Luckbox? Chips, the Brat and the 10K Stud Bracelet

I stayed up all night watching the Final Table of the 10K Stud 8, which I would just to see Phil Hellmuth win his 12th bracelet, but was especially excited about because one of the 2+2 Stud forum regs, no - not "reg" - after all these years he is a pioneer of the place, was there.

2+2's Chips Ahoy, Mr Eric Rodawig, who became the first Stud 8 coach at now-defunct Stox poker and I believe was carried over to CardRunners, went into the FT the chipleader and stayed there. That was a star-studded table with David Benyamine and Ted Forrest as well as Hellmuth and last year's 2nd place ME finisher John Racener.

I don't think anyone who knew Chips was surprised when he won. But I am positive that he wasn't. Here's a video interview after the win
(BTW, I do believe that to Rodawig's left - as we view to the right - is Christopher George, "ceegee" on the 2+2 Stud forum, who finished  11th in this event and was actually eliminated by Rodawig):

A lot of first-time bracelet winners in interviews speak of how great they feel and how lucky they were. Not Chips. He makes it clear, as much as he can, that he didn't luckbox his way to a bracelet, that he knows his game and spent years putting in the time and effort to become the expert he is. I thought he did a great job of validating himself as the champion, that bracelet becoming not a once-in-a-lifetime moment of unexpected glory, but a symbol of  his talent, intelligence and drive combined with a great deal of simple hard work.

By taking the opportunity to stake his claim as rightful heir and not fortunate usurper, he also validated a lot of other non-celebrity players who win their bracelets and are not heard from again.   I don't know Chips that well, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out he would rather compete in the corridors of power in Washington than in the poker rooms of casinos, at least, as a main occupation.  And so, we may or may not hear from him again as a WSOP champion.  But, there should be no doubt he is a champion who earned his prize. 

It might be time for everyone to give up the idea that large fields mean the best players don't win because mediocre players can "luck into" bracelets.  It is a fact that no one makes a final table in a large tournament without experiencing more than their share of luck.  But chip stacks are just as easily lost through the ineptitude of those who are clueless about what to do with them. 

About Phil

I read some guy in the Livestream chatbox being amazed Phil was at a FT that wasn't NLHE.  (I think he was the same guy who wanted to know "why they get so many cards") I'm going post, again, PH's non-Holdem cashes through 2009, note the first on the list:

1988 Stud 8 5th
1989 PLO 5th
1989 Ace to Five Draw?? 14th
1992 PLO 8th
1993 Deuce to Seven Lowball 2nd
1996 Omaha HiLo 6th
1998 PLO 16th
1998 Omaha HiLo 14th
2000 PLO 4th
2001 Stud 8 9th
2001 PLO 15th
2001 Ace to Five Draw 15th
2001 Omaha HiLo 2nd
2002 Limit Omaha 8th
2003 HORSE 12th
2003 Limit Omaha 3rd
2004 Omaha HiLo 17th
2005 PLO (event 19) 10th
2005 PLO (event 27) 8th
2006 Omaha HiLo 6th
2008 PLO 8th
2008 Stud 8 33rd
2008 HORSE 12th
2009 Omaha HiLo 14th

Eric Rodawig said, when asked about playing Phil HU, that he's a great NLHE tournament player, but that Stud 8 is "my" game.  True.  And, I note that Eric has all the makings of a winner, a real champion, including the very strong ego required. He reminds me a bit of Phil, sans the character disorder.

Phil Hellmuth is one amazing-ass poker player. And if accusing the unfamous winners of lucking into their bracelets is getting stale, the standard "Phil is a great NLHE tournament player" like that's all he ever did or could, is positively mouldy.  I do not doubt Chips' talent and skill at Stud 8 at any level against any competition. I also know it takes a special greatness to have the chipstack the Brat had, and still end up HU with those huge antes and BIs to come back to within one big hand of the chip lead.