Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:55 PM Local Time
Alex Foxen Goes Wire-to-Wire in $250K Super High Roller on Way to Maiden Bracelet ($4,563,700)
The 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #50: $250,000 Super High Roller, the biggest buy-in of the summer, began with 56 entrants, and on Saturday the final eight returned to play down to a winner and their piece of a $13,944,000 prize pool. Alex Foxen began as the chip leader, and it took him just five hours to go wire-to-wire on his way to his first gold bracelet, and the $4,563,700 top prize, a new career-high.
"It really means a lot to me. It's kind of been a monkey on the back. I've always wanted a bracelet. I've had some close spots and always been disappointed … this feels like a really special one to get my first in," said Foxen, who was just one of three players at the final table without a bracelet. "To me, what means the most is consistent performance at the highest stakes. This is one of those, so it feels really good."
Prior to the win, Foxen had just shy of $22 million in lifetime earnings, including a prior career-best $2,160,000 for finishing second in the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl.
It wasn't the first piece of WSOP hardware for Foxen, a former football tight end for Boston College. That's because way back in 2012 he shipped a WSOP Circuit ring at Harrah's New Orleans, albeit for a much more modest $22,421.
Speaking of rings, Foxen married his wife, three-time bracelet winner Kristen Bicknell, earlier this year and was quick to credit her as a major factor in his success.
"I'm extremely lucky I have an incredible wife and incredible support. It's something that can't be overstated honestly, the amount it helps to have someone at home that to the utmost extent understands what I'm going through on a day-to-day basis and is there to talk hands all the time, and just to help me through the difficult times too, because. I'm definitely not immune to tilt and emotion. Having someone like Krissy, I can't express how lucky I am."
2022 WSOP $250,000 Super High Roller Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|
| 1 | Alex Foxen | USA | $4,563,700 |
| 2 | Brandon Steven | USA | $2,820,581 |
| 3 | Chris Hunichen | USA | $1,931,718 |
| 4 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | $1,367,206 |
| 5 | Sam Soverel | USA | $1,001,142 |
| 6 | Martin Kabrhel | Czech Republic | $759,362 |
| 7 | Phil Ivey | USA | $597,381 |
| 8 | Dan Zack | USA | $488,095 |
| 9 | Henrik Hecklen | Denmark | $414,815 |
Final Table Action
After Henrik Hecklen bowed out in ninth place Friday night, the remaining eight players returned on Saturday to battle it out on the PokerGO live broadcast. Current 2022 WSOP Player of the Year points leader Dan Zack was the first to go after getting it in with ace-queen against the pocket tens of Foxen. Zack flopped a queen but running cards gave Foxen a winning backdoor straight.
Fan-favorite Phil Ivey was the next to go after shoving his short stack from middle position with queen-jack only to run into the ace-queen of Brandon Steven one spot over. The better hand held and Ivey had to settle for seventh place and $597,381 in prize money.
Phil Ivey had to settle for seventh place.
Martin Kabrhel was then left short after losing a flip with ace-queen against the pocket eights of Sam Soverel. The two-time bracelet winner managed a double but then got his short stack all in preflop with king-deuce suited only to run into Steven's pocket jacks. The fishhooks held and Kabrhel was out in sixth place.
Upon coming back from a break, Soverel limped the small blind and snap-called off when Steven shoved the big blind with ace-seven. Soverel had two black kings in the hole but got unlucky when an ace appeared on the flop to end his tournament in fifth place for $1,001,142, the second seven-figure score of his career.
Defending champ Adrian Mateos was the next to go when his king-ten failed to get there against the ace-six of Chris "Big Huni" Hunichen. The elimination of Mateos also ensured there would be a first-time bracelet winner in the tournament.
Not long after, Foxen used his big chip lead to apply pressure by moving in from the small blind on Hunichen, who was in the big. "Alright, let's go," Hunichen said before calling off with ace-seven only to see it go down in flames when Foxen's queen-three paired the flop and turned into two pair.
That allowed Foxen to take a 9:1 chip lead into heads-up play against Steven, and it didn't take long for things to come to a head when the former flopped top pair and the latter bottom two pair. Steven got it in good but Foxen was not to be denied as he rivered a bigger two pair to seal the deal.
"I never lost the chip lead, I started chipping up right away. I found a few good spots, made a couple of good hands, won a big flip, and yeah, it was about as smooth as it could be," Foxen said after the victory. "I haven't even looked at the schedule, I try not to look at what's next until I'm out of the tournament I'm in, but I think I'll probably wait until tomorrow to get into anything. Probably just go have a celebratory dinner and be ready to go tomorrow."
