Jason Koon headlines a group of five players who announced they will play in the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop tournament that takes place during the World Poker Tour’s World Championship series next month.
High-stakes tourney players Aleksejs Ponakovs, Artur Martirosyan, Orpen Kisacikoglu and Santhosh Suvarna also said they will play the enormous buy-in tourney where part of the proceeds raise money for the One Drop Foundation, which aims to provide water security.
They join Phil Ivey, Rick Saloman, David Einhorn, Talal Shakerchi, Daniel ‘Jungleman” Cates, Chris Brewer, Nick Petrangelo and Mikita Badziakouski in “publicly expressing” their intention to play, according to the WPT. That’s 13 commitments, for those keeping count.
Those players most likely will groan when hearing that Koon committed to playing the event. He is the reigning Player of the Year of the Triton Super High Roller tour, an award he’s making a push to repeat.
This will be Koon’s second crack at a Big One for One Drop $1 million buy-in event. He played in the 2018 version, which was won by Justin Bonomo who cashed $10 million. Saloman finished fourth for $2.8 million.
But it’s not like any of the players will be intimidated by Koon’s success or the massive buy-in amount.
Kisacikoglu is a high-stakes poker tournament regular who is on a tear this fall, winning three events, including the $100,000 high roller at the World Series of Poker Europe series that just wrapped up.
He is selling 2.5% of his action. Those interested should DM via his Twitter account.
Latvia’s Ponakovs has made 11 final tables on the high roller circuit since June, winning the $25,000 at the EPT last month for $668,000.
Russia’s Martirosyan is another tournament high roller regular. He also won a $25,000 event at EPT in May, and since then, has cashed 16 times, nine of those at final tables.
Suvarna is also freshly coming off a victory in a high roller event, also at the WSOP Europe. He won $695,291 in a $50,000 event just two weeks ago. It was his second victory ever, the first coming in a $25,000 event at Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in May.
The Big One for One drop takes place Dec. 18-20.
For more information on the One Drop Foundation, visit onedrop.org. Any players interested in entering the Big One for One Drop should contact Warren Lush at bigone@onedrop.org.
