Poker News Daily: How did you get started in poker?
Phillips: I’ve played cards all of my life. Growing up, my family played everything from canasta to bridge. Then, I went to casinos to play blackjack. About four years ago, I started playing cash games and then started playing tournaments on a whim. Obviously, it worked out.
PND: You’re donating 1% of your World Series of Poker Main Event winnings to cancer prevention. Talk about why you decided to do it.
Phillips: I’m involved with a number of charities. I’m going to be donating $10,000 to the Albert Pujols Foundation. I’ve donated to multiple sclerosis charities because my brother has MS. I’ve served as a director for the March of Dimes and United Way.
On Day 4 of the 2008 WSOP Main Event, information for Put a Bad Beat on Cancer was on each table. You’re donating 1% of your earnings (if you make anything), so why wouldn’t you do it? It’s tax deductible. I’ve talked to Phil Gordon and 100% of the money donated goes to it. I do my due diligence to make sure that a high percentage of donations go to the people that it should. I participated in a tournament recently for a fallen firefighter. I’ve been doing charity before playing poker and I will continue to do it in the future. The only difference is that now, I can write some checks.
PND: Does having the chip lead entering a final table as big as the WSOP Main Event carry a burden? Are you expected by others to emerge victorious?
Phillips: There are always high expectations. However, I’m the guy at the table with least experience of everyone and they have to chase me. I’m not worried about it at all and there’s no pressure on me. If I finish ninth, nobody is going to complain.
PND: What offers have you received for coaching prior to the Main Event playing down to a winner?
Phillips: I’ve had offers from a number of people, but have not taken anyone up on it yet. Everyone can improve. The community around my hometown of St. Louis has some very good poker players in it. Some of them are my friends and I value their judgment. Phil Gordon has offered to help coach me at no charge because of my involvement with the cancer foundation. I don’t want to take advantage of him, so other than words of advice, I’m probably not going to take him up on it.
PND: Do older, more mature players have an advantage in poker?
Phillips: There are disadvantages and advantages to being older. I’ve had more life experience. I’ve been through this before. Being in the spotlight doesn’t bother me and I don’t think I showed any nervousness during the Main Event. I doubt my heartbeat was above 75; I’m there to make money.
PND: What advice do you have for poker players who are just now learning the game?
Phillips If you go into the game too seriously, you’re going to get into trouble. You’ll burn out. If you don’t enjoy it, you’re not going to be any good at it.
PND: Describe Dennis Phillips’ basic poker strategy and style of play.
Phillips: I try to change it up and try to improve every time. I’m definitely a better poker player now than I was on Day 1 of the WSOP. Right now, I’m trying to play better position and practice better chip management.
PND: What’s been the reaction of your family and friends?
Phillips: They like giving me a hard time about it, but it’s been nothing but positive. I’ve hardly heard a negative comment and everyone wants to support me. I’ve had hundreds of people offer to help. I’m not sure how they’d be able to help, but it’s nice to know that people care.
PND: Will you be disappointed if you don’t win the 2008 WSOP Main Event?
Phillips: Yes, I’d be disappointed. However, would it be the end of the world? Would I be angry? Of course not.
PND: Do you poker play online as well or are you primarily a live tournament player?
Phillips: I prefer playing in person, but I also play online. I prefer the camaraderie that you get at a live poker table. I’m a people person. I like interacting. Online, people get too serious about it.
PND: How have you been able to juggle both your full-time job and poker successfully?
Phillips: I try to keep poker as a hobby. I will be playing it more now, but I am going to keep working. I’ve been here for about six hours today and I’ll probably be here for eight hours tomorrow [Saturday] as well. It’s all about dedication and managing your time. What I don’t want to do is turn poker into a job where I live out of a suitcase for six months.
PND: Will you quit your job if you win the Main Event?
Phillips: I have side bets with people who say that I’ll quit my job, so there’s even more of an incentive for me to stay. However, including my coworkers and customers, people who know me believe that I would stay around. I enjoy my job. I’m one of those few people who like coming to work.
PND: Talk about your relationship with PokerStars.
Phillips: PokerStars has done everything that I’ve wanted them to do. I’ve tried to reciprocate as well. They are going to put me in a couple of different tournaments in the future, including one in London.
PND: What are your views on the 100-day layoff until the 2008 WSOP Main Event final table takes place in November?
Phillips: As a pure poker player, I didn’t want to get up from the table, but it’s for the betterment of poker. It should improve poker and I expect ratings to skyrocket as long as the nine of us can put a positive spin on it. If we played down, we’d have a winner determined already and we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to better ourselves. At the time, though, I definitely wanted to keep playing.
