Jason Koon Wins Final Poker Masters Event, Sean Winter Crowned Overall Champion

The final showdown was a dramatic, seven-hour thrill-fest that was not for the faint-hearted and only for the brave. Seven players sat down to battle for supremacy in Event #10 of the 2022 Poker Masters and when the dust settled, Jason Koon’s victory for $666,000 meant Sean Winter ended the night as the overall leaderboard winner.

With players such as Daniel Negreanu, Erik Seidel and Scott Seiver all playing, there was drama at every turn and river as six eliminations proved pivotal to the destiny of the 2022 title.

Seidel Spins It Up, Negreanu Coolered to Bubble

“I knew in my heart, I was, like, certain. I could genuinely feel it.” ~ Daniel Negreanu.

In one of the first hands, Erik Seidel – who needed to win to take the Purple Jacket – moved all-in and was at risk of needing to hit with ace-king committed against Seth Davies’ pocket sixes. A king on the flop duly arrived for the nine-time WSOP bracelet winner, and he doubled up to push Daniel Negreanu near the trap door.

Whoever busted in seventh wouldn’t win a cent, while the sixth place was worth $92,500, meaning all the pressure was on Kid Poker. What better hand to get it all into the middle with, then, other than pocket aces. Canada’s most successful-ever player did exactly that and was way ahead of Seth Davies with pocket aces. A jack on the flop saw Kid Poker react.

“I knew in my heart, I was, like, certain. I could genuinely feel it. All week people have been all-in on the bubble and it was 18 and 0. I was 0 for three.”

After no help on turn and river, Negreanu was out and as Nick Schulman said on comms, ‘That’s a tough one on the bubble.

“That’s what I expected, actually,” Negreanu said, walking away. “F**kin’ unreal.”

Before the final table even began, Jeff Platt had spoken with Davies about his chances.

Seth Davies is one of just three players who could win the Purple Jacket….we caught up with him before play: pic.twitter.com/fhrlLJMnU9

— Jeff Platt (@jeffplatt) October 3, 2022

Davies and Seidel Miss Out on Leaderboard Win

Six men remained, all of them in the money and it was now a race not for profit, but for the title. Mikita Badziakouski improved his short stack once, his king-jack making trips on the flop against Jason Koon’s ace-jack, but he could last only a little longer, all-in on a board showing 9-8-3-T with jack-eight of clubs with two clubs on the board against Seiver’s pocket tens for top set. The Belarussian couldn’t find one of 14 outs on the river as a jack of spades landed to improve Badziakouski’s hand to two-pair but it wasn’t good enough and he cashed for $92,500.

Out in fifth place was the luckless Seth Davies. One of only three men who could win the overall Poker Masters championship with five players remaining in this event, Davies could go no further, all-in with ace-ten and called by Koon with ace-jack. The board was unkind to Davies, who saw it come 8-7-4-Q-A to condemn Davies to a great run to fifth for $148,000.

Only Erik Seidel could deny Sean Winter the title of Poker Masters champion for 2022, but although it took a long time to happen, the race over with his elimination in fourth place for $203,500. Seidel was third of four in the chipcounts when Davies left, but three hours later was the shortest stack with ace-queen and he couldn’t overtake Koon, who held pocket kings. They held with ease through the board of J-3-2-2-6 and with Seidel’s exit, that meant Sean Winter was the 2022 Poker Masters champion.

Winter and Koon the Biggest Winners

“I’ve played a lot less and hung out with my family, but when I’ve come to play, I’ve really been focused.” ~ Jason Koon.

After Seidel’s exit and the Poker Masters champion had been certified as Sean Winter, who follows up on his U.S. Open win with this latest major triumph, Scott Seiver was short stack. Winter’s triumph, earned by a win in Event #9  and second-placed finish in Event #7 was worth an added $50,000 as well as the Purple Jacket. But there was still $666,000 on the line for the winner of the final event.

“Got some real sniff on him,” Ali Nejad said of the savant-like skills of Scott Seiver during the final table and in his career in general. But Seiver, despite leading with three and four players left, would miss out on heads-up. Seiver’s queen-jack started the hand all-in at risk and needing to improve against Jason Koon’s pocket sixes. It flipped into the lead after the flop of J-7-4, but a three on the turn added in straight outs and a five on the river went runner-runner for Koon, to stun Seiver and send him out in third place for $296,000.

The final two were a pair of modern poker greats, with Koon (4,690,000) well ahead of Spanish player Adrian Mateos (2,710,000), but momentum went back and forth across two hours of superb poker. In the end, Koon shoved with the top pair on the board, Mateos calling it off with bottom pair and an ace kicker to win $444,000. Koon took the top prize of $666,000.

“I haven’t played many tournaments, but I guess the ones I have played have gone pretty good,” Koon told PokerGO’s award-winning broadcaster Jeff Platt after the win. “I’ve played a lot less and hung out with my family, but when I’ve come to play, I’ve really been focused and I feel like I’ve played some of my best poker this year.”

Woot pic.twitter.com/2f9Nvpqa6k

— Jason Koon (@JasonKoon) October 4, 2022

After all 10 events were concluded, it was Sean Winter’s Purple Jacket, but as you can see below, Jason Koon’s victory in the final event got him mighty close to the prize.