Kristen Foxen takes early lead in PGT standings with Kickoff win

Soon after, Song slowed Simao’s early charge with a double. Another double from Seward put the Brazilian on the ropes, but he fought back through Foxen and found some breathing room among the final six players. 

Seward didn’t have the short stack but the bottom was crowded — so he made a move with a suited ace-jack that ran into Foxen’s Big Slick. The board ran out with low cards and no flush, so Seward bounced in sixth place and Foxen remained with a comfortable lead. 

Joao Simao fought back from crumbs and eventually drew even.

Foxen kept climbing and a few doubles were exchanged before Moreno was dumped in fifth after a three-way hand that saw Simao take a big chunk off of the chip leader in the process. Foxen had open-jammed the button with , and Moreno called from right next to her with before Simao used several time extensions. He eventually called with and a board of gave Simao the double and Moreno the walking papers. 

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Ausmus runs aground, Simao draws even

Four-handed play did not last long after Ausmus ran into trouble against Foxen. She opened from under the gun and Ausmus three-bet all but one of the chips in his stack. Foxen called without seeing the chip behind and action checked through to the river. She bet and he mucked and Ausmus was out on the next hand. 

The one-chip behind strategy did not work out for Jeremy Ausmus.

Song started three-handed play as the short stack and Simao got it in ahead of him after Foxen shoved the button, but Simao’s ace-jack held to score the double. Song was out soon after when his ace-king couldn’t improve against Simao and the Brazilian entered heads-up play virtually even with Foxen. 

The final two cut a deal that split the remaining prize pool in two with the trophy and a big chunk of PGT points set aside for the winner of the rest of it. Play ended on the next hand after Simao moved all in on the river with ace-high and Foxen called with a pair to win the trophy. 

The win puts Foxen at the top of the early PGT standings with three cashes, one win, and 525 PGT points. Patrick Leonard is in second after three cashes and one win during the Kickoff series, while Simao sits in third after cashing twice.

^{* - Denotes heads-up deal}

^{Photos courtesy of PokerGO/Antonio Abrego}