That does it for PokerNews' coverage of Event #50: $250,000 Super High Roller, but our live reporting team is still on-site offering updates from several other tournaments. Click here to learn what events you can follow right now!
Alex & Kristen Foxen.
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:55 PM Local Time
Brandon Steven Eliminated in 2nd Place ($2,820,581)
Alex Foxen limped in with and Brandon Steven checked his option with . Both players caught a piece of the flop, with bottom two pair for Steven and top pair for Foxen.
Steven checked, Foxen bet 600,000, Steven check-raised to 2,400,000, Foxen three-bet shoved all in and Steven quickly called it off for 8,250,000 total.
The rolled off on the turn, giving Foxen all the hearts, kings, queens, and tens as outs going into the river.
The landed on the river and the crowd roared. With the ten, Foxen improved to a better two pair to secure his maiden WSOP bracelet. Steven's efforts to win his first came up just short, but the entrepreneur nearly doubled his lifetime poker winnings with his second-place finish worth $2,820,581.
Congratulations to Alex Foxen, winner of Event #50: $250,000 Super High Roller No-Limit Hold'em for $4,563,700!
Brandon Steven is eliminated in 2nd place.| Brandon Steven | 0 | -9,150,000  |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:45 PM Local Time
Cards Back in the Air
The heads-up match between Alex Foxen and Brandon Steven has begun.
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:35 PM Local Time
Heads-Up
Alex Foxen and Brandon Steven are on a short break before commencing with their heads-up.
Foxen's chips
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:34 PM Local Time
Chris Hunichen Eliminated in 3rd Place ($1,931,718)
Alex Foxen shoved all in from the small blind, more than enough to cover Chris Hunichen in the big blind.
"Alright, let's go," Hunichen said before calling it off for 9,250,000 total.
Alex Foxen:
Chris Hunichen:
Both players headed to their respective rails before the dealer revealed the first three cards.
There was an ace in the window for 'Big Huni', but a trey showed up as well on the flop.
The on the turn caused an uproar on the center stage as Foxen improved to two pair. However, bad as the card may have been for Hunichen, he was drawing as live as he could with no fewer than sixteen outs heading into the river.
Despite the many outs, the river was a brick and Hunichen was gone in 3rd place. The $1,931,718 payout was a career-best and the third seven-figure score of Hunichen's stellar career.
Chris Hunichen is eliminated in 3rd place| Alex Foxen | 76,050,000 | 15,450,000  |
| Brandon Steven | 9,150,000 | -4,250,000 |
| Chris Hunichen | 0 | -10,000,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:26 PM Local Time
Level 24 started
Level: 24
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:23 PM Local Time
Foxen Drags A Monster Off Steven
In a three-bet pot between Brandon Steven ( ) on the button and Alex Foxen ( ) in the small blind, the flop came down . Foxen continued for 2,850,000 and Steven came along with the call.
The on the turn opened up a flush draw for both players. Foxen fired a second barrel worth 4,800,000 but Steven wasn't going anywhere and called again.
The pot was already up to over 20 million when the landed on the river, giving Foxen a pair and the checkmark. He checked and Steven bluffed at it for 7,700,000.
Foxen went deep in the tank, staring at the board while occasionally glancing over at Steven. He used up several of his timebank cards before finally calling it off.
"Good call," Steven said in defeat. Foxen's instincts were right as he dragged the nearly 30 million pot to open up a monster lead.
| Alex Foxen | 60,600,000 | 18,000,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 13,400,000 | -18,600,000 |
| Chris Hunichen | 10,000,000 | 2,100,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:16 PM Local Time
Small One for Steven
Alex Foxen raised to 1,100,000 on the button with and Brandon Steven defended in the big blind. The flop came and both players checked.
The turn brought the and Steven checked a second time. Foxen bet 750,000 with his gutshot and over and Steven called top pair.
The river was the and both players checked. "Nine," Steven said.
"I swear to God, I thought I had five-seven," Steven said to Foxen after the hand.
| Alex Foxen | 41,700,000 | -900,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 31,250,000 | -750,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:08 PM Local Time
Hunichen Pays Off Foxen's Overbet
Alex Foxen limped the small blind in with and Chris Hunichen checked his option with . The flop and turn got checked by both players.
On the river, Foxen bet 2,000,000 into the 1.5 million pot and Hunichen paid off Foxen's straight with his jack.
| Alex Foxen | 42,600,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Chris Hunichen | 7,900,000 | -3,000,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 7:02 PM Local Time
Cold-Four from Steven
Alex Foxen raised to 1,100,000 on the button with and Chris Hunichen responded with a three-bet to 3,900,000 from the small blind with .
