Some attention-grabbing dynamics performed out for husband-and-wife poker couple Alex and Kristen Foxen on the World Series of Poker Europe this week.
In the €25,000 buy-in no-limit maintain’em excessive curler, Alex despatched his spouse to the re-entry line after busting Kristen early on day 2. Then, as the sphere performed in the direction of the ultimate desk, he busted her once more!
The first elimination was a case of unhealthy timing. With blinds at 10,000-20,000 with a 20,000 large blind ante, Martin Kabrhel raised from the hijack to 50,000 and Alex three-bet to 150,000 on his left. Kristen then moved all in from the small blind for her final 500,000 with 8 8.
Alex had about 1.2 million chips and made the decision with Q Q after Kabrhel bought out of the way in which. The board ran out Q J 7 5 10 and whereas Alex added a wholesome pot to his stack, Kristen needed to pony up one other buy-in. This time, she was ready hold round for a bit earlier than as soon as once more being despatched to the rail by Alex.
With two tables remaining and blinds at 20,000-40,000 with a 40,000 large blind ante, Alex raised from the small blind with 9 8 to place Kristen all in. On a brief stack of simply 365,000, she made the decision with A 3. The flop introduced 10 9 3, giving Alex a lead he wouldn’t lose when the 5 and Okay got here on the flip and river.
While Team Foxen misplaced one other buy-in, the suckout did give Alex the chip lead, which he would trip to the ultimate desk and in the end, a heads-up showdown with Italy’s Alessandro Pichierri for the title. Despite a virtually 4:1 lead, nevertheless, Pichierri gained a key coinflip to battle again and steal away the €335,900 first-place prize and the bracelet, which was his first.
Alex settled for €223,900 for because the runner-up, bringing his profession event earnings to $33.8 million, good for twenty second place on the all-time cash listing.
Although Alex does have one bracelet, having taken down the $250,000 buy-in tremendous excessive curler on the 2022 summer time sequence for $4.6 million, Kristen has extra WSOP gold, having gained 4 bracelets. This summer time, she completed thirteenth within the WSOP important occasion for a career-best payday of $600,000.
On The Felt History
In the early days of stay poker tournaments, many family could be separated in the event that they occurred to be seated the identical desk, relying on the venue and event director. Nowadays, nevertheless, it comes right down to the luck of the draw. And given the small-field excessive rollers that the Foxens frequent, it’s not unusual to see them battling for a similar pots.
The Foxens made information in 2018, nevertheless, after they made it right down to the ultimate three in a $5,000 MSPT occasion at Venetian. Then-dating, the couple supplied Australian high-stakes professional Kahle Burns a deal to keep away from the awkward scenario of him being outnumbered. Burns declined, given his chip lead, however would go on to complete third. Alex and Kristen then chopped, with Alex claiming the title.
Some criticized them for a way the event performed out, even going to this point to accuse them of soppy play. Although others identified that conflicts of curiosity occur on a regular basis on the poker desk, given what number of gamers swap percentages with one another, and that the Foxens dealt with the scenario as finest as they might by providing a deal.
Kristen just lately discussed her career for the duvet of Card Player Magazine and stated the couple are always speaking poker.
“Honestly, for the most part our life is poker, food, gym, hanging out at home, and we’re both really happy with that,” she stated. “I don’t want to say we’re boring people, because I don’t think we are, but we’re just focused. We’re both locked in right now on poker.”