Isaac Haxton (born September 6, 1985) is an American professional poker player,[1][2] amateur chess player,[3][4] and a youth chess champion.[5]
| Isaac Haxton | |
|---|---|
 Isaac Haxton in 2018 | |
| Born | September 6, 1985 |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | 1 |
| Final table(s) | 7 |
| Money finish(es) | 32 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish | 94th, 2007 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 4 |
| Money finish(es) | 8 |
| European Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 11 |
| Money finish(es) | 21 |
Early life
Haxton was raised in Syracuse, New York. His mother is a psychiatrist and his father is an English professor who introduced Isaac to games of skill at an early age. He played chess at the age of four and Magic: The Gathering by the age of ten.[6]
After high school Haxton attended Brown University as a computer science major, but later spent more time playing poker than studying.[7]
Poker career
After turning 18, Haxton transitioned from competitive Magic: The Gathering to playing poker at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York starting at $3/$6 limit before slowly moving up in stakes. He transitioned to online poker with a $50 deposit on Ultimate Bet.[6]
In 2007, he cashed in his first tournament at the WPT Championship Event finishing runner-up to Ryan Daut for $861,789.[8]
In September 2018, Haxton won Event #4: $10,000 Short Deck at the 2018 Poker Masters for $176,000.[9]
In December 2018, Haxton won Super High Roller Bowl V for $3,672,000.[10]
In January 2023, Haxton won the 2023 PokerGO Cup $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em finale for $598,000.[11] The next week, Haxton won the 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $100,000 PCA Super High Roller for $1,082,230.[12]
In June 2023, Haxton won his first bracelet at the 2023 World Series of Poker $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed event for $1,698,215.[13] In September of that year, Haxton won The Super High Roller Bowl, defeating Andrew Lichtenberger heads up and earning over $2.7 million.[14] In 2023, Haxton had the most live tournament earnings of any poker player, earning more than $16 million throughout 2023.[15]
As of May 2024, Haxton has cashed for more than $48,000,000 in live poker tournaments.[16]
World Series of Poker bracelets
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed | $1,698,215 |
Online poker
Haxton is considered one of the top online cash game specialists and plays under the aliases, Ike Haxton, luvtheWNBA, and philivey2694 where he has earned over $2,000,000.[17] Although successful in tournament play, he prefers online cash games and considers it to be his specialty.
Personal life
Haxton is married to his wife Zoe. His father wrote his biography, Fading Hearts on the River: My Son’s Life in Poker.[18]