Watch: Poker players blow-up during $39m hand

English professional poker player William Kassouf uses his mouth to try to gain an advantage at the table, and has a history of tilting fellow pros.

The tactic has made Kassouf a very polarising player in the poker world, and fellow pros have been weighing in on Twitter after a clip of Kassouf sparring with Griffin Benger during the World Series of Poker Main Event aired and went viral. The confrontation occured in July but has now been broadcast on ESPN.

Here's what went down during a hand that ended with $US27,800,000 ($NZ39m) in chips in the middle of the table and a player eliminated amid wild scenes.

Deep into the tournament with the final table in sight, Benger - holding pocket aces - raised Kassouf to $5.6 million. Kassouf, who was holding pocket kings, responded by asking Benger what he should do in the situation.

"Is this another cooler (an even bigger hand than a player's own big hand)? If you've got it, you've got it. I don't think I can pass here. What do you want me to do, do you want me to go all-in or fold? Talk to me. You don't say anything, I might have to ship you. Play for the win, right? You doing the same?"

Benger had remained silent to Kassouf's antics earlier on - but he couldn't any longer.

"You're just an abusive person, man, it's not funny. It's not a game. You're being abusive to me. It's called verbal abuse. What you're doing to me is verbal abuse. You're a bully. It's rude. It's mean."

Kassouf defended his actions, telling Benger, "It's called speechplay."

Benger: "No, it's not called speechplay, it's called being a bad person. You should really check yourself. Check your privilege. Check your privilege. Check your privilege. Check your privilege. You're a rude person."

Kassouf: "I'm trying to get information."

Benger: "This is verbal abuse. This is what it feels like."

Kassouf looks over at the tournament director and Benger fires: "He's not your Dad. He's not going to help you. No one is going to help you."

Kassouf: "You don't need to go on tilt. It's called speech play."

Benger: "No one is going to help you, the bet is 5.6 million chips. That is what the bet is."

Kassouf: "I understand that. I'm trying to get information from you.

Benger: "No, you're verbally abusing me."

Kassouf: "That's not verbal abuse."

Benger: "Yes it is. Ask anyone else here, your word against theirs."

Kassouf: "You want to gamble? OK, I'm all-in."

Benger: "I call."

Kassouf's $13.4 million all-in raise and Benger's call took the pot (with blinds) to $27,800,000.

Benger's emotions spilled over again when the cards were flipped, yelling, "Come on baby!" and then, "Let's go. Whatever happens, he's coolered! Whatever happens, he's coolered!

"I want a king, I don't care. I want a king, I don't care. Put a king out there, I'm fine. My life is good. Screw this guy."

Kassouf: "King of hearts, watch."

Benger: "Give it to him, doesn't matter. He's still miserable, I'm happy."

Kassouf responded: "Verbal abuse? I'll show you verbal abuse. I'll take it. You can't take it. You can't take it, that's fine. You let it get to you. You're losing it."

Benger: "Let it get to me."

Kassouf: "You see me smiling all the time."

Benger: "I'm still smiling."

Kassouf: "You let it get to you. I got under your skin, man, I got under your skin. We've got fireworks now, let's go, let's go, the king's coming."

WSOP commentator Norman Chad dropped an epic comment as the players waited for the flop, saying: "If this gets any worse, it might rival the Russian roulette scene in The Deer Hunter."

Kassouf was eliminated after no kings were dealt, leaving with a quiet "nice hand" and a handshake for the pumped-up Benger.

Kassouf finished in 17th place and took home more than $300k in winnings, while Benger has advanced to the November Nine and is assured of winning at least $1 million.

Kassouf said that the worst confrontation he ever had came in Spain, where a German player threatened to beat him up.

Via PokerListings: "There was this German guy at EPT Barcelona. He kicked off, he started shouting at me. Told me to shut the [expletive] up. Told me to hurry up. Called the clock on me. I wasn't even in the hand."

Eventually the German player told Kassouf to meet him outside the casino after play ended.

"He was being really threatening," he said. "That's the closest I've come to a physical altercation. I've never been in a fight in my life, on the poker table or off. I'm not that kind of guy. I like to think I'm a friendly guy."