Awkward situation this week at the $5k MSPT Main Event.
Red-hot Alex Foxen and his girlfriend, fellow pro Kristen Bicknell, were 3-handed against Aussie pro Kahle Burns.
They attempted to get Burns to agree to a 3-way chop, most likely to avoid the bad optics the situation.
Burns refused the chop, so it was played out.
Then this hand happened:
https://twitter.com/twt/status/1008854974741139457
If you don't feel like watching the video, Foxen made it 115k on the button when the blinds were 25k/50k/25k, and it was 3-handed. Foxen had JJ. Bicknell had AA in the BB and three bet to 400k, which Foxen called.
Foxen then flopped a set on an otherwise safe J54 board.
Bicknell bet 200k on the flop, Foxen called. This was already a bit suspect in a pot which was almost a million.
Then the turn brough a K, and Bicknell checked, then called a 375,000 bet by Foxen.
The river was a 3 (no flush possible), and Bicknell check-folded to Foxen's 600k bet.
Say what?!
James Obst, who was watching, was not pleased.
https://twitter.com/twt/status/1008814929426542592
Here were their explanations:
Originally Posted by Alex FoxenOriginally Posted by Kristen Bicknell
I call bullshit.
While I don't think they necessarily planned to collude, I think both wanted to stay out of each other's way, and let the third guy bust, especially because he was short. Had they been strangers, perhaps they would have taken a more aggressive line. However, two people in a relationship (who may have swapped action) are much less likely to play hard against one another and possibly allow the 3rd guy to move up one pay spot.
While I partially believe their explanation (namely, that both recognized that they each had big hands), I think once they realized this, they also both realized they should keep each other in the tournament.
Here's a good Pokernews writeup of the situation: https://www.pokernews.com/news/2018/...h-ot-31174.htm
What do you guys think?