Online Poker

A poker war has erupted between Melbourne poker king Joe Hachem and the latest Aussie champ,
Brisbane's Mark Vos.

The fiery Queenslander surprised the gaming world this week, winning $1.08 million (Australian) in a poker tournament in Las Vegas. He has now revealed he and Hachem are arch enemies and don't talk.

"We don't really get along," Vos said yesterday.

"It's complicated."

Vos this week became an instant millionaire after beating the world's best at a World Series of Poker tournament.

Just a day earlier, Joe Hachem finished second in another Las Vegas World Series of Poker tournament and collected $345,000.

Vos's and Hachem's successes just 24 hours apart have intensified a long rivalry between Australia's top two players.

The dispute is believed to have started over a message sent on an internet poker site, which escalated to heated comments between the pair over the past few months.

Poker sources say the two high-rollers cannot stand each other.

Hachem is said to believe he has not been given any respect by Vos, despite being the reigning world champion after winning more than $10 million at the World Series of Poker main event last year.

"Vos has got a big mouth," one source said. "Joe can't stand him."

Yesterday Hachem would not comment.

Vos and Hachem are to compete against each other several times in the next few weeks in a series of poker tournaments in Las Vegas.

Vos, a 23-year-old Brisbane university dropout, said he was thrilled with his first major win.

"It feels really good to have that win when you're so young and can use the money to do things for the rest of my life.

And Hachem's younger brother will follow him to the United States in search of poker glory.

Tony Hachem, 35, will fly to the US on Friday after securing a lucrative deal with a poker internet site.

"I can't wait to get over there, to see Joe and compete," Tony said.


Shane @ Poker.com