Mike Watson Calls For 6-Month Foxen/Bicknell Tournament Couple Ban

Tom - Friday, July 6, 2018, Written by- Friday, July 6, 2018, High stakes reports

It is the controversy that refuses to go away, and now highroller specialist Mike SirWatts Watson has weighed in on the Alex Foxen/Kristen Bicknell furore with a lengthy blog post in which he calls for a 6-month ban on the couple playing together.

By: Andrew Burnett

I wrote about my thoughts on collusion and the @krissyb24poker and @WAFoxen situation. I think this is an important issue that hasn't received enough attention, and hope you'll take the time to read and share: https://t.co/muWle8oPOY@olivierbusquet @JamesObst — Mike Watson (@SirWatts) June 30, 2018

His article, titled ‘On Collusion, and the Krissy and Foxen Situation’, describes one of the hands near the end of the MSPT tour $5k event held at the Venetian Casino won by Foxen, with girlfriend Bicknell as runner-up, Watson stating ‘the JJ vs AA hand is the most blatant collusion I've ever seen’.

Proof or no proof?

The hand, which was also the focus of a recent Doug Polk video on the controversial ‘softplaying’ affair, is dissected by Watson – although his conclusions are far from accepted by everybody in the poker community, Ryan Laplante, Dan Smith and Patrick Leonard all on the case and at loggerheads…

That you think he should 4b pre, shows a pretty lack of understanding of the hand in question.



This hand has been ran by highroller regs and shown to be a good fold by krissy.



If it could be proven that they did softplay, they should face consequences. But this isnt it. — Ryan Laplante🏳️‍🌈 (@Protentialmn) June 30, 2018

Ryan it’s a completely ridiculous fold, she beats value FFS. — Dan Smith (@DanSmithHolla) June 30, 2018

https://t.co/F15VphCnVO Kanit folds QQ pre vs Ole (both very aggro) why no article then saying how it’s indefensible? I think suggesting they shouldn’t play tournaments together for 6 months is about ridiculous. You have no proof who would even enforce this?! — Patrick Leonard (@plenopads) July 1, 2018

Timofey ‘trueteller’ Kuznetsov was dismissive of Watson’s arguments…

Ohhh no everyone watch out mike the poker police is here and he tagged obst and busquet for back up 😂😂😂 — Timofey Kuznetsov (@trueteller_) July 1, 2018

…whereas Aussie highstakes pro Jeff Rossiter took the opposite viewpoint…

No it isn't to be expected, or accepted. Soft play in cash games is allowed because it doesn't adversely affect other players. I can't think of examples where I've seen anything this blatant in a tournament but that wouldn't make it acceptable either — Jeff Rossiter (@JeffRossiter) July 1, 2018

The Magic Banhammer?

Watson glosses over a few important points in his analysis of the situation, but his read of the situation as collusion, whether intentional or not, leads him to propose that not only should Foxen and Bicknell pay Kahle Burns (the third player at the table) because he “deserves money closer to the 2nd place payout” but they should also face a ban from competing against each other.

“In my opinion, Kristen and Alex should be banned from playing tournaments together for six months. I understand this would be a considerable inconvenience to their lifestyle, but this needs to be correctly viewed as a serious offense”.

Watson’s call for a ban was met by a less than enthusiastic crowd, partly because nobody could really think of a way to enforce it…

That’s why I think something that doesn’t rely on the stars aligning to get something done works. I mean we can’t even get Chris Ferguson out of the WSOP. With that said, I can’t offer a better solution so maybe you’re right. Either way I agree with the sentiment — Carter King (@CKingLivePro) July 1, 2018

…or as with Olivier Busquet didn’t really agree with it, although wanting something done about the possibility of such things happening in the future…

I have much to say but so many responses are either willfully misunderstanding or morally vacuous - not a dynamic that makes me want to participate. I don’t think a 6 month ban makes sense but I do think we should try 2 figure out a way to discourage/penalize soft play generally. — Olivier Busquet (@olivierbusquet) July 1, 2018

The couple themselves have been pretty much silent on the whole subject – in public at least - as has Kahle Burns who could be classed as the ‘aggrieved party’, but whatever your view of Watson’s ‘verdict’ it’s certainly a debate which seems set to rage awhile longer.