It’s been some time since the popular PokerGO series High Stakes Duel has been on our screens and ever since Phil Hellmuth and Jason Koon did battle for millions, the question on every poker fan’s lips has been: Which two players will take each other on next? Now we have the answer, with the 2024 Poker Hall of Fame inductee Patrik Antonius taking on the ‘Sports Card King’ Jared Bleznick on November 12.
When Does the Heads-Up Clash Take Place?
High Stakes Duel is back, and it could be one of the most exciting clashes yet. Finnish poker legend and cash game crusher Patrik Antonius will take on the Sports Card collecting king of banter Jared Bleznick on PokerGO on Tuesday, November 12 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (5 p.m. Pacific Time).
Both Antonius and Bleznick have to put up $50,000 to take each other on in the winner-takes all heads-up match. Whoever loses then has 30 days to rechallenge at double the stakes until one of the players throws in the towel and the other is given the opportunity to walk away with the prizepot as the winner.
With his many years of experience, Antonius will be a favorite but Bleznick is a hugely entertaining wildcard and PokerGO fans can expect fireworks from the first card to the last as antique Sports Card collector Bleznick is no shrinking violet. There is also a new quirk to proceedings, as High Stakes Duel 5 will see Antonius and Bleznick take each other on with half the play in No Limit Hold’em and the other half in Pot Limit Omaha, with the game format changing after each series of 10 hands.
Fantastic Finn is the Star Draw
“Watching them battle it out with the stakes doubling each round is going to be a thrilling ride.”
There is no question of who the biggest draw in the return of High Stakes Duel is. This is undoubtedly the poker legend and Hall of Famer Patrik Antonius. While some will point to his past experiences as evidence of his greatness, others who are up to date with recent history will simply say that he has won the biggest ever televised poker pot in history against Eric Persson:
Antonius has long been more of a cash game player that tournament titan but in recent years has played a lot more tournament poker and its seen him ascend to the Poker Hall of Fame. Everyone at PokerGO will be hoping that his fearless brand of poker is on full display. The Finn is a master of making the absolute most of any two cards and has the power to dominate the felt as much with a bluff as a hero-call.
“We couldn’t be more excited for the return of High Stakes Duel with a matchup that embodies everything this series is about – intensity, skill, and high-stakes drama,” said Brent Hanks, Director of Programming at PokerGO. “Jared and Patrick are without a doubt two of the most accomplished and talented players in the game and watching them battle it out with the stakes doubling each round is going to be a thrilling ride. This is the kind of edge-of-your-seat poker that our fans crave, and we’re proud to deliver it.”
A Cool Card to Collect
Jared Bleznick should be almost just as familiar to PokerGO subscribers, given that he was the inaugural winner of the Super High Roller Bowl in Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), and he is known as being one of the most creative and successful mixed game poker players in the world.
Just a few months ago, Jared Bleznick won the $50,000 High Roller at the WSOP for his first-ever WSOP bracelet and $2,037,947. Taking out Jesse Lonis heads-up, it meant everything to Bleznick as you can see from the moment of victory:
It’s hard to say who will win the first battle in High Stakes Duel 5, which will air exclusively on PokerGO, with live coverage available in the first round kicks off on Tuesday, November 12 at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). Bleznick and Antonius will almost certainly rechallenge each other whoever gets the better of this opening exchange, and as the pressure ramps up, this first bout is all about building momentum and laying down a marker.
Bleznick, who is known as being one of the world’s foremost sports card collectors, has a big name in poker in his sights. All that remains to be answered is whether he can beat him right off the bat to claim an important psychological edge in the games to come.
High Stakes Duel is back… and we’re here for it!
