You hear a lot about the Phil Gordon, Phil Hellmuth, and Phil Ivey, but how about a young online stud named Phil D’Auteuil? Phil “takechip” D’Auteuil from Quebec, Canada recently burst onto the online poker scene, winning over $700,000 in the past 3 months, half a million of which came in February. I would give more of an introduction but… well… did I say $700,000 in the past 3 months yet?
DS: So tell me a little bit about yourself.
Phil D’Auteuil: Phil is the most successful name in poker though except Phil Gordon. Started playing when he was 16, in low limits live games with Dr. Giggy. Obviously raped him, but he’s still good. I started playing NL200 on STARS when I was 18. I play mostly 25/50 HU now. I can’t play more than 6 tables HU. With some 9 max and 6 max tables mostly, so 6-12 tables most of the time.
DS: When exactly did you drop out of college and why?
Phil D’Auteuil: You want to know the real story? I was a great poker player with such a great future. I went to a place near Quebec for my friends basketball tournament one day. We went out the day before. And by 4 in the morning we were drunk when, responsibly, I decided to not drive my car. So my drunk friend decided to drive it. All I remember is that 2 minutes later cops were runnin’ after us and we took some shortcuts to get rid of them when my friend drove on the rail track and busted my motor. Anyways, so my car was busted and I was too lazy to get too school by taxi or bus so I stopped going. I was giving Giggy (Martin) a lift everyday, so he had to drop out too, he was too lazy as well.
DS: Lol, awesome.
DS: So you play mostly 25/50 HU, but since there are no 25/50 HU tables on Stars, when people join and it becomes 3-4 handed do you leave?
Phil D’Auteuil: Nah, I don’t leave. We ask them to leave most of the time. And if they don’t, I take their money. But people respect the HU games most of the time.
DS: You have probably made more than anyone online at 25/50 the past 3 months, yet you’re not getting much respect. What do you say to all the haters?
Phil D’Auteuil: I think they are alllllll right. I suck at this game and always been lucky, I guess my heater will end up soon and I’ll loose all my money back to them. I hope I’ll have fun till then. (Sarcasm)
DS: What has your biggest downswing been in your career and how do you handle losing that much money?
Phil D’Auteuil: Hmm when I moved up from NL400 to NL600. I lost like my 40K roll, I was tilting like crazy but at least I was still at school. I think it’s pretty much my biggest downswing.
DS: Wow, that’s pretty amazing, not even 9 buy ins at 25/50?
Phil D’Auteuil: I lost 90K twenty days ago at NL10000. But I was up like 500K for the february month so wasn’t that bad, that was lost was in one night though. Pretty much, it wasn’t a big deal
DS: How has it felt to have won over 700k in the past 3 months, and how have your family and friends responded?
Phil D’Auteuil: Hmm they mostly don’t know yet. Dad’s really proud. Mom thinks I still should go back to school. Classic! She thinks I still can loose everything. Maybe the fact I think I’m only on a 2 years heater doesn’t help her to believe in me. “I’d rather be luck than good.” – Barry Negreneau.
DS: Okay, on a serious note, do you really think the last two years have been a huge heater, or do you feel like your one of the better HU players at 25/50?
Phil D’Auteuil: Heaaaterrrr. Until 1000 NL, it wasn’t a heater, I was good enough. But I’m on a 6 month heater now. I owned the 2knl tables for 6BB/100 and now I’m raping HU at 25/50 easily.
DS: How hardcore is your HU game selection, and what game selection strategies do you use?
Phil D’Auteuil: I play everyone till I realize that they are OVERPLAYING (NOTE: by overplaying he means outplaying) me. Till now, I’ve decided that I won’t play some guys that are overplaying me. Like Pr1nnyraid (aka KRANTZ, one of the best NL Hold‘em players in the world), he’s crazy. Wont play durrrr because I have a doubt on his sexual orientation, and some others, I don’t remember.
DS: What sort of investments have you/do you plan making with your spare bankroll?
