Kristen Foxen is already regarded by many as the best female poker player in the world. She added to her impressive resume on Sunday.
The professional poker player originally from St. Catherines, Ontario, won the $25,000 buy-in High Roller No-limit Hold’em event at the World Series of Poker and the $1.77 million first prize.
It is Foxen’s sixth career bracelet, which are awarded for tournament victories, the most by a female player in history. No other woman has more than three.
“Honestly, it’s so surreal,” Foxen said on the WSOP stream following her victory. “It really means a lot, especially the $25K. This was a tough field, a tough final table. Obviously I ran incredibly well, as any winner of a tournament does. But this one means so much.”
Foxen, who is best known for her deep run in the 2024 WSOP Main Event when she finished in 13th place, outlasted a field of 345 entries to become the first woman to win a live open event at the WSOP since 2021. She defeated poker pro Galen Hall heads-up for her first bracelet since an online Pot-limit Omaha event in 2024.
At the final table, Foxen entered second in chips with six players remaining and knocked out China’s Biao Ding in third place and Ignacio Moron of Spain in fifth to take a slight chip lead into heads-up play against Hall.
The two pros traded the lead before Foxen took control, winning a massive pot with a queen-high straight against Hall’s jack-high straight.
The Turn That Changed Everything!
Heads-up in the WSOP $25K High Roller, Kristen Foxen and Galen Hall both improve to a straight on the turn in a massive pot. With $1.7 million up top and a bracelet on the line, neither player is looking to back down as one of the biggest hands… pic.twitter.com/dAoGDmQTns
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 8, 2026
On the next hand, Foxen was dealt pocket aces and called Hall’s all-in pre-flop bet. Hall was unable to improve his ace-four holding, locking up the victory for Foxen before the final card was even revealed.
Hall pocketed more than $1.18 million for his runner-up finish.
“Heads-up is always so tense,” Foxen said. “It started off for him and then it kind of went my way … and then just two hands. Obviously I coolered him pretty hard.”
Foxen is one of 27 players all time with six or more WSOP bracelets. She earned the largest cash of her career and her fourth seven-figure score since September, bringing her live tournament earnings to over $18.9 million, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database.
She was presented her bracelet by husband Alex Foxen, a three-time WSOP champion.
“My poker journey has been kind of interesting the last few years,” Kristen Foxen said. “I’ve had some big moments that didn’t go my way, and in a way it’s like a blessing because it’s like the worst case happened.
“I just learned to go in with a more relaxed attitude and have fun most of all.”
Japanese pro goes back-to-back
Naoya Kihara of Japan became the first two-time winner at this year’s WSOP when he took down the $10,000 buy-in Seven-Card Stud Championship late Sunday.
Kihara defeated James Cheung in heads-up play to capture the $301,970 first prize.
The victory came three days after Kihara won the $10,000 buy-in No-limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship and makes him the sixth player in history to win back-to-back championship events, according to PokerNews.
Kihara now has three career bracelets, most all time among Japanese players, and is second in the WSOP Player of the Year standings behind Shaun Deeb.
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.
