Poker Tweets: Reflections On a Poker Career!

As a legend of poker, Phil Hellmuth is regularly seen hanging out with some of the country’s biggest sports stars and celebrities, more often than not displaying his usual double open-handed gesture as if to say I can hardly believe how incredible my life is.
The Amazing Hellmuth
Recently, the 14-times WSOP bracelet winner released the latest in a long line of books he has published over the years, this time called “#POSITIVITY: You Are Always In The Right Place At The Right Time”. The book has evidently struck a chord with the master of positivity himself, Tony Robbins, who has been helping promote it via his hugely popular twitter account which currently boasts 3.17 million followers.
Not all of Robbins’ fans agree with his holding Hellmuth up on a pedestal, though, and as a poster called Drew wrote:
“Oh Tony, you slippin with this post…yes, Phil deserves some respect in the Poker world, but he is known to possess the emotional maturity of a child at times….contrary to your teachings?”
Despite his failings, however, Hellmuth still generally commands the admiration and respect of his peers who have come to accept him for wearing his heart on his sleeve. As the 53 year-old recently wrote:
“A young woman who attended a @TonyRobbins seminar in Florida just told me that Tony recommended my book #POSITIVITY to his class! Thanks Tony! #MindBlown #Honored”
Other Inspirational Players
Needless to say, Hellmuth’s books have helped inspire many players to take up the game, or simply improve on their own skills. Other pros receiving praise for doing likewise includes Jonathan Little and the 2003 WSOP Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker, and as Katie Jay Cee tweeted:
“Took down my homegame 2 weeks in a row. I’m really happy about the skills I’ve picked up from @JonathanLittle from his various books. Also really enjoyed @CMONEYMAKER chapter in Excelling at No Limit Hold’Em.”
Outrageous Fortune
In order to reach the height of success, though, one has to first be able to endure the pain and hardship of outrageous fortune, and as Dan O’Brien wrote this week:
“9 to 5’ers often light up hearing about gambling professionally and always want to hear about your biggest wins. The reality of gambling for a living is that sometimes you get fucking mauled. It is, after all, gambling’s second-greatest thrill. #GottaLoveIt”
O’Brien’s sentiment obviously hit home with a poster called Gerth Brooks, who subsequently made a comment about his transition from being a professional poker player, to then trying his luck at casino type games, before presumably having to get a “proper” job once again. As he ironically tweeted:
“In my early 20s I played poker for a living. Nothing crazy. $1-$3 blind cash games, tourneys occasionally. I made over 80k a year. Then got introduced to blackjack & craps. Now I have a 9-5 lol”
Still, people like to hear a gambler’s bad luck stories almost as much as those concerning their greatest triumphs, and as Bradley Wyman confessed:
“I’m sure this is odd, but I love bad beat stories and I often admire a gambler’s biggest losses as much as their biggest wins.”
Time Flies, and Sometimes One’s Career
At least it appears Gerth Brooks must have plenty of those up his sleeves to entertain his colleagues during lunch break at his 9-5 job. By contrast, no one has enjoyed as much longevity in the game as The Godfather of Poker, Doyle Brunson, This week, however, the 84 year-old was scratching his head wondering where all the years have gone, writing:
“I thought growing old would take longer.”
In the meantime, Doug Polk has been wondering where his poker careers has been heading of late, and tweeted:
“I feel like the Conor Mcgregor of Texas Hold’em. I used to have a belt but now I just make business deals and post on social media.”
.. prompting the following response from Jimmy Fricke:
“I’m also like McGregor because pro poker players made a lot of money off me and I’m no longer relevant.”
Finally, completing the circle of life, Erik Seidel who is currently ranked number 2 on poker’s all time money list with $33,538,037 in winnings, paid tribute to a man who apparently helped him attain such incredible success  in the game of poker. Paul Magriel, a champion backgammon and poker player, died on March 5th aged 72, and as Seidel tweeted:
“Woke up to the sad news that backgammon legend Paul Magriel (X-22) has passed away. He changed the game w his book, was a generous & enthusiastic teacher, he changed my life & the lives of many others.”