How Did Alex Foxen Fare on HCL Cash Game Debut?

Alex Foxen made his Hustler Casino Live debut on Thursday, taking a seat in the $25/$50/$100 cash game and stepping away from the tournament grind that has defined his career.

The long-time crusher sits on more than $54 million in live earnings and ranks tenth on poker’s all-time money list according to The Hendon Mob. He has already added two titles in 2026, winning a $10,000 PokerGO Tour title in January before topping a 740-entry field in the MSPT Poker Bowl X.

But this time, Foxen swapped his usual habitat for the cash game streets.

There was also a point to prove. Nik Airball had declared that “tourney players all suck” and called them “free money” in cash games ahead of their encounter on HCL.

So when Foxen took his seat under the bright lights, did he turn HCL into his playground, or was he the prey this time around?

Quick Start for Foxen

FFoxen bought in for $50,000, and it didn’t take long for him to collect his first stack of the night.

From the third blind, Foxen raised to $3,000 over four limps with A♠Q♣. HCL regular Francisco, who had limped in first with K♦3♣, jammed for $16,850. It folded back to Foxen, who quickly called.

Francisco whiffed the ace-high runout, and Foxen was off to a fast start.

Foxen Passes His First Real Test

His first real spot came just a few hands later.

On a 10♠3♥9♣Q♠ board, the action checked to Airball, who fired $2,000 into a $3,200 pot from the button holding 10♥8♣. The small blind released 9♦4♠, and Foxen made the call with Q♣8♥ for top pair. HCL co-owner Ryan Feldman, sitting with the nuts holding K♣J♥, check-jammed for $18,200. Airball quickly folded his second pair, leaving the decision on Foxen.

Feldman couldn’t resist a needle, asking if he needed a calculator. “If you didn’t say, ‘you need a calculator,’ I think I was going to call,” Foxen admitted after ultimately making the correct fold.

Foxen Folds a Flopped Straight

Foxen’s instincts remained sharp in his second confrontation with Francisco.

Seven players limped to see a 6♦3♦2♦ flop. Foxen flopped a straight with 5♦4♣ and called when the big blind led for $1,000. Francisco had smashed the flop with K♦7♦ for a king-high flush and just called. Airball, holding A♦7♣, raised to $4,000.

The blinds folded, and Foxen called again. Francisco then sprang the trap, jamming for $41,775. Airball released his hand, and after some time in the tank, Foxen made another disciplined fold.

Another Stack for Foxen

Foxen picked up 2♥2♦ in the cutoff and opened to $300. Francisco called on the button with 9♥3♣, as did Airball from the big blind with 7♥3♥. Big Mike three-bet to $2,000 from the third blind, and only Foxen continued.

Big Mike check-called $2,300 on the 5♣5♥4♦ flop and improved on the J♥ turn, leaving Foxen drawing to two outs. The action checked through to the 2♠ river, where Foxen spiked a set.

Big Mike led $8,000 into $9,325 but was immediately put to the test when Foxen shoved as the covering stack. Big Mike had $36,950 behind and ultimately paid it off, sending the entire stack to the Chip Leader Coaching co-owner.

That pot pushed Foxen to a mid-session profit of $95,000.

Foxen Quickly Rebounds After Small Hit

Foxen’s stack took a slight dent in a $51,475 pot against Dr. P.

Holding A♦5♦, Foxen had trip aces on a J♦A♠A♣2♠8♣ board, but Dr. P had flopped a full house with J♥J♣. Foxen bet $11,000 on the river and lost the minimum when Dr. P just called.

He quickly made it back against Rich Asian Bro, when the pair got it in holding J♥J♣ and 4♠4♥, respectively. Foxen’s jacks held on both runouts, and he climbed back to $145,050.

Third Time Lucky for Francisco

Foxen and Francisco clashed again late in the livestream.

Foxen held A♥3♦, Francisco A♦K♥, and Dr. P 3♠2♦ limped in before Airball raised from the small blind with K♦Q♦. Big Mike then three-bet to $1,000 from the big blind, and Foxen called.

Francisco’s trap worked perfectly as he bumped it to $7,000. Only Foxen called.

Both players paired their ace on the A♠5♦4♦ flop, but Francisco’s kicker kept him ahead. Foxen check-called $7,000. The 4♣ turn checked through, bringing the 6♣ river.

With $29,500 in the middle, Foxen bet $6,000. Francisco raised to $16,000, only to be put in a brutal spot when Foxen moved all-in as the covering stack.

Francisco had $75,050 behind and eventually found the call, dragging the biggest pot of the night — $211,600. That left Foxen with $36,200. His near six-figure profit had flipped into a $13,800 loss.

Foxen chipped away at the deficit by stacking Rich Asian Bro a second time when his A♠J♠ beat 7♠7♥ on two runouts, ending the session down just $4,175.

Alex Foxen HCL Stats

Kristen Foxen’s Turn to Take On HCL

Thursday belonged to Alex. On Friday, it’s Kristen Foxen’s turn.

The four-time WSOP bracelet winner takes a seat in HCL’s $100/$200 game, looking to better her husband’s result and perhaps offer her own response to the “tournament players” dig under the bright lights.

Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game.

Calum has written for various poker outlets but found his home at PokerNews, where he has contributed to various articles and live updates, providing insights and reporting on major poker events, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP).