It’s been an eventful few weeks for Kristen Foxen, from winning her fifth World Series of Poker bracelet in an online event to being selected for the Women in Poker Hall of Fame alongside industry veteran Jeanne David.
And all of this just four months after the biggest moment of the Canadian’s storied poker career that saw her finishing 13th in the WSOP Main Event, coming shy of being the second woman in history to make the final table of the prestigious event.
PokerNews caught up with “Krissyb24” in South Florida as she battled on Day 1a of the 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Rock ‘n’ Roll Poker Open Championship at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood to talk about the WiPOF, her recent WSOP milestone and having more bracelets than her husband Alex Foxen.
Read About Kristen Foxen’s Nomination for the WIPHOF!
Being Inducted is “Surreal”
With over $8.4 million in tournament cashes, five bracelets — the most of any woman player — and former Supernova Elite status, it was hardly a surprise to see Foxen inducted into the WiPOF. Still, she called it “a bit of a shock” to join Hall of Fame members like Vanessa Selbst, Jen Harman, Kathy Liebert and Maria Ho.
“It’s just a huge honor and it feels a little surreal because I remember the day of playing the $3 re-buy into the Sunday Million and just hoping to win a poker tournament,” she said during a break on Day 1a. “(I) certainly didn’t expect to be in this position or receiving such an award … I just feel very lucky.”
Foxen, who will be formally inducted into the WiPHOF on Dec. 11 at Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, said Selbst and Harman in particular were big influences early in her poker career. “(Harman) was one of the first women that I felt like when I watched her play … it just felt like she belonged at the poker table, and she always felt that. I really like how she carries herself in poker. And on High Stakes Poker back in the day, I thought she was really cool and (didn’t) have a chip on her shoulder.”
Two Bracelets in Three Days
Foxen was a four-time bracelet winner when she was nominated in October. That was days before she won a fifth bracelet and $56,703 in an online $500 No-Limit Hold’em PKO event open to players in Michigan, Nevada, and New Jersey.
Alex Foxen went on to win his second bracelet just three days as he defeated Dan Smith heads-up in a $500 Pot-Limit Omaha Mystery Bounty 6-Max event for $20,064 (plus $19,207 in bounties). “It often happens that one of us wins a tournament and the other one’s like, ‘Ok, I can do that too’ a few days later,” Kirsten Foxen said.
When it comes to WSOP hardware, however, Kristen Foxen has the two-time bracelet and two-time Circuit ring winner pipped. “Alex is very successful, but at least I have more bracelets than him,” she laughed. “I have one thing to brag about.”
Foxens Win Two Bracelets in Three Days
Looking Ahead
Despite her already successful career — which includes bracelet victories in the 2016 $1,500 NLH Bounty for $290,768 and 2020 $2,500 NLH 6-Handed on GGPoker for $356,412 — Foxen is still looking ahead to what else she can achieve.
“I still want a bracelet in an event … that I feel a little bit prouder of. Not that I’m undermining any of the events that I’ve won, but it would be very cool to win a bracelet in one of the tougher-seeming events than some online events. But it’s obviously really cool, (I’m) really grateful for running good on those final tables that I had. Because I do think it’s one thing to make a World Series of Poker final table (but) another thing to be able to win it.”
Foxen also has a shot at her first WPT title after a fifth-place finish two years ago in the WPT Choctaw Main Event as she advanced to Day 2 of the $3 million guaranteed RRPO Championship here in South Florida.
The second and final starting flight of the championship event is currently underway in the Seminole Ballroom. The survivors will join the 238 players who advanced through Day 1a, including Raminder Singh, Ryan Riess, Shannon Shorr, Adam Hendrix, Matt Glantz, Joe McKeehen and chip leader Frank Stepuchin.
Read About the Day 1a Highlights!
*Photos courtesy WPT
Editor & Live Reporter U.S.
