Ossi Ketola “Monarch” – Multi-Million Dollar Poker Battles

Ossi Ketola “Monarch” has only appeared in the live tournament poker scene in 2024 at the Triton High Roller Series at Monte-Carlo. He already made a significant mark there, but since August, he has been captivating the whole poker world’s attention.

Who Is Ossi Ketola “Monarch”?

Ossi Ketola, also known by his alias Monarch, is a Finnish entrepreneur and high-stakes poker player who made his fortune outside of the poker world.

Ketola rose to prominence as the founder of CSGOEmpire, one of the largest and most successful skin-gambling platforms in the esports scene.
The site capitalized on the massive popularity of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, allowing players to wager virtual skins with real-world value.

Ketola later launched Duel.com, an online casino and betting platform. 

Ossi Ketola’s Triton Poker Tournament Record

As I mentioned already, he was first seen at the Triton High Roller Series at Monte-Carlo in 2024, where He played seven events with some impressive winnings.

His first cash came from the $40K NLH Mystery Bounty with a 5th place finish, for $207,000 + $80,000 bounty.

He also cashed in his following event, the $100K NLH 8-Handed, in 16th place, and won $183,000.

And things were just getting better. He made a deep run at the $125K NLH Main Event, finishing in 21st place, where he won $218,000.

His biggest live tournament score happened just a few days later, when he finished second against Vladimir Korzinin at the $150K NLH 8-Handed for $2,970,000.

At the WSOP Paradise 2024 Triton Poker $100K Main Event, Ossi Ketola also final tabled in 5th place and won $1,172,000.

We all wondered if he could be one of the new poker superstars. Since then, He made a lot more noise, and now we can only wonder about what Ossi Ketola’s net worth is.

First Heads-Up Clashes

In August, during the Onyx Super High Roller Poker Series in Cyprus, Ossi Ketola challenged Kayhlan Mokri and Dan Cates in a multi-million-dollar heads-up cash game battle , ultimately suffering a massive loss of around €15,000,000.

After he clashed with Dan Cates, he sat down with Rob Yong for a quick interview, where he said that these high-stakes battles are part of a marketing strategy, and he also loves the “pain” of poker.

He closed the interview by saying these head-up battles are still in an experimental phase, and he wants to buy a castle somewhere where he can continue the show.

The Ossi Ketola “Monarch” Show Continues

Ossi Ketola shows no sign of slowing down, as the Triton High Roller Series is happening at Jeju, so does the Ossi Ketola Show continue.

He first challenged Wiktor ” Limitless” Malinowski in a $2,000,000 battle with a 100 big blind starting stack with fixed blind levels and no top up.

After 1.5 hours of play, Wiktor “Limitless” Malinowski emerged as a winner, calling Ossi Ketola’s river bluff. Monarch instantly asked for a rematch, doubling the stakes. Limitless quickly agreed.

They were now playing $4,000,000 each, with the same structure. There were a lot of big pots happening.

One of the biggest pots of the night occurred when Malinowski opened to $80,000 with 2♣ 2♠ and Ketola called the bet with A♣ 4♣.

The flop came 5♥ 2♥ K♣, Ossi Ketola checked, and Wiktor Malinowski made a $60,000 continuation bet with his set of deuces. Ossi Ketola checked-raised to $175,000, and Wiktor Malinowski called the bet.

The turn came the 3♠. Ketola made his wheel draw, and he quickly checked to Malinowsky, who overbet the pot to $850,000. Monarch quickly shoved all-in, and Limitless instantly made the call. 

Wiktor Malinowski could not improve on the river as the 4♦ appeared and Monarch scooped the $3,780,000 pot.

There was a lot of back and forth going on between the two players. Around 2.5 hours into the second match, Ossi Ketola was down to $1,700,000 and got all-in with A♥ K♣ against Wiktor Malinowsky’s  9♥ 9♣.
Ketola doubled up on the Q♠ K♠ 7♣ 3♣ 2♥ board.

In the very next hand, we witnessed the biggest pot of the night.

Wiktor Malinowsky opened the action to $90,000, Ketola 3-bet to $400,000, and Malinowsky called the bet. As the flop fell, Q♥ 4♠ 2♥, the action continued to build.

