Author: Triton Poker

If there was one abiding moment of Day 1 of the HKD 2,000,000 (USD 255,000) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event it had to be Bryn Kenney getting up from his seat, having been eliminated by Peter Jetten, and then wandering over to the cash desk in his sliders and black bathrobe to re-enter.

Chill.

Rancho Relaxo.

Triton Poker Series, Jeju, really is the place where high stakes dreams are dealt.

Kenney and his bathrobe made it to Day 2, along with 22 other stars, including Ivan Leow. The only player to cash in all three Short-Deck, Ante-Only events bought in an incredible four times, totalling HKD 8,000,000 (USD 1,019,000), but he too ended the day with some chips in a plastic bag.

Joining Kenney and Leow in the mix for Day 2 included former Triton Poker Series, Jeju champions David Peters and Nick Schulman, and everyone’s darling, Phil Ivey.

But the man leading them all, as he did after Day 1 of the HKD 500,000 (USD 64,000) No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max is Sam Greenwood. The Canadian eliminated Wai Kin Yong in one of the last hands of the night to end the day with 865,000 chips.

Let’s press that rewind button.

Level 3 – 1k/1.5k/1.5k

Ivan Leow fired the first of four bullets into a very sturdy looking Wai Kin Yong. The American opened with a 4,000 raise and Leow called, as did Wai Kin Yong. The dealer delivered a flop of 9d9h6s, and O’Dwyer made a 4,000 c-bet. Leow check-raised to 20,000, O’Dwyer folded, but Yong made the call.

The 7h arrived on the fourth street, Leow bet 55,000, and Yong called. The river card was the 5c, and Leow jammed for 150,000. It was a tough decision for Yong, but he made the call, and it was good. Leow showed 6c4h for two pairs, but Yong had 87cc for the straight.

Then we lost David Peters. We are missing the more delicate details, but believe the pair got it in small v big blind with Devan Tang nailing top pair with AK.

Level 4 – 1k/2k/2k

Stephen Chidwick ended the day with a decent stack, but it cost him HKD 2,000,000 (USD 510,000) courtesy of an elimination at the hands of Yong.

Chidwick raised to 5,000 holding AsTc, and Yong called from the big blind with pocket sixes. The flop was AcJs6s, giving Yong a set versus the top pair of the man from the UK and he check-called a 4,000 Chidwick bet. The turn was a nightmare for Chidwick, as the Td gave him a sturdy looking two pairs. Yong checked, Chidwick bet 15,000 and Yong called. The river card was the 4h, and Yong checked again, Chidwick bet 35,000, and Yong jammed. Chidwick made the call, and once he saw the set, sauntered to the cash desk to re-enter.

Then Peter Jetten took two scalps.

We arrived late with the board showing JcTc8s9d and a pile of chips in the pot. Bryn Kenney, resplendent in a black bathrobe, held KQd for the nut straight, Peter Jetten had a set of tens, and Dominik Nitsche held AsQh for the weaker straight.

Kenney bet of 125,000 on the turn and both Nitsche and Jetten made the call. The river was terrific for Jetten as the Jh gave him a full house; Kenney checked, Jetten moved all-in, and both players called. It was a sick moment for Kenney, who bought back in, as did Nitsche.

Then Sam Greenwood lost a buy-in. The Canadian tangled with David Peters, who picked off a river bluff shove on a nine-high board, holding the knaves.

Level 5 – 1.5k/2.5k/2.5k.

Phil Ivey made it 6,000 to play from late position, the aggressive Leow three-bet to 20,000 from the small blind, Ivey four-bet to 55,000, Leow five-bet jammed for 186,500, and Ivey called. Ivey had Leow dominated AK>AQ, and the board changed nothing. Leow told the table he would be back and promptly bought in for the third time.

Then James Chen took the chip lead after a cooler versus Chan Wai Leong. In late position, Chen raised to 6,000 holding 76dd and Chan three-bet to 20,000 with pocket queens on the button. The flop was Qd8h5s giving Chan top set; Chen was chasing an open-ended straight draw. Chen check-called an 18,000 Chan bet. The 4s turned up on the fourth street to give Chen his straight. Chen checked, Chan bet 51,000, and Chen called. The river was the Ks. Chen had won the hand. How much could he extract from Chan? Chen jammed for 145,000 effective, and Chan made the call.

