9-24-08 Forbes.com posted an Associated Press article by Oskar Garcia entitled Final table player hires Hellmuth as WSOP coach.
Mr. Garcia reports that Jeff Shulman, President of Card Player Media and part-time poker pro has hired Phil Hellmuth to train him for the 2009 WSOP Main Event Final Table bout to be held at the Rio in Las Vegas November 7 – 10, 2009.
According to Mr. Garcia, Shulman has cashed in 15 previous events for a total of $289,551 in winnings.
The payouts for the November Nine start at $1,263,602 and increase to $8,546,435 for the winner of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. [2009 WSOP November Nine payout amounts] Shulman will make a little over 4.3x his total earnings just for sitting at the table.
Shulman has his work cut out for him. Phil Ivey is in the field, and, there are three other players with 10K to 40K more in starting chips waiting to defend their positions. Here’s a reminder of the players and their chip stacks – 2009 WSOP Main Event Final Table Players .
And… I’m confused. Remember that Shulman caused controvery during the Summer at the 2009 WSOP when he said that he would throw the trophy in the garbage if he won. Here’s a quote from a Wicked Chops Poker article in July…
We had been hearing from multiple sources for days that Shulman is saying that if he were to win the 2009 WSOP Main Event, he’d renounce the bracelet as he believes that Harrah’s has treated his magazine unfairly in recent years. We just asked Shulman on the first break if this was true, to which he replied, “If by renounce it you mean throw it in the garbage, then yes.”
So, why is he trying so hard to win? So bitter an individual? a drama queen? a publicity stunt? or has he had a change of heart?
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Read the Associated Press article Final table player hires Hellmuth as WSOP coach
Read the Wicked Chops Poker article: Jeff Shulman to Renounce WSOP Bracelet If He Wins