Monarch checked to Limitless, who bet $300,000. Monarch made the call, making the pot to $1,400,000. The turn card was the 2♦. Monarch checked, and Limitless bet $700,000, and Monarch made the call with $2,100,000 behind.

As the river came {9s,} Monarch checked again to Limitless, who eventually put Monarch all-in. Monarch, after a minute of thinking, made the call and saw the bad news. Malinowsky won $6,000,000 from Ketola in just four hours.

No Stopping for Ketola

Ketola played the $150,000 Triton High Roller tournament, and so did Alex Foxen , but it was not enough poker for them for the day. The agreed-upon $4,000,000 heads-up battle, $2,000,000 each with fixed blind levels of $10,000-$20,000.

Ketola won the match after around two hours of play, and after a quick negotiation, they agreed on a second match, but they increased the stake to $5,000,000 each.

In the second round, Alex Foxen adjusted his game plan and changed his strategy during the second battle. The final hand happened when Alex Foxen opened with K♦ Q♦ to $100,000 and Ossi Ketola moved all in to $625,000 with 8♥ 8♣. Alex Foxen quickly made the call.

The cards came T♠ K♣ Q♥ T♦ 4♦. Alex Foxen won the second match and was up $3,000,000 in profit.

They instantly started discussing the next day’s rematch.

Ossi Ketola vs Alex Foxen Day 2

Despite already being down $9,000,000 in a four-head-up battle, Ketola’s playing appetite is just getting bigger.

Both Ketola and Foxen finished in the money at the $150,000 Triton High Roller tournament, and at one o’clock in the morning, they started their rematch, but now for $6,000,000 each. $12,000,000 on the line.

Alex Foxen dominated the match. Ketola found some luck doubling up in a pre-flop all-in with J♦ 7♣ against Alex Foxen Q♥ J♠ on the Q♣ 9♠ 7♥ 4♦ 7♦.

A few hands later, Ossi Ketola raised to $150,000, with J♠ 8♦, and Alex Foxen called with K♦ 9♠. The Flop came T♠ 3♦ 9♦. Foxen checked, and Ketola bet $100,000. Foxen made the call, and a turn was 3♥.

Foxen led with a $150,000 bet, and Ketola called with his open-ended straight draw. The river came the A♥. Foxen checked to Ketola, who moved all-in with $770,000. Alex Foxen made the call with his third pair and won the match for a staggering $6,000,000 profit.

Rematch and The Biggest Televised Pot Ever

They agreed to a rematch with the same buy-in and the same structure. Ketola was determined to turn the tide. Entering the match, he played his signature style and was trying to turn a desperate deficit into a historic win.

He finally found some luck when he opened the action, raising to $150,000 with K♣ J♥  from a $6.4 million stack. Foxen called with 8♦ 6♦, sitting on $5.4 million. The flop K♦ J♦ 8♣ brought fireworks, giving Ketola top two pair while Foxen picked up bottom pair plus a flush draw. Foxen checked, and Ketola checked back, disguising enormous strength.

The turn was the A♦, completing Foxen’s flush and making him a dominant 9-to-1 favorite with the pot now $300,000. Foxen led for $250,000, and Ketola called with his two pair, and the pot was $800,000.

But poker is a game of cruel reversals. The river K♠ handed Ketola a full house. Foxen bet $550,000, and Ketola, after a time bank chip and a minute-long tank, shoved all-in for approximately $6.1 million.

Foxen, visibly deep in thought, considered Ketola’s past bluffs. Eventually, after burning through his time banks, Foxen called, locking in a monumental $10,990,000 pot. Ketola revealed his boat, and Foxen saw the bad news, a “GG” exchanged as Ketola scooped the biggest pot ever seen on televised poker.

Final Thoughts

Ossi “Monarch” Ketola’s heads-up adventures show poker at its most extreme, where business fortunes and personal pride collide on the felt. And while his recent heads-up battles have cost him tens of millions, he has also solidified his reputation as someone willing to risk it all in pursuit of both glory and spectacle.

Whatever your thoughts are about Monarch, one thing is sure: very few players have had such a dramatic impact on the poker conversation in so little time.

In the next few days, we can expect some more high-stakes poker action during the Triton Super High Roller Series in Jeju . Stay tuned for more breathtaking poker drama!

If you’re looking for some amazing poker action, check out Triton Poker and Triton One’s official partners, WTP Global and QQPoker , where you can join in on some juicy poker games !