When it comes to the world of poker, the epitome of class is poker icon Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson.

Likewise, the epitome of no-class in the poker world is poker jerk Phil “Poker Brat” Hellmuth Jr.

So it’s no surprise that the two will sometimes clash, as happened earlier this week in London, England, site of the 2009 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE).

Arriving for the start of the WSOPE Main Event, Hellmuth, partly to promote himself and partly to promote the online poker room he flacks (Ultimate Bet), came dressed in a Julius Caesar costume and was accompanied by a hired crew of trumpeters and slave girls.

Brunson, also on hand to play in the WSOPE Main Event, witnessed the spectacle and was not amused.

In fact, the usually-cordial Brunson was so offended by Hellmuth’s antics that “Texas Dolly” on his blog (web log) blasted the “Poker Brat” big-time.

“I’ve always liked Phil Hellmuth and have defended his tantrums because that is Phil being Phil, but these grand entrances he makes are too much,” Brunson wrote on his blog at www.doylesroom.com. “He came to my table dressed as Julius Caesar along with trumpets and scantily-clad girls.

“It embarrassed me just being there. I would have liked to applied for the role of Brutus. I am a poker purist and stuff like that detracts too much from what a great game poker is.”

So is there a feud between Brunson and Hellmuth?

Or just a friendly rivalry?

The situation is likely somewhere in between, perhaps an unfriendly rivalry.

Hellmuth has won 11 World Series of Poker championship gold bracelets in his career, more than anyone else.

Brunson has won 10, and would dearly like to catch–and eventually surpass–Hellmuth.

The “Brat” of course wants to remain on top and doesn’t want “Dolly” to snag bracelet No. 11.

It’s like the days of Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors in tennis or Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer in golf–the top two in the game battling back and forth for supremacy.

For now, Hellmuth has the high–or upper–hand, despite his choice of apparel.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)