The final two $10,000 tournaments on the 2025 Poker Masters schedule are in the books, and they crowned two familiar faces. Alex Foxen would use his victory in Event #6 to not only put his name in the mix for the Poker Masters Purple Jacket but also to put his name on top of the season standings for the PGT Championship. In Event #7, PokerGO owner Cary Katz utilized his years of high-stakes experience to win the tournament and enter his name in the running for the Purple Jacket.
Tenth PGT Title for Foxen
Martin Zamani held a massive lead at the start of the Event #6 final table. He had more than double the stack of second-place Andrew Lichtenberger (4.57 million to 2.24 million), while Foxen, Bin Weng, Doug Lee, and R.J. Sullivan were expected to serve as cannon fodder for the big stacks. As they say, this is why they don’t play poker tournaments on paper, but on a green baize and with competition.
Lichtenberger chipped away at Zamani, while those on the shorter end of the spectrum began to grind their way up. Lee eliminated Weng in sixth place to stake his claim, and Foxen would decimate Sullivan’s stack before Lichtenberger eliminated him in fifth place. But Zamani was not going to go easily, five betting a hand pre-flop (with pocket Jacks) before Lee (A-7) and Lichtenberger (pocket tens) dropped their holdings, moving Zamani up to the six million chip mark.
Lee would become the challenger for Zamani. Off the button, Lee raised the betting while holding Big Slick, while Zamani defended his big blind with a weaker A-9. The chips flew as the flop missed both men (8-5-2), with Zamani check-calling a 200K bet. A King on the turn gave Lee the nuts, but Zamani once again check-called a bet from Lee for 450K. Another King on the river gave Lee unnecessary trips, but Zamani refused to believe him, calling off a million chips after initially checking. Once the cards were turned up, a new leader emerged in Doug Lee.
Zamani would fight back with a double through Lichtenberger, sandwiched between two doubles by Foxen, before Lee would remove Lichtenberger from the tournament in fourth place. Foxen used his newfound chips to crush Zamani in three-handed play, using pocket Queens to vanquish Zamani’s pocket nines, and heads-up play was set.
Lee held about 3.3 million more chips than Foxen at the start of heads-up play, but Foxen would even it up only ten minutes into the battle. Over an hour-long fight, the duo would swap the lead back and forth before Foxen could claim victory. On the final hand, Foxen raised the betting with a J-8 and Lee called with a Q♣ 3♣. Both players hit on the 8-6-3 flop, but Lee would take the lead when a Queen came on the turn, check-calling a 1.5 million chip bet from Foxen.
Looking for one of the two remaining eights in the deck, Foxen was fortunate to click with the 8♥ on the river to give him trips. Foxen moved all in after that river card, and Lee made the call, only to find disappointment in that river card as the championship went to Alex Foxen.
1. Alex Foxen, $280,000 (280 Poker Masters points)
2. Doug Lee, $185,000 (185)
3. Martin Zamani, $129,000 (129)
4. Andrew Lichtenberger, $100,500 (101)
5. R.J. Sullivan, $72,500 (73)
6. Bin Weng, $56,000 (56)
Katz Takes the Crown in Final $10K Tournament
When Event #7 came to the final table on Monday, it was expected that Jared Hyman was going to take the crown. He was the dominant chip leader with 4.42 million chips, while the five men combating him – Katz (1.785 million), Matthew McEwan (915K), Masato Yokosawa (880K), John Riordan (840K), and Daniel Sepiol (735K) – barely had more chips together (5.155 million) than Hyman. Once again, this is why you actually play tournaments out…
It started well for Hyman, at least. He would eliminate McEwan in sixth, Sepiol in fifth, and Yokosawa (who had eliminated Riordan in fourth) in third, to maintain his dominance over Katz going into heads-up play. Katz would perfectly utilize “table talk” to get Hyman to call off on a hand, picking up 1.75 million in chips to bring the battle closer together. On the next hand, Katz’s aggression took over, forcing Hyman off a pot that would give Katz the lead.
With both players holding nearly the same size stack, it was going to be one hand that made the difference. Hyman, holding pocket Queens, put out a good raise, and Katz, riding in with A-K, three-bet the action. Hyman saw this as his chance, four-betting to a million chips, and Katz moved all-in, which Hyman called immediately.
The flop came rather innocently, 9-7-6, and the turn deuce didn’t change anything. But the river Ace gave Katz a better pair and, once the chips were counted, it was Katz who had been all-in. After that decisive hand, Katz held 9.4 million, and Hyman was left with scraps (225,000); he would double once before Katz put him away to win the tournament.
1. Cary Katz, $223,000 (223 Poker Masters points)
2. Jared Hyman, $146,500 (147)
3. Masato Yokosawa, $104,000 (104)
4. John Riordan, $73,000 (73)
5. Daniel Sepiol, $53,800 (54)
6. Matthew McEwan, $38,500 (39)
Three tournaments are left on the 2025 Poker Masters schedule. The money is starting to get serious, with two $15,000 buy-in events on tap, alongside the $25,000 Main Event. Event #8’s final table will play out this afternoon at the PokerGO Studios, with Jeremy Ausmus currently holding court over Brian Batt, Joey Weissman, Nguyen Lee, and Alex Foxen. Foxen, wherever he finishes, will take over the overall lead for the Purple Jacket, but there are two more tournaments to go before we learn who will claim that prize from the 2025 Poker Masters.
(Photo courtesy of PokerGO)
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