$100,000 7-Handed
Day 2 Completed
$100,000 7-Handed
Day 2 Completed
All but one tournament has concluded on the final day of the 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and the penultimate High Roller trophy was awarded to American poker pro Isaac Haxton. Out of 46 entries in Event #66: $100,000 7-Handed High Roller, he took home the biggest slice of the $4,508,460 prize pool after defeating German wunderkind Fedor Holz in heads-up play.
It was the second victory for Haxton during this very successful stop at the Baha Mar Resort on The Bahamas. He came out on top of a three-way deal with Seth Davies and Adrian Mateos in the opening $100,000 PCA Super High Roller before banking almost half a million in the $25,000 8-Handed High Roller, falling short of a victory to Justin Bonomo and Rui Neves Ferreira.
The third time was a charm again and there was no deal discussions at all this time when Haxton and Holz battled for the victory. Coming into the duel with a slight lead, Haxton always remained on top to score a payday of $1,555,360, while Holz had to settle for a consolation prize of $1,014,400.
"Only second place but I'll take it ... it was kind of a sad heads-up," Holz told his German rail after he came up just shy of the win. The German has limited his live poker appearances in the last few years but hasn't forgotten any of the skills that gave him the label of "wunderkind".
Haxton, in the meanwhile, was delighted with the outcome of the trip to The Bahamas. "Wow, what a week, can't complain," he said immediately after the final hand.
Among those to cash were also Aleksejs Ponakovs, Steve O'Dwyer, Nick Petrangelo and David Peters. The aforementioned Mateos was eliminated by Haxton on the money bubble in rather cruel fashion.
Place | Player | Country | Prize (in USD) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Isaac Haxton | United States | $1,555,360 |
2 | Fedor Holz | Germany | $1,014,400 |
3 | Aleksejs Ponakovs | Latvia | $698,800 |
4 | Steve O'Dwyer | Ireland | $518,500 |
5 | Nick Petrangelo | United States | $405,800 |
6 | David Peters | United States | $315,600 |
The final day recommenced with 12 Day 1 survivors out of 21 entries returning to their seats but the late registration and re-entry period was available for the first hour. During that time frame, the field size more than doubled in a frantic opening stage. Big names of the international poker scene arrived and departed without anything to show for but an expensive final day of the series.
Among the early casualties were the likes of Ben Heath, Mike Watson, Stephen Chidwick, and Timothy Adams. The $250,000 Super High Roller runner-up Jean-Noel Thorel was eliminated in a memorable three-way all-in in which David Yan pulled a rabbit out of the hat thanks to a runner-runner straight.
Several eliminations in quick succession brought the field down to the final three tables with Justin Bonomo and
Kannapong Thanarattrakul among those to depart. Chris Brewer, Michael Addamo, Bryn Kenney, and Cary Katz found no trip saver thereafter either while the exit of Day 1 chip leader Daniel Dvoress set up the final two tables.
Short-handed play close to the money bubble brought with it the eliminations of Seth Davies and Kathy Lehne, which created the seven-handed final table on the money bubble.
Haxton was responsible for bursting the bubble when he jammed ten-trey into the ace-king of Mateos and turned a wheel. It didn't take long to lose three short stacks in quick succession after that as Peters, Petrangelo and O'Dwyer were gone within half an hour.
Holz soared to the top of the leaderboard and a pivotal hand then took place between Ponakovs and Haxton. The Latvian high-stakes crusher fired three barrels with the missed nut flush draw and was called by Haxton with just the middle pair.
"I have to look it up later but the computers probably won't like it," eventual champion Haxton remarked right after it happened.
Heads-up play between Holz and Haxton lasted for around an hour and small ball poker dictated the action right out of the gates. Eventually, Haxton established a commanding lead and ultimately prevailed with ten-eight suited versus king-nine suited to cap off the series on The Bahamas with a second trophy.
This concludes the PokerNews live coverage from the PokerStars flagship series in the Caribbean but the first stop of the European Poker Tour in Paris is just around the corner.
Fedor Holz limped the button off a stack of around 1,000,000 and Isaac Haxton raised to 300,000. The limp-shove by Holz followed and Haxton double-checked his cards before making the call.
Fedor Holz:
Isaac Haxton:
The flop propelled Haxton into the lead and he was on the verge of victory after the turn. No king or nine but the fell on the river as Haxton claimed the win with eights full of sevens. Holz departed in second place and takes home $1,014,400 for the efforts while Haxton scored the second seven-figure payday of the series, banking a payday of $1,555,360.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Isaac Haxton |
6,900,000
975,000
|
975,000 |
|
||
Fedor Holz | Busted | |
|
In a limped pot to the flop, both players checked and headed to the turn. Isaac Haxton check-called a bet of 120,000 by Fedor Holz and the river was checked again. Haxton tabled the and won the pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Isaac Haxton |
5,925,000
225,000
|
225,000 |
|
||
Fedor Holz |
975,000
-225,000
|
-225,000 |
|
Fedor Holz gave up a single-raised pot after the flop and then raised to 250,000 on his next button. Isaac Haxton eyeballed his stack and moved all-in, forcing an instant fold.
The next limped flop of flop saw Holz check, subsequently call a min-bet of 120,000. Both checked through the turn and Holz checked the on the river again. Haxton let his shot clock run down to seven seconds and bet 300,000, shutting down Holz after a couple of seconds.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Isaac Haxton |
5,700,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
||
Fedor Holz |
1,200,000
-800,000
|
-800,000 |
|
Fedor Holz claimed some of the previous losses back before both players started limping buttons. That wouldn't go unpunished as Isaac Haxton raised to 660,000 versus a limp and Holz did so to 480,000. Both times, no call followed.
Holz then limped the button once more and Haxton raised to 420,000, picking up a call by Holz this time. The flop saw Haxton with a bet of 280,000 and Holz snap-folded.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Isaac Haxton | 4,900,000 | |
|
||
Fedor Holz | 2,000,000 | |
|
Level: 26
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 120,000
Isaac Haxton raised to 230,000 on the button and earned a call from Fedor Holz in the big blind. The flop produced a check-raise from 140,000 to 490,000 but Haxton was sticky enough to come along.
On the turn, Holz check-called for 450,000 and they headed to the river. This time, Haxton checked behind and was shown the by Holz, which he had beat with the for superior two pair.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Isaac Haxton |
4,900,000
970,000
|
970,000 |
|
||
Fedor Holz |
2,000,000
-970,000
|
-970,000 |
|
In a limped pot all the way to the river, Fedor Holz bet 400,000. Isaac Haxton used one time bank and folded.
Holz then raised to 225,000 on the button but folded when Haxton three-bet to 650,000.
Haxton's next button raise to 220,000 triggered a shove by Holz for around 27 blinds and no call followed.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Isaac Haxton |
3,930,000
-120,000
|
-120,000 |
|
||
Fedor Holz |
2,970,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
Isaac Haxton raised the button to 230,000 and Fedor Holz forfeited his big blind.
Holz then raised it up to 200,000 on his button and Haxton defended. The flop was checked by Haxton and Holz's bet won the pot right away.
In the next limped pot, Holz checked the flop to then call a bet of 100,000 by Haxton. They headed to the turn on which Holz checked, Haxton bet 350,000 and won the next small pot uncontested.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Isaac Haxton |
4,050,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
||
Fedor Holz |
2,850,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
|