well in them,” Kenney identified. “And you know, when I think about who are the best players in poker, if you’re not competing at the highest level, you can’t really be in contention for it.”
“If you’re playing against mostly amateur players at the World Series, you’re great at beating the amateur players. It’s like you could be the king of triple A (referring to professional baseball’s highest minor league level).”
Hellmuth Responds
After a clip of the present was launched on Twitter, Hellmuth was fast to reply. He famous that the WSOP is the most important collection in poker every year and defended his excessive curler document.
“To me the WSOP is the ‘big leagues,” he wrote on Twitter. “Always has been, always will be. It’s aggravating to me when people lie about me and my legacy. For the record, I am winning over $1.5 million in high rollers.”
Hellmuth certainly has some spectacular scores in excessive curler occasions, banking $2.6 million within the $1 million buy-in Big One For One Drop and cashing twice for an additional $1 million within the $111,111 buy-in High Roller For One Drop. He additionally completed fourth within the $300,000 Super High Roller Bowl for $1.6 million, runner-up within the $50,000 Poker Players Championship for $1.1 million, and runner-up within the $50,000 pot-limit Omaha occasion for an additional $700,000.
In whole, he has 20 cashes in tournaments with buy-ins of $25,000 or extra, however to Kenney’s level, some excessive rollers can obtain that in a single yr. Hellmuth has as an alternative stored his concentrate on the WSOP and accumulating bracelets. He at present has a six-bracelet lead over second place Phil Ivey.
He additionally serves as an adviser for a number of firms and works as section host for the World Poker Tour. That could have restricted his time for these excessive curler occasions at instances.
Kenney has earned the overwhelming majority of his $67 million in profession cashes in excessive curler occasions, together with a $20.6 million payday for taking down the £1 million Triton London tremendous excessive curler. He has 84 cashes in tournaments with a $25,000 buy-in or extra.
Despite Hellmuth’s summer season accolades, Kenney even appeared assured he might beat him on the WSOP.
“If he’s looking to ever make like a huge bet in the World Series… I’ll consider playing a whole WSOP and show him that he’s not even the best of those either.”
Hellmuth additionally responded to that, noting that there had been openings prior to now for Kenney to play the Poker Hall of Famer heads-up on PokerGO.
“You said I wouldn’t play you heads up? Where were you (when) I challenged the entire world to a $1.6 million heads up challenge on High Stakes Duel?”
Challenge Offered
On PokerGO’s High Stakes Duel, Hellmuth has defeated gamers like Daniel Negreanu, Antonio Esfandiari, Tom Dwan, and Scott Seiver earlier than dropping to Jason Koon. Kenney later responded on Twitter that he’s prepared to play Hellmuth heads-up.
“I’ve told PokerGO I’m ready to play from the beginning. We know you get to cherry pick who you were playing,” Kenney stated. “Let me know when the offer is there to play me for $1 million, I’ll be there. Also, if you [want to] showcase how good you aren’t, I’m happy to crossbook 100% in any Triton series.”
The feedback and problem come even supposing Kenney hasn’t but been capable of shake allegations of dishonest. In 2022, poker professional Martin Zamani and others in his poker secure accused him of collusion, utilizing RTA (actual time help, which is banned by most on-line poker websites), and multi-accounting. He additionally alleged Kenney additionally made some members go to a shaman, who lower them and injected frog poison within the wound as a part of a cleaning ritual.
