Kristen Foxen’s Stellar Victory at the 2025 PokerGO Cup
On a thrilling day at the 2025 PokerGO Cup, Canadian poker pro Kristen Foxen emerged triumphant, taking down Event #7: $15,100 No-Limit Hold’em and pocketing an impressive $348,300. This victory not only marked a significant addition to her career earnings but also propelled her to the top of the 2025 PokerGO Tour leaderboard, showcasing her skill and tenacity in the high-stakes poker world.
A Competitive Field
Foxen faced a formidable challenge as she navigated through a competitive field of 86 entrants, all vying for a slice of the $1,290,000 prize pool. The final table was stacked with talent, featuring high-stakes giants such as Patrick Leonard, Erik Seidel, and David Peters. Despite starting with the smallest stack at the final table, Foxen’s perseverance proved crucial as she battled her way to victory, ultimately defeating Leonard heads-up.
Rising from Short Stack to Champion
The first day of the tournament concluded with Erik Seidel holding the chip lead, a position bolstered by his extensive history as an 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner. In stark contrast, Foxen found herself struggling early on, losing about a third of her starting stack in the initial rounds.
The turning point came when Eric Wasserson, who had dropped to the smallest stack, was eliminated in seventh place. This paved the way for Foxen’s resurgence. With strategic plays and timely doubles, including a pivotal hand against Patrick Leonard, Foxen’s fortunes began to shift.
Final Table Highlights
The PokerGO Cup’s final table saw several intense moments:
- Foxen scored a key double-up against Leonard, while Sergio Aido eliminated both David Peters in sixth ($64,500) and went out himself in fifth place ($90,300) shortly after, crushed by Foxen’s robust play.
- Erik Seidel made an early exit as well, falling in fourth place ($116,100), when his pocket queens lost to Farid Jattin’s ace-jack after an explosive flop.
Despite having built a commanding lead earlier, Foxen faced a brief setback when Leonard doubled back into contention. However, her ultimate dominance shone through when Jattin risked it all, only to meet Foxen’s superior ace-queen. Jattin took home $161,250 for his third-place finish, setting the stage for a heads-up showdown.
Heads-Up Battle
Beginning the heads-up phase with a 4-1 chip advantage, Foxen maintained her composure and skill. Leonard put up a valiant fight, but the final hand sealed the deal. He went all-in with ace-nine against Foxen’s king-jack and, ultimately, the board did not favor Leonard, awarding Foxen the championship and a substantial cash prize.
Event #7 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kristen Foxen | $348,300 |
| 2 | Patrick Leonard | $225,750 |
| 3 | Farid Jattin | $161,250 |
| 4 | Erik Seidel | $116,100 |
| 5 | Sergio Aido | $90,300 |
| 6 | David Peters | $64,500 |
| 7 | Eric Wasserson | $51,600 |
Shaping the PokerGO Tour
This triumph marks Foxen’s second victory in 2025, following her remarkable success at the PokerGO Tour Kickoff Series earlier in January, where she secured a $197,625 win. With this latest win, she has secured her position firmly at the top of the PokerGO Tour leaderboard, just ahead of competitors like Joey Weissman and Eric Blair.
Looking ahead, the PokerGO Cup continues to electrify the poker community, with the final event—Event #8: $25,200 No-Limit Hold’em—set to be contested.
Conclusion
Kristen Foxen’s performance at the 2025 PokerGO Cup was a masterclass in resilience and strategy, truly highlighting her skill and passion for the game. As she looks forward to the next challenges ahead in poker, fans and aspiring players alike can draw inspiration from her journey, demonstrating that determination and skill can lead to incredible triumphs in the high-stakes world of tournament poker.
Images courtesy of PokerGO.
