Tilted Tanking Phil Hellmuth Smacks Phone Out of Mike Matusow's Hand
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The "Poker Brat" in Phil Hellmuth came out during the latest Hellmuth's Home Game on Poker Night in America sponsored by BetRivers, thanks to Mike Matusow opening his mouth.
Hellmuth, while tanking with trips during a $25/$50 cash game, had enough of "The Mouth's" yapping, so he smacked Matusow's cell phone across the table. Matusow wasn't the only player who put the 17-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner on tilt during the session. Phillip Hellmuth III made a move that brought his father out of his chair.
Poker Brat Hits a Lucky Turn Card
The first hand that tilted Hellmuth saw a flop of 9♥6♦7♠. Randy "3Coin" Sadler bet $600 with A♠8♣, an open-ended straight draw. Papa Hellmuth min-raised to $1,200 with 8♥7♥, a bet that was called by Hellmuth III.
3Coin, who operates a clothing brand, also called to see the meaningless 2♣ on the turn. All three players checked before the K♣ appeared on the river, no help to anyone. Hellmuth III checked, but 3Coin moved all in for $3,100 on a bluff. The "Poker Brat" frustratingly folded, as did his son. Sadler turned over ace-high, which caused a meltdown.
"What the f**k? I'm calling, but I got Phillip behind me. F**k! This is so f*****g tilting," Hellmuth shouted before smacking the table in frustration.
That incident pales in comparison to the meltdown Matusow caused later in the session. The hand, with a straddle on, began with 3Coin limping from the small blind with J♣8♦. Kane Kalas called from the big blind with Q♦4♦, as did Hellmuth, who had 6♥4♥ in the straddle.
The flop came out 6♠8♥J♠, bringing top two pair for 3Coin. He bet $300, which forced Kalas out of the pot. Hellmuth, who just had bottom pair, called, and it turned out to be a wise move as he hit trips on the 6♦ turn. 3Coin again bet $300, but this time his opponent raised to $900.
Action would then heat up when 3Coin moved all in for $12,050. Hellmuth, the bigger stack, would begin a lengthy tank with trips. And then he'd get into it with his longtime friend and rival, Matusow.
Hellmuth Melts Down
Hellmuth had a hand strong enough for most poker players to snap-call. But he made it clear he put his opponent on a monster hand, and he wasn't far off base. 3Coin flopped top two pair and beat all hands other than full houses and trips. He was clearly betting for value and wasn't turning his strong hand into a bluff.
The BetRivers Casino ambassador, who has a history of making tough folds, informed 3Coin of his holding, trying to get a read on his opponent.
A couple of minutes went by before Matusow whispered, "Three sixes?" to Kelly Minkin, who was seated to his left. Matusow, who seemed as if he was shocked Hellmuth hadn't snap-called, then whispered to his tablemate, "I'm never folding three sixes."
Hellmuth then scolded Matusow for whispering during the hand.
"Mike, can you just shut the f**k up for a minute? Jesus Christ," Hellmuth pleaded.
Matusow quietly chuckled, while Hellmuth claimed to 3Coin that "everyone here thinks you have the queen-nine of spades," except him.
"Those are two cards, on my life, I do not have in my hand," 3Coin responded.
3Coin then asked Matusow if he would film the action on his phone, to which "The Mouth" answered, "if he calls and loses, I'll make sure it's on film."
Matusow took his phone out and began recording the hand while Hellmuth pondered his move. He announced the preflop, flop, and turn action, which caused a stir.
"Mike, shut the f**k up," Hellmuth demanded, which didn't convince Matusow to stop filming and talking. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, he asked me to film it," Matusow responded.
"I asked you to shut the f**k up," Hellmuth fired back. "You're so out of line."
Matusow then stuck his cell phone in Hellmuth's face, which made matters worse as the Poker Hall of Famer then smacked the phone out of his hand, and it rolled across the table, landing on the floor behind the dealer. Hellmuth, more than eight minutes after the all-in bet, decided to fold the best hand.
3Coin showed the bluff that wasn't even an attempted bluff. Hellmuth then defended his fold by correctly stating, "he wasn't bluffing with top two. He thought he had the best hand"
"Mike would have called it off," Hellmuth claimed.
"No, I wouldn't have just called. I would have called about eight minutes ago," Matusow fired back.
3Coin, who often plays on Hustler Casino Live, recently moved all in for $84,000 into a $10,000 pot on Poker at the Lodge with J♠5♠ on a board of 9♥7♥8♥3♠10♥. Poker vlogger Corey Eyring, holding the A♥, randomized his decision and ended up calling to take down the biggest pot of his life. Perhaps Hellmuth should have randomized his decision.
