Australian double-WSOP Winner and Poker Masters champion Kahle Burns took down Event #9 of the 2019 Poker Masters last night, turning his $25,000 buy-in into a massive $416,500 after beating 2018 Poker Masters champion Ali Imsirovic heads-up.
With just two events to go, there was inevitable excitement at the start of the final table, with reigning Poker Masters champion Ali Imsirovic knowing that he would have to win to keep his hopes of retaining the Purple Jacket alive. Also in the action was Sam Soverel, who had already taken the lead over Chance Kornuth in the leaderboard in the previous event, and who had a chance to grow his lead to one that would be insurmountable.
Soverel and Imsirovic, however, would both fail in their objectives.
The first player to leave the money places was Alex Foxen, who cashed for 60 points and $61,250 and he was followed out of the door by the sixth-placed player in the final, David Peters.
Peters set Imsirovic all-in from the button, Peters holding just queen-deuce. But Imsirovic called with ace-jack and that held up to double the Bosnian back into genuine contention. Peters, by contrast, was left short-stacked and departed shortly after that hand.
It was Elio Fox who left with his bushy tail between his legs, busting in fifth place for $98,000, although he was mighty unlucky to do so. Kahle Burns did the damage, shoving with ace-seven, and when Fox called him with pocket queens, it was an ace on the turn that did for the wily competitor.
Sam Soverel had gathered in another 120 points, but he ventured no further in the event, exiting in fourth place when he lost a crucial coin flip against Burns. Soverel’s suited king-queen was unable to hit against Burns’ pocket nines and in the next hand, Sean Winter found no luck with the same bust-out hand as Soverel, this time, Burn’s calling the all-in with ace-nine and holding up to send the event into heads-up competition.
Ali Imsirovic was on the brink, knowing that the only way he could retain his Purple Jacket would be to win this event. Sadly for him, he couldn’t fight his way back into contention, as he was all-in with queen-jack, but dominated by Burns’ ace-jack. The flop brought Imsirovic genuine hope of a shock double-up, a queen landing. But three diamonds also showed, for which Burns had the ace of diamonds in his hand. The river brought another diamond and that was all she wrote for the impressive Imsirovic.
Burns is now one of just three players who could win the 2019 Poker Masters Purple Jacket. He is also the latest event winner, and $416,500 richer.
2019 Poker Masters Event #9 $25,000 NLHE final table results:
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1st | Kahle Burns | $416,500 |
| 2nd | Ali Imsirovic | $269,500 |
| 3rd | Sean Winter | $183,750 |
| 4th | Sam Soverel | $122,500 |
| 5th | Elio Fox | $98,000 |
| 6th | David Peters | $73,500 |
| 7th | Alex Foxen | $61,250 |
How can each man win the Poker Masters?
With just the final event to come, only three men have a chance of slipping their arms into the velveteen sleeves of the famous Purple Jacket. Chance Kornuth has three runner-up spots to his name, but only has 630 points, the same total as Kahle Burns, the latest event winner.
Both men will need to come second if Sam Soverel doesn’t score in the final Event. Soverel would need third place to be sure of victory, but that’s only if Kornuth or Burns are still involved, as he sits 130 points from guaranteed victory.
2019 Poker Masters Leaderboard after 9 events:
| Position | Name | Points | Winnings |
| 1st | Sam Soverel | 810 | $716,800 |
| 2nd | Kahle Burns | 630 | $585,950 |
| 3rd | Chance Kornuth | 630 | $556,400 |
| 4th | Sean Winter | 480 | $495,350 |
| 5th | Ali Imsirovic | 450 | $497,600 |
| 6th | George Wolff | 420 | $404,500 |
| 7th | Alex Foxen | 330 | $169,450 |
| 8th | Kristen Bicknell | 300 | $408,000 |
| 9th | Sergi Reixach | 300 | $369,000 |
| 10th | Isaac Baron | 300 | $223,100 |
