ShareAussie highstakes pro Kahle Burns has finally called out Alex Foxen and Kristen Bicknell for allegedly soft-playing each other when the trio battled it out at the MSPT Venetian in 2018...
2/ The focal point was despite not being close I fully agree with his stance on a potential blacklist and stamping out cheaters. Since everyone keeps asking YES it's because I believe he and @krissyb24poker soft played me 3 handed.
— Kahle Burns (@ROFLshove) April 21, 2022
Burns has certainly kicked up a stir this week as he made an unusual, for him, entry into the Twittersphere, adding his own experience of facing alleged online RTA cheats Ali Imsirovic and Jake Schindler.
That story and the incredible allegations it contained against two of the highstakes community’s biggest crushers was broken by Alex Foxen, which brought Burns on to the topic of his own dealings with the New Yorker and his now-wife, Kristen Bicknell Foxen.
To set the story, the 2018 MSPT Venetian $5k Deepstack was down to just Burns, Foxen and Bicknell, with $559,000 in payouts on the line, as well as the trophy.
A difficult situation for all, and Bicknell tried to soothe any potential problems by offering a three-way chop. Burns turned those offers down, eventually falling in 3rd spot, with Foxen going on to defeat his future wife heads-up.
However, Burns stated this week, almost four years on from the incident: “I'm aware I'm probably a naive moron for not taking a deal and it's an awkward situation for them that not many people will ever be able to relate to. My logic at the time was I would be protected by the Livestream. If they do anything funny they will forever tarnish their reps.”
In his long Twitter thread today, Burns added: “I think that has happened now,” with the allegations of soft-playing following Foxen in particular, brought up several times this week when he outed Imsirovic.
A bunch of people are asking me about this hand between @krissyb24poker @WAFoxen at the MSPT final table.
— Joey Ingram 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽 (@Joeingram1) June 18, 2018
I haven't seen the rest of the action but I'm not sure this hand is that ridiculous?? Probably some sick relationship meta-game going on. What do you guys think? pic.twitter.com/0Mup9gqL11
Back to Burns and his decision to go public after four years: “TBH I haven't spoken about this really publicly the whole time. I asked them to go to arbitration originally and they denied citing "the whole HS community is biased against us because we are new and crushing" that's a verbatim quote from @krissy.”
The 33-year-old Melbourne-based pro added: “I don't hold any malice towards either of them. I don't really think about it. I have kissed the money goodbye like a losing betting slip. That being said I believe they deserve a chance to clear their name and I probably deserve a fair look into it as well.”
Burns offered a new chance for the now-married couple to go to arbitration, though he doesn’t expect they will accept (although his tagging of the wrong “krissyb” might have unexpected consequences, Burns later apologizing for the typo – “I realised I tagged the wrong Krissy @krissyb24poker. I'm awful at this twitter business.”)
Of the alleged soft-playing, Burns states: “There is 4 hours of footage from the Venetian I personally believe the AA hand is the tip of the iceberg. I hereby offer @krissyb and @WAFoxen a chance to go to arbitration by a mutually decided group of the fairest most trusted people in the community.
“If they have decided to have done no wrongdoing. I will own that and I think everyone else should stop mentioning it also. If they have decided to of softplayed or played in a way where they were playing as a team. I think a equity fine is fair.”
With the poker community discussing the possibility of somehow setting up a poker blacklist for cheats and wrongdoers, Kahle Burns claims it’s principles rather than money that motivates him.
“I don't care about the money it's principle. If you want to preach accountability you have to practice it also. Can donate 100% of the fine to @DanSmithHolla double up drive. They can also side-bet large amounts on the side so they aren't getting reverse freerolled.
“To end this. I was sick of getting asked the same questions. I don't really care to talk about this again. Whether they accept this offer or not. (I doubt they will). I try and focus on the things in my life I can control and not cry over spilt milk.”
Neither Alex nor Kristen Foxen have responded to Burns’ offer as yet, but we’ll keep you posted on all the fallout from this week’s dramatic accusations as and when updates are available.
