WSOP participant Shulman hires Hellmuth as coach

This has a chance of getting combustible.

Eleven-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and 1989 world poker champion Phil Hellmuth has signed on to coach Card Player Magazine Editor Jeff Shulman as he tries to win the 2009 championship in November.

Shulman, you may recall, began lobbing bombs at World Series of Poker owner Harrah's Entertainment immediately after he qualified in fourth place for $10,000 buy-in no limit hold 'em main event on July 15.

Nine players will vie for the title at the Rio starting Nov. 7.

Shulman, reportedly angered when Card Player lost the tournament's media right to rival Bluff Magazine in 2006, said he would toss the champion's bracelet "in the garbage" if he won the main event.

He's quieted somewhat since July, but the addition of Hellmuth, known as the "Poker Brat" whose antics include verbally bashing his opponents, may light up Shulman's game.

"Let's just say I won't take lessons from him on how to treat your opponents or how to avoid going on tilt," Shulman said.

He said that much of the coaching would probably take place online through Skype, where Hellmuth would critique his play.

Hellmuth will also fly into Las Vegas to conduct "a three- or four-day boot camp in October, or however long we can deal with each other," Shulman said.