Level 6 – 1.5k/3k/3k

Chidwick had dusted off his Yong exit cobwebs by the time he tangled with Ben Lamb. The British pro opened to 7,000 from under the gun holding KQo, and Lamb peeled with pocket queens in the small blind. The flop of Ts9h4s rained down onto the felt, and Chidwick called a 35,000 Lamb bet. The Kc appeared on the fourth street to give Chidwick a sneaky looking top pair. Lamb jammed for 107,500, and Chidwick called. The Td on the river changed nothing. Lamb was out.

Level 7 – 2k/4k/4k

Two players exited stage left in Level 7.

Winfred Yu ejected JC Alvarado from his seat when his pocket kings bested pocket jacks all-in pre-flop, and Ivan Leow turned the event into the One Drop when he bought back in for the fourth time (USD 1,019,000), after losing QTs

Level 8 – 2.5k/5k/5k

Chan Wai Leong moved into the chip lead when removing Rui Cao and Paul Phua from the equation. Chan beat Cao in a flip 99>AQ and then ousted Phua when his pocket kings struck a set on K97 with Phua holding a host of straight and flush draws.

But Chan’s chip lead only lasted a few hands.

Sam Greenwood pinched it at the death.

The action folded to Greenwood in the small blind who called holding pocket fives. Seated in the big blind, Yong raised to 20,000 holding KQdd, Greenwood jammed, and Yong called. The dealer planted 665 on the flop to give Greenwood a boat, and Yong never recovered.

Top 10 Chip Counts

1. Sam Greenwood – 865,000
2. Chan Wai Leong – 790,000
3. David Peters – 742,000
4. Winfred Yu – 731,000
5. Jason Koon – 710,000
6. Mikita Badziakouski – 707,000
7. Peter Jetten – 613,000
8. Luc Greenwood – 599,000
9. Patrik Antonius – 577,000
10. Stephen Chidwick – 559,000

The action resumes on Tuesday, July 31 at 2 pm, with late registration still open.

Kenneth Kee.

If you’re reading this from the comfort of your commode in the West, then it’s not a name that rings too many bells. But I tell you what, if the Triton Poker Series continues to put on events of this ilk, and Kee keeps showing up, it won’t take long for the alliteration of the letter K to be rolling off your tongue.

Kee has just beaten the businessman, poker enthusiast and Poker Central founder, Cary Katz, heads-up, to win the HKD 1,000,000 (USD 127,000) Short-Deck, Ante Only event at the Triton Poker Series in Jeju, South Korea.

The event, which attracted 60-entrants, entered an unscripted third day of action after nothing could separate Kee, Catz and Richard Yong after three hours plus of three-handed action.

Here are the highlights of that short, sharp, shift.

How They Began

1. Kenneth Kee – 8,245,000
2. Richard Yong – 6,815,000
3. Cary Katz – 2,940,000

The Money at Stake

1. HKD 22,500,000 (USD 2,866,838)
2. HKD 13,920,000 (USD 1,773,617)
3. HKD 9,120,000 (USD 1,162,025)

The Pay Jumps

3rd -2nd – HKD 4,800,000 (USD 611,629)
2nd -1st – HKD 8,580,000 (USD 1,093,286)

The Action

Despite holding the chip lead, Kee was the inexperienced practitioner when it came to tournament poker. Katz, who sharpened his poker claws competing with the worlds best since helping set up the ARIA High Roller fraternity was appearing in his first Short-Deck event, and so the smart money was on the former Triton Poker Champion and Aussie Millions AUD 100,000 Challenge winner, Richard Yong.

And then this happened.

Katz called the ante with Q9cc from under the gun, Yong raised to 560,000 with A8o from the cutoff and Kee called on the button holding AJdd; Katz thought ‘why not.’

