Isaac Haxton shipped SHRB V for $3.67 million Wednesday night, his first major poker title after numerous close calls. In response, the poker community showed him some love on Twitter.
“Hollywood” had already accomplished more than most poker players can dream about. He was 20th all-time in live tournament winnings ($19.9 million) and that doesn’t include his cash game prowess or online poker success.
But he still lacked that career-defining win in a major tournament. With no WSOP or WPT titles on his resume, he needed a win to all but seal his fate as a member of the Poker Hall of Fame when he’s eligible in seven years. And he got that on Wednesday.
High Praise from Poker Royalty
Jason Koon who, coincidentally, dropped to 16th on the all-time money list (barely) because of Haxton’s win, had nothing but kind words for his peer.
https://twitter.com/JasonKoon/status/1075629866932887552
Dylan Linde, fresh off his WPT Five Diamond win, concurred. He argued that “no one has run worse than Ike on TV poker.” Perhaps a bit of hyperbole as Mike Matusow and Jean-Robert Bellande might disagree. But his point was made.
Haxton “put on an absolute clinic,” according to fellow pro Brian Hastings, and just about anyone who watched the SHRB on PokerGo.
Partypoker, the poker site Haxton represents, was quite thrilled to see one of their pros win on the big stage.
A huge congratulations to #teampartypoker's @ikepoker who won the 2018 Super High Roller Bowl for a career-best $3,672,000 and now has more than $23 million in live #poker tournament cashes! What a boss! @WAFoxen was second for $2.16 million #SHRBowlImage from @PokerGo pic.twitter.com/x0gsAU10Nt
— PartyPoker (@partypoker) December 20, 2018
Ali Imsirovic, a young up-and-comer who finished seventh in the SHRB ($540,000), sent a “congrats” tweet to the champion. Mike “Timex” McDonald shared a personal story about Haxton.
https://twitter.com/MikeMcDonald89/status/1075633108244938753
Building that Resume
Haxton’s $3.67 million score in the SHRB is the biggest and most important victory of his career. But he didn’t need the win to prove he can play. The poker world knew that years ago.
Ike now has $23,654,000 in lifetime live tournament earnings, which puts him at 13th most all-time, but only about $100,000 ahead of Jake Schindler and Scott Seiver.
He doesn’t have any WSOP bracelets or WPT titles, but he’s made seven WSOP and four WPT final tables. So, he’s been close but just hasn’t been able to get over the hump.
Prior to Full Tilt Poker’s closure, Ike had turned a $2.3 million profit under screen name “luvtheWNBA.” On PokerStars, he has won over $730,000 since 2011.
Haxton didn’t need the SHRB win to prove he’s a great poker player. He needed it to put the icing on the cake of his brilliant career. And he’s only 33, which means he’ll probably win many more major events before being inducted in the Poker Hall of Fame in 2025 when he becomes eligible at age 40.
