Playing poker at an elite level without neglecting your family can be difficult. Phil Hellmuth understands this.

No matter what observers think of his ego, Hellmuth is first and foremost a family man, living with his wife and two children in Palo Alto, Calif. Then there are the nine World Series of Poker bracelets.

Few people have been as successful at poker as Hellmuth. Born in 1964 in Madison, Wisc., Hellmuth left the University of Wisconsin after three years in order to play poker.

In just a few short years, he was on the top of the mountain, winning the 1989 WSOP main event at the age of 24 – still the youngest world champion ever. In all, Hellmuth has amassed a small fortune of about $5 million in tournament play.

That doesn’t factor in his columns, books, and instructional videos, which he will promote at the drop of a hat to anyone listening.

Hellmuth has been tagged as a whiner. He strives to be the best poker player of all-time, and when he comes up short, it shows. He even got into a fight with fellow poker player Sam Grizzle outside the Horseshoe during a Hall of Fame poker tournament (Hellmuth called the event a “perfect fight” because neither man suffered any bruises to the face).

That’s the side of Phil Hellmuth that people see on television. At home, it’s another story. Hellmuth can often be seen with family at basketball games, either the Stanford Cardinal or the Golden State Warriors.

He lists Johnny Chan (himself a father of six) as one of his most respected opponents.