The flop was AhJs6c, and Yong was first to act, betting 850,000. Kee called, and Katz folded. The 8d appeared on the fourth street, which was a disaster for Yong as it gave him an inferior two-pair to Kee’s AJ. Yong check-called a 1.7 million Kee bet.

On the river, it was Kee’s turn to be disappointed (although he wouldn’t realise it at the time) when the Jh burned a hole in the felt. Kee had filled up, but it also counterfeited Yong’s two pairs rendering his hand worthless. Yong checked Kee bet 2 million, and Yong released his grip on the hand.

Yong would soon slip to the bottom of the counts when Katz doubled through Kee in the following hand.

Kee called with AQo, Katz called with KJdd in position, and Yong folded. The pair then got it in on a flop of KQ6 rainbow, and Katz top pair held to push him into the second spot.

And then Yong slid into the abyss.

Kee started the action with a 500,000 bet holding AQo, Katz got out of the way, and Yong called in position with JTo. The flop was a three-suited Q99, Kee checked, Yong bet 200,000, Kee jammed, and Yong called, needing a king or an eight to survive. No such luck. Adios.

Heads-Up Chip Counts

1. Kenneth Kee – 14,600,000
2. Cary Katz – 3,400,000

If Katz was going to win his second major title, he was going to have to double up and double up quickly and frequently.

He did neither.

The farewell hand saw Katz make a move holding JTo; Kee called with pocket queens, and the ladies danced through five unassuming community cards to land Kee the title and close to $3m in change.

“It’s insane,” said Kee when explaining his recent run of form that also saw him finish runner-up to Nick Schulman in the HKD 100,000 (USD 12,500) Short-Deck, Ante-Only contest, not bad for a cash game player who last played a tournament, five years ago.

ITM Finishes

1. Kenneth Kee – HKD 22,500,000 (USD 2,866,838)
2. Cary Katz – HKD 13,920,000 (USD 1,773,617)
3. Richard Yong – HKD 9,120,000 (USD 1,162,025
4. Peter Jetten – HKD 6,300,000 (USD 802,715)
5. Mikita Badziakouski – HKD 4,620,000 (USD 588,657)
6. Ivan Leow – HKD 3,540,000 (USD 451,049)

The HKD 1,000,000 buy-in Short-Deck, Ante-Only tournament moves into an unscheduled third day of action with Kenneth Kee, Richard Yong and Cary Katz in contention to take home the HKD 22,500,000 (USD 2,866,838) first prize.

It seems a little folly to say things are getting serious after we’ve already dished out HKD 47,600,000 (USD 6,064,852) in prize money, but as sure as landmines are landmines, it’s happening.

Over the next three days, the Triton Poker Series in Jeju gets serious with the HKD 1,000,000 (USD 127,000) buy-in Short-Deck, Ante-Only event, and the HKD 2,000,000 (USD 255,000) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event yet to determine a winner.

We will begin with the Short-Deck finale.

Day 1 ended with the Frenchman, Arnaud Romain, sitting at the top of the chip counts with 16 players remaining from a field of 41 entrants. Late registration stayed open for the first few levels of Day 2, and we saw Phil Ivey, Gabe Patgorski, Ivan Leow, Cary Katz, Bryn Kenney and Chow Hing Yaung re-enter, as well as a host of same day re-entries to take the final count to 60.

Here is the breakdown of the action.

Level 7 – Ante 5,000

Winfred Yu had the worst start possible when Leow cracked his pocket kings with pocket jacks, flopping and then turning the other two jacks for quads. Leow moved up to 620,000; Yu slid to 61,000.

In the next hand, Yu got it in with A9hh, and Koon isolated with JTcc and flopped a straight. Yu was the first player out.

Cary Katz HKD 1m re-entry lasted as long as a PokerGO TV commercial. Katz ran AK into the pocket kings of Patgorski, and the American had to dig deep into his pockets for the third time.

Following Katz into Jeju’s humid air was Devan Tang, who got it in holding pocket queens, only to run into the much heavier looking pocket aces of Mikita Badziakouski.

And then we lost the man that everyone wants to see leave except his fans – Phil Ivey. Marius Torbergsen limped into the pot with QhJc, Wai Kin