[Aceshigh7]

Saw this story related by Hellmuth in a couple of different interviews:

[ QUOTE ]
I know that I got cheated on a cruise ship. I was basically warned to avoid the games. But, from my perspective, I was 24 years old; I’d won all kinds of poker tournaments, including the World Series of Poker. I’d won a lot of money in the side games. And, I didn’t even think cheating was possible. For an unknown kid to come along and win all these events, cheating couldn’t exist. Or so I reasoned. Then I got caught on a cruise ship where they cheated me.”

What’s the story behind it?

“I think the board was 4, 4, J, and I flipped up my K, J, and the guy flipped up A, J. And it just didn’t seem like everything was right. It seemed like there was no way he could have A, J in this hand. I got off the cruise ship. I had $64,000 to my name, and I owed $57,000 to a bunch of guys that cheated me. A lot of people said, ‘You shouldn’t pay.’ And I said, ‘Look, I don’t know 100 percent that I was cheated.’ And, I paid it all – left myself with $7,000.”

[/ QUOTE ]

Granted there could be more to it that he is leaving out, but KJ against AJ on a 44J board doesn't look very suspicious at all. Looks like a rather common hand to me.

Could this just be a case of a brash young Hellmuth thinking he was cheated because his mind just couldn't accept losing a pot he was sure he was going to win? Anyone heard anything more about this?