Keating, Kornuth, and Koon Star in a Wild Episode 8
It was another night of high-stakes action on PokerStars Big Game on Tour, and once again, Lex Veldhuis took center stage. The PokerStars ambassador found himself the subject of some good-natured teasing after making a cautious river call with a full house against Alan Keating.
The eighth episode of Season 2 premiered Sunday on YouTube, featuring the $200/$400 no-limit hold’em (pot-limit preflop) cash game. High-stakes regular Chance Kornuth joined the lineup, taking over the seat left by Alexander “Wolfgang” Seibt, adding even more firepower to the already stacked table.
The Rivalry Rekindled
The friendly rivalry between Veldhuis and Keating that began in Episode 7 continued into this week’s action. Early in the session, the two chopped a couple of pots — including one where they both rivered a king to crack Jason Koon’s pocket aces and split the pot.
But the most talked-about hand came later, when Veldhuis and Keating clashed in a massive pot that left everyone at the table buzzing.
A Full House and a Big Decision
Veldhuis opened from early position with 10♥10♦, raising to $1,200. Keating three-bet to $4,000 from the cutoff holding A♠5♥, and Veldhuis made the call. The flop fell A♣7♣A♥, giving Keating trip aces.
Veldhuis checked, called a $5,000 continuation bet, and did the same on the 9♥ turn for $15,000 — drawing to just one live ten after Luke Moy had folded the other preflop.
The river brought the 10♠, giving Veldhuis a full house. He checked once more and faced a $41,000 river bet from Keating. Instead of raising, Veldhuis decided to play it safe and just called, taking down the $131,000 pot.
Kornuth turned to the table and asked with a grin, “Who’s going to say it?”
“I’m not going to say it,” replied Koon.
“You can never be too careful,” Kornuth added, drawing laughter from around the table.
Veldhuis Explains the Thought Process
Speaking after the hand, Veldhuis acknowledged that his decision would likely be discussed by fans.
“I think this is definitely a hand that will get talked about a lot,” he said.
“I really thought in that moment, I cannot open the door to any craziness and then have to fold because he’s fearless.”
Kornuth later clarified that his comment was “all in good fun,” while Veldhuis brushed it off as “just regulars ribbing each other.”
Episode 8 Recap and Current Standings
The episode concluded after 30 hands, bringing the total to 87 hands played so far this season. Veldhuis remains the clear frontrunner, while Keating — who dominated the action in earlier episodes — now finds himself at the bottom of the standings.
| Rank | Player | Profit/Loss | Stack Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lex Veldhuis | $153,300 | $353,300 |
| 2 | Luke Moy | $13,600 | $113,600 |
| 3 | Chance Kornuth | $2,200 | $102,200 |
| 4 | Jason Koon | -$6,300 | $143,700 |
| 5 | Morgan Jay | -$18,500 | $81,500 |
| 6 | Alan Keating | -$44,300 | $455,700 |
| 7 | Wolfgang | -$100,000 | $0 |
The PokerStars Big Game on Tour is scheduled for 150 total hands, with new episodes released every Sunday on YouTube. Fans can expect plenty more high-stakes drama as the series continues.
