That $11 Million Poker Hand: Was It a Genius Call or a Costly Mistake?

We’ve all seen massive pots, but an $11 million showdown in what looked like a cash game? That’s something else entirely. A recent high-stakes battle between pro William Foxen and the controversial player 'Monarch' delivered one of the most talked-about hands in recent memory. With millions on the line, Foxen faced a gut-wrenching river decision holding a flush. The community exploded with debate. Was it a heroic call against a known bluffer or a catastrophic mistake? And what was the deal with the game format anyway? People couldn't even agree if it was a cash game or a tournament. This hand had everything: insane money, clashing personalities, and a strategic puzzle so tough it would make even the best players sweat. Let's break down the action, the controversy, and the agonizing decision that left the poker world divided.

A Pot So Big It Hurts to Watch

There are moments in poker that just make you hold your breath. The kind where the chips pile up so high they look like little skyscrapers, and the money at stake is more than most people will see in ten lifetimes. We just saw one of those moments: a pot that spiraled to a mind-boggling $11 million.

On one side of the table, you have William Foxen, a seasoned and respected pro. On the other, a polarizing figure known as 'Monarch,' a player with a reputation for being a loose cannon and a background that sparks plenty of debate on its own. The two were locked in a heads-up battle for astronomical stakes. Then, the hand happened. A hand that was so brutal, so utterly gross, that one viewer's dark humor summed up the feeling of watching it unfold.

“this is fucking gross. like id rather be watching 2 girls 1 cup.”

Let's just say, it was a nasty spot.

The Anatomy of a Nightmare Hand

So, what actually went down? The board had three diamonds by the flop. When you're heads-up, any pair is decent, and any flush is a monster. Action on the flop was surprisingly quiet: check, check. Nothing to see here, right? Wrong.

The Passive Turn

The turn brought an Ace, and Foxen decided to take a stab at the pot, betting a healthy amount. Monarch, sitting with who-knows-what, just smoothly called. A simple call, but one that’s loaded with meaning. Is he slow-playing a monster? Is he on a draw? Is he just floating with nothing, waiting to make a move?

The River Goes Wild

The river is where things went completely off the rails. Another diamond hits, completing the flush draw. Foxen, holding an 8-high flush, made a value bet, looking to get paid. And then Monarch, after a moment in the tank, did something wild: he shoved. All-in. For everything. Suddenly, the decision was on Foxen for his entire stack, a sum of over $5.4 million.

Monarch's line was completely polarizing—he either has the stone-cold nuts (a better flush or a full house) or he has absolute garbage. There is no in-between.

Talk about a tough spot. Your stomach would be in knots. This is the kind of decision that haunts you.

To Call or Not to Call: The Agonizing Decision

This is where player dynamics are everything. Against your average player at the local casino, folding here might be standard. But this is Monarch. He has a reputation as a 'maniac' who is more than capable of bluffing it all off with nothing. Folding a flush to a guy like that feels physically painful. You know he has bluffs in his range. A lot of them.

If you play against a guy who you know frequently bluffs rivers, it’s hard to fold a flush there.

Plus, Foxen held the 8 of diamonds. This is a subtle but important detail. It acts as a blocker to some of the full houses Monarch could have, like a set of eights. When you're trying to piece together your opponent's range, every little bit of information helps. Given Monarch's history and Foxen holding a flush with a key blocker, many felt it was a must-call. You just can't go around folding flushes heads-up against a guy known for over-bluffing.

Foxen eventually made the call. Monarch turned over a full house. Cooler. A soul-crushing, multi-million-dollar cooler. It was the kind of runout that feels pre-scripted for maximum pain. Foxen lost the pot, and the internet lost its collective mind.

Hold On, Was This Even a Cash Game?

Almost as heated as the debate over the call was the argument about the game's format. The event was promoted as a high-stakes match, but what was it, really? Some called it a cash game, while others were adamant it was a tournament. So, what's the truth?

Here's the thing: it was a heads-up freezeout. Both players bought in for a huge sum, and they played until one person had all the chips. You couldn't just get up and cash out your chips whenever you wanted. And that, right there, is the key.

If you can't get up with the money that's in front of you whenever you want and walk away, it's not a cash game.

Technically, that makes it a tournament. A Sit-n-Go for two, if you will. However, because the chip value was a direct 1:1 with cash and there were no payout jumps or ICM (Independent Chip Model) considerations, it played and felt very much like a cash game. This hybrid format is a beast of its own and adds another layer of complexity to the strategy.

The Villain We Love to Watch?

It’s impossible to talk about this hand without talking about Monarch. He's a controversial figure who made his fortune, in part, from a CS:GO gambling site. This history makes him a villain in the eyes of many. Yet, others argue that poker needs guys like him.

Poker needs more rich whales splashing around not more gto probots who all play the same.

The community is tired of watching GTO 'robots' who all play the same tight, calculated style. A rich, splashy player who isn't afraid to put millions on the line with unorthodox plays? That's entertainment. It makes the game exciting and, frankly, more profitable for the pros.

Whether he's a whale, a scammer, or a GTO-savant in disguise, one thing is certain: when Monarch plays, people watch. And while Foxen took a brutal hit in this $11 million pot, the story has a twist. He actually ended the entire session up over $3 million. This hand was just one spectacular, painful battle in a much longer war.