Hellmuth, the guy is a legend

[Muahahahaha]

A question about Hellmuth's antics at the table (and probably more so from other players like Tony G).  When they go off on one at a particular player, is it a ploy to make an impression to the rest of the players at the table.

I don't know about too much about Tony G, I think his verbal is definately deliberate, and controlled, and I think he believes he benefits from it, so good luck to him.

And I think Hellmuth sometimes tries verbals as a weapon, but I think it shows as being a bit contrived, and as such is a waste of time.  But there are other times when it's pure angst.  It doesn't affect the other players, but it takes away from his own game ( very McEnroesque if there is such a word ).  It seems to me more like a wolf howling at the moon.  He's just got to do it.

I don't know anything about his childhood, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was belittled a lot.  The Lehderer kids seem very balanced in their place on this earth.  They each know they are brilliant, and aren't jealous of the others talents & success.

I get the impression that Hellmuth didn't have the same kind of support as a youngster, or at least doesn't believe he had that kind of support.  And now he's found a skill, he wants to rub everyone's nose in it.  I don't think he loves poker for it's own sake, it's how he can use it to get what he needs.  If he was talented in another way, it wouldn't bother him.  It's the accolades he wants.

Unlike Unger.  He seems to have loved cards and the magic he could weave with them.  But he was weak in other, more obvious, ways

I have no justification for believing this btw, so if I'm wrong, don't be afaid to put me right.

[Tragic]

I don't think Tony G's antics are "contrived" in quite that sense, I think he gets caught up in the moment and loses control a bit, but I think he knows the effects well enough on other players that he doesn't try to control it, he knows it's a game in the long run but while he's playing it's just pure impulse.

Hellmuth on the other hand, like Muahahaha said, seems more desperate to prove he is the best, this is what he is good at in life and he doesn't want anyone else taking that away from him, he wants the accolades for his talent. Having said that, I think it's a perfectly acceptable way of doing things and he is obviously a brilliant player, nowt wrong with being passionate even if it's not directly related to "love of the game".

[Longy]

I believe Hellmuth has quite a priveleged upper middle class upbringing, i think both his parents are successful people in an academic and professional way (something like doctors, university lecturers type thing). So he probably has issues with proving himself to people as alot was expected of him as a child. Didn't he drop out of university to play poker.

As for unger, he was genius when it came to cards. It wasn't just poker that he was great at, it was all card games as is oft mentioned, he is undoubtly the greatest gin rummy player ever to live. He had whole multitude of personal problems though gambling and drug addictions, which stopped he fulfilling his full potential. I think stuey is still the greatest NLHE tourney player ever to live but sadly he never lived to prove it.