High Stakes, High Expectations
Alan Keating and Lex Veldhuis were on the verge of creating one of the biggest pots of PokerStars Big Game Season 2, but a brutal river card brought the fireworks to an abrupt stop.
Episode 9, released Sunday on YouTube, delivered another night of high-stakes action and big personalities as the $200/$400 cash game continued to heat up.
Meanwhile, “Loose Cannon” Luke Moy — a low-stakes player given a $100,000 stake — kept his profit streak alive. After 122 hands, Moy is up $11,500. If he can stay in the black through all 150 required hands, he’ll keep whatever he’s ahead by.
Kornuth Wins Big, Then Gives Some Back
Chance Kornuth returned to the table and wasted no time mixing it up. In one early hand, he got all his chips in with bottom set against Keating’s nut flush draw for a massive $198,000 pot. They ran it twice, and both boards went Kornuth’s way.
That double-up gave him some breathing room, but the momentum didn’t last. Kornuth found himself in a few tough spots against Keating later on and finished the session with a modest $14,500 profit.
Comedian Morgan Jay, guitar in hand, tried to keep spirits high but couldn’t find his rhythm on the felt. His seven-high flush was crushed by Keating’s nine-high flush, dropping him to a painful $85,400 loss.
The Hand Everyone Wanted to See
The hand of the night began when Veldhuis raised to $1,000 from early position with A♠9♠. Keating, on the cutoff, three-bet to $4,000 holding Q♥Q♣, and Veldhuis made the call.
The flop came 7♥10♣J♠ — something for both players. Keating bet $6,000 with his overpair, and Veldhuis called.
The turn brought the Q♠, a dream card for both — Keating made top set, while Veldhuis picked up the nut flush draw and a straight draw. With their recent table history, it felt like a monster pot was inevitable.
But the river A♦ killed all the drama. Both players slowed down, checking it back and chopping up what ended as a $57,000 pot — a far cry from the potential $500,000 clash fans were expecting.
Standings After 122 Hands
| Rank | Player | Profit/Loss | Stack Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lex Veldhuis | $114,000 | $314,000 |
| 2 | Alan Keating | $80,500 | $580,500 |
| 3 | Chance Kornuth | $14,500 | $114,500 |
| 4 | Luke Moy | $11,500 | $111,500 |
| 5 | Jason Koon | ($34,600) | $115,400 |
| 6 | Morgan Jay | ($85,400) | $14,600 |
| 7 | Wolfgang | ($100,000) | $0 |
Keating Bounces Back, Veldhuis Still on Top
Keating, who started the season hot but has been on a rollercoaster ride since, regained some momentum with an $80,500 win. Veldhuis continues to hold the overall lead with $114,000 in profit heading into next week’s finale.
With just 28 hands left to play, Luke Moy’s chance to lock up a real-money payday hangs in the balance — and fans are eager to see if the finale delivers the explosive action that the river took away this week.
