Poker legend Phil Hellmuth is known for his outspoken and often controversial opinions, and his latest target is professional poker player Ike Haxton. Hellmuth recently took to social media to express his frustration with Haxton’s choice to wear a facemask while playing live poker, stating, “This isn’t online poker, Ike. Take off the facemask.”
The heated exchange between the two players began at a recent high-stakes poker tournament in Las Vegas, where Haxton was seen wearing a surgical facemask while seated at the poker table. Hellmuth, who was also participating in the tournament, was quick to call out Haxton’s decision to wear the mask, claiming that it was unnecessary and disrespectful to the other players at the table.
In a series of tweets, Hellmuth lambasted Haxton for what he perceived as an attempt to gain an unfair advantage by concealing his expressions and emotions behind the facemask. “This isn’t online poker, Ike. We play live and we play with our faces. Take off the facemask and show some respect to the game,” Hellmuth wrote.
Haxton, however, quickly fired back at Hellmuth, defending his choice to wear the facemask as a precautionary measure to protect against potential health risks, especially in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m not trying to hide anything, Phil. I’m just being cautious and trying to stay safe,” Haxton replied.
The dispute between the two poker pros quickly sparked a debate within the poker community, with many players weighing in on the issue. Some supported Hellmuth’s stance, arguing that live poker is a game of reading your opponents and that wearing a facemask could hinder that aspect of the game. Others, however, sided with Haxton, pointing out that player safety should always be the top priority, especially in these uncertain times.
Despite the backlash, Hellmuth remains steadfast in his opinion, and he shows no signs of backing down from his stance on the matter. Whether or not Haxton will heed Hellmuth’s advice and remove the facemask during future poker games remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain – this ongoing feud between the two players has added an extra layer of drama to the already intense world of professional poker.