The chip leader at the World Series of Poker Main Event final table is Dennis Phillips. He sits with nearly 27 million chips, one of just two players over the 20 million mark. Phillips has undertaken a massive amount of charity work since the tournament played down to its final nine participants in July.
Poker News Daily: What have the past 100 days been like for you?
Phillips: They have been a bit of a whirlwind, but excellent. There have been almost no negative effects. I’ve been traveling around to different tournaments with a good sponsorship and have been able to do a ton of charity work.
PND: Looking back on it, would you have rather just played out the final table back in July or has pushing it back until November been something you can accept?
Phillips: From purely the standpoint of a poker player, you wanted go get it over with. Looking back on it now, though, it’s been good. I’ve been able to work with the Pujols Family Foundation and threw out a first pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals game and went to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, which was very touching. That experience humbles you. If your feet weren’t on the Earth before that, then they will be when you leave there.
That being said, it will be weird going back to playing poker. The 117 day gap means that I won’t be playing against the same players. It’s going to be a new tournament.
PND: Talk about your charity auction to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. For those who aren’t familiar with it, what have you auctioned off and how much money has been raised?
Phillips: Multiple Sclerosis is a debilitating disease. It deteriorates the physical abilities of a person and there is no cure for it. My brother was diagnosed with it 10 years ago and is fighting it daily. I’ve watched his struggles and it’s very dear to me. I’ve auctioned off the ability to buy 10 square inches of my shirt space. The auction closed and we sold it for $19,000. However, a company from Oklahoma called and said that they goofed up and couldn’t get their bid in. We’ve asked eBay to open it back up and hopefully we’ll get it going again. All proceeds will go to MS.
PND: Where did the idea for the auction originate?
Phillips: We were sitting around talking. I have an inner circle of friends from college and we were brainstorming and someone came up with the idea.
PND: What have you taken away about your competitors’ play from watching the Main Event unfold on television each week on ESPN?
Phillips: ESPN doesn’t show the entire hand. I was surprised a couple of times at a few hands I saw, but I have to rely more on what I remember from the table or from playing in like places in London with these guys. I’m having a blast watching them, though.
PND: What have you taken away about your own play from watching the Main Event unfold on television each week on ESPN?
Phillips: Nothing, other than the fact that I need to lose some weight.
PND: Talk about your relationship with PokerStars. Do you plan to work with them in the future?
Phillips: They’ve made it clear that no matter what happens, they want a relationship with me. I’m with them. I raised money for the Bad Beat on Cancer and they matched it dollar for dollar. They’ve also worked with me on other things. I went up to Toronto to meet with the owner of PokerStars. I was nice meeting with him and he’s a really down to Earth guy. We talked about poker strategy and the future of poker. It was a great meeting with an excellent guy.
PND: What memorable advice have you received from your peers?
Phillips: When I came back here, a friend of mine, who is the GM of the dealership, and I were laughing and joking around. He said, “You have to come home very night. Keep your feet on the ground.”
PND: Has the media attention over the past 100 days been what you thought it would be?
Phillips: You’re the 161st interview that I’ve done. I’ve already done four today. It actually has been fun. A lot of times it’s the same ten questions shuffled around. Today I spoke to guys from Finland and Norway. Everybody tries to come up with something different. For the most part, they’re doing their job and there’s no downside to it.
PND: Would you be disappointed if you didn’t win the Main Event or is making the final table an accomplishment in itself?
Phillips: Will I be disappointed? Obviously. All nine of us have gone through a tremendous amount to make it to the final table. I’ll dance a jig to the door. I’ve been able to do things with charities that I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