Phil D’Auteuil: “You can’t lose what you don’t invest.” Jamie Gold. Hmmm, maybe later on. When ill have a huge bankroll (still in the perspective that I don’t run out of luck) I’ll probably invest in the pumpkins or another promising product like pumpkins.
DS: What are some of the major elements of an opponents game you look to adjust to when playing HU?
Phil D’Auteuil: Hmmm don’t know, I only try to play with the good flow of the game, and of course get as lucky as possible. I tend to fourbet bluff people who threebet too much and don’t fivebet bluff ever.
DS: An unknown sits with you HU with 100bb’s, what’s your initial strategy?
Phil D’Auteuil: Stack him. Whatever it takes. I play my standard game and adjust later when I have more information. Not tight or loose, with a lot of fourbet bluffing, the best bluff in Hold’em in my opinion.
DS: How do you adjust your game to three to four handed games when your HU game starts building up?
Phil D’Auteuil: Ahhh I don’t adjust enough. That’s why I’m down at 3 handed in the past month. I really need to adjust my luck to a three player Hold’em hand. I’m playing loose and aggressive and fourbetting a lot.
DS: Planning on taking a shot at the nosebleed games anytime soon?
Phil D’Auteuil: I’ve played a lot of 100/200 recently. Against donks. Like Annie Duke (Pokerkid on Poker Stars) for instance. But I won’t play those limits till my roll grows more.
DS: Wait do you mean KidPoker? That’s Daniel Negreneau?
Phil D’Auteuil: Nah I’m pretty sure it’s Annie Duke.
DS: How would you say your poker game differs from the regulars at 25/50?
Phil D’Auteuil: I’d say I’m more loose aggressive than most, more fourbet bluffs and more moves.
DS: Okay, so now we’re going to move to the lightning round. Pretty much I’m going to ask you a bunch of pointless questions and just answer them as quick as possible.
Phil D’Auteuil: Hehe good.
DS: Favorite beer?
Phil D’Auteuil: Ricard’s White.
DS: Favorite Book?
Phil D’Auteuil: Rounders
DS: That’s a book?
Phil D’Auteuil: No, but I’ve downloaded the lyrics. Oh, and Guinness World Records 2002, too.
DS: Favorite cash game player besides yourself?
Phil D’Auteuil: Gotta go with ADZ, he’s given me so much money.
DS: Favorite Movie?
Phil D’Auteuil: Rounders, watching it with my lyrics, almost every Saturday.
DS: Favorite classic video game?
Phil D’Auteuil: Mario Bros 3
DS: Favorite poker Hand?
Phil D’Auteuil: Jh9c or Jh9s, because they are great hands for fourbet bluffing.
DS: Favorite possession?
Phil D’Auteuil: Surely not my pants, they itch like crazy. Hmm 50K of aejones money, Giggy’s soul, Rounders original movie VHS copy.
DS: Favorite song to grind to?
Phil D’Auteuil: Hmmm there’s a lot but I got to go with Rounder’s Soundtrack.
DS: Alright, last question, what do you see as your future with poker and life?
Phil D’Auteuil: I see myself playing live in an underground club most of my bankroll against a Russian who especially enjoys eating cookies. Unfortunately, I see myself getting overplayed with A9 against AA on a A9945 board and loosing most of my roll. By then, I see myself grinding back and loosing my girlfriend who doesn’t like gambling at all. Then my friend is gonna get out of jail and is gonna put me into a lot of trouble by owing money to bad people. But since he is my friend, I’m gonna help him out. And then I’m gonna use my roll to play one more time against that old Russian. I think I might be able to pick up tells on him by the way he eat his cookies. If so… I’m gonna be able to stack him, not once but twice! And then he’s gonna challenge me for more. and I’m gonna be able to have more money… Then I’m planning to go to Vegas in order to get my chance to win the bracelet of the WORLD SERIES OF POKER Hold’em. And also, if I’ve got enough time, I’d really like to 4-bet bluff the world champion: Johnny Chance (Chan). And if unavailable, let’s say Joe Hachem.
DS: Alright, thanks a lot!