Daniel Negreanu Claims Phil Hellmuth Cannot Win At High-Stakes Games
Daniel Negreanu has once again attacked Phil Hellmuth on Twitter by saying that the latter’s tournament record doesn’t show any proof that he can win at high-stakes games.
Hellmuth, who has always expressed enormous confidence in his skills, considers himself the “GOAT” of poker.
His self-proclamation often attracts criticism and ridicule especially from a number of prominent, modern pros who believe he’s already past his prime.
Negreanu shares a similar opinion on the American poker pro, saying he may have been a GOAT during his era, but he is no match for the new crop of poker pros who are currently making it big in the high roller scene.
Hellmuth’s poker accomplishments cannot be overlooked. He has won the most number of World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets with 15; he has scored the most WSOP cashes and final tables, and was inducted to the prestigious Poker Hall of Fame in 2007.
He has had a number of victories in heads-up poker as well, with his total live earnings currently sitting at more than $24 million. But do note that the guy currently doesn’t hold any major titles as far as major high-roller tournaments are concerned.
According to Negreanu, the best score Hellmuth has managed to achieve in the high-stakes arena so far in his career was a 4th-place finish in the 2012 $1 million One Drop. Hellmuth also failed to cash in the “modern era” of high-stakes tournaments, and Negreanu thinks his skills only shine in the low and mid-stakes games.
I took a deeper dive into @phil_hellmuth tourney record. For a guy who thinks he can beat $25k and higher buy in events against the worlds best players, the record doesn’t show any such thing.
The numbers:
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) March 6, 2021
Not a single cash in the modern era of high stakes tourneys. Not one.
Phil is decent in low and mid stakes tournaments, but on the major league high roller circuit, he cannot win.
He may have been a GOAT of his era, but that era is long gone.
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) March 6, 2021
The GOAT Debate
Hellmuth isn’t someone who likes to stay silent in the middle of a heated argument, especially if it’s his skills that are being criticized. The Poker Brat said Negreanu always changes his strategy everytime something new and popular comes out, and he does not intend to walk on that path. Hellmuth is the exact opposite, as he sticks to his theories no matter what. The Poker Brat remains confident in his reading abilities, saying not everyone has his “reads“.
Both Negreanu and Hellmuth are set to face each other in a heads-up match on PokerGo’s High Stakes Duel. Their recent Twitter exchanges may only be meant to hype things up for their upcoming battle, but Hellmuth’s GOAT claims have long been a subject of debate among the poker community, and the American poker pro has been getting a lot of negative comments because of that.
High-stakes pro Jason Koon said there are a lot of things to consider in figuring out who really deserves the GOAT title, and Hellmuth’s impressive WSOP record alone won’t be enough to call him the best player in the world.