Brandon Steven woke up with in the big blind and asked how much Hunichen was playing before four-betting to 9,700,000. Foxen got out of the way and Hunichen released as well.
| Alex Foxen | 41,100,000 | 1,750,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 32,000,000 | 1,900,000 |
| Chris Hunichen | 10,900,000 | -3,650,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:54 PM Local Time
Adrian Mateos Eliminated in 4th Place ($1,367,206)
Adrian Mateos shoved all in for 2,000,000 on the button and Chris Hunichen snapped him off from the big blind.
Adrian Mateos:
Chris Hunichen:
The defending champion needed to improve in order to keep his chances for his fifth bracelet and an improbable back-to-back alive. The flop kept Hunichen in the lead and after the on the turn, only a queen could help the Spaniard.
The river was the and Mateos was eliminated in 4th place for $1,367,206.
| Alex Foxen | 39,350,000 | -50,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 30,100,000 | -1,300,000 |
| Chris Hunichen | 14,550,000 | 2,250,000 |
| Adrian Mateos | 0 | -3,250,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:50 PM Local Time
Hunichen Gets Them Through
Chris Hunichen picked up and in back-to-back hands and picked up the blinds and ante both times with an all-in shove.
| Chris Hunichen | 12,300,000 | 2,200,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:47 PM Local Time
Steven Wins Three-Way Clash
Brandon Steven raised to 1,100,000 first to act with , Alex Foxen called with from the small blind and Chris Hunichen tossed in a few extra chips with in the big blind.
Foxen and Hunichen caught a piece of the flop and both of them checked. Steven continued for 1,700,000 with his ace-high, Foxen called his king, and Hunichen overcalled the seven-high flush draw after taking his time.
The dealer burned and turned the to put Steven in the lead. Foxen and Hunichen checked, Steven bet 5,400,000, and the others folded.
| Alex Foxen | 39,400,000 | -2,800,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 31,400,000 | 4,900,000 |
| Chris Hunichen | 10,100,000 | -3,250,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:41 PM Local Time
Mateos Spikes Three-Outer to Double
Left short after the previous hand, Adrian Mateos moved all in from the small blind for 1,380,000 and Alex Foxen snapped him off.
Adrian Mateos:
Alex Foxen:
Mateos was dominated but flopped the four he needed during the rundown to double up.
| Alex Foxen | 42,200,000 | -825,000 |
| Adrian Mateos | 3,250,000 | 1,850,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:40 PM Local Time
A Big Double for Big Huni
Chris Hunichen moved all in for 6.3 million from the button and Adrian Mateos hit the tank from the big blind. He burned through a couple of time extensions and then opted to call.
Adrian Mateos:
Chris Hunichen:
Hunichen had the dominating hand and it held after the board ran out .
| Chris Hunichen | 13,350,000 | 5,800,000 |
| Adrian Mateos | 1,400,000 | -5,775,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:34 PM Local Time
Foxen Shows the Goods
Brandon Steven raised to 1,100,000 on the button holding the and Alex Foxen, who has been aggressive with his big chip lead, three-bet to 4,500,000 from the big blind.
Steven seemed a bit frustrated by yet another three-bet from the chip leader but ultimately folded.
Foxen then showed that he had the goods by turning over the .
| Alex Foxen | 43,025,000 | 1,350,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 26,500,000 | -1,100,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:31 PM Local Time
Updated Chip Counts
| Alex Foxen | 41,675,000 | 2,275,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 27,600,000 | -300,000 |
| Chris Hunichen | 7,550,000 | 0 |
| Adrian Mateos | 7,175,000 | -1,000,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:30 PM Local Time
Sam Soverel Eliminated in 5th Place ($1,001,142)
Sam Soverel limped in from the small blind, Brandon Steven shoved from the big blind, and Soverel beat him to the punch with a call. The all in was for a little over 4 million total.
Sam Soverel:
Brandon Steven:
Steven instantly flopped the ace he needed on a flop. Soverel was left with two outs and found neither on the turn nor river. He received a cool million and change for finishing in 5th place.
| Brandon Steven | 27,900,000 | 5,300,000 |
| Sam Soverel | 0 | -5,150,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:25 PM Local Time
Back-to-Back Shoves From Mateos
Just after the break, Adrian Mateos three-bet shoved with of a raise from Alex Foxen. Foxen had and quickly folded.
Shortly after, Mateos found in the small blind and open-shoved for 6,900,000. Foxen folded in the big blind.
| Alex Foxen | 39,400,000 | -3,375,000 |
| Adrian Mateos | 8,175,000 | 2,250,000 |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 6:21 PM Local Time
Level 23 started
Level: 23
Blinds: 250,000/500,000
Ante: 500,000