Some attention-grabbing dynamics performed out for husband-and-wife poker couple Alex and Kristen Foxen on the World Collection of Poker Europe this week.
Within 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 primary elimination was a case of unhealthy timing. With blinds at 10,000-20,000 with a 20,000 huge 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 acquired out of the best way. 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 in a position 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 huge 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.
Whereas Group Foxen misplaced one other buy-in, the suckout did give Alex the chip lead, which he would journey to the ultimate desk and finally, a heads-up showdown with Italy’s Alessandro Pichierri for the title. Regardless of an almost 4:1 lead, nevertheless, Pichierri received 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 match earnings to $33.8 million, good for twenty second place on the all-time cash checklist.
Though 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 received 4 bracelets. This summer time, she completed thirteenth within the WSOP essential occasion for a career-best payday of $600,000.
On The Felt Historical past
Within the early days of reside poker tournaments, many kin can be separated in the event that they occurred to be seated the identical desk, relying on the venue and match director. These days, 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, once they made it right down to the ultimate three in a $5,000 MSPT occasion at Venetian. Then-dating, the couple provided 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 the way the match performed out, even going to date to accuse them of sentimental play. Though 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 may by providing a deal.
Kristen lately mentioned her profession for the duvet of Card Participant Journal and mentioned the couple are consistently speaking poker.
“Actually, for essentially the most half our life is poker, meals, fitness center, hanging out at house, and we’re each actually pleased with that,” she mentioned. “I don’t need to say we’re boring individuals, as a result of I don’t assume we’re, however we’re simply targeted. We’re each locked in proper now on poker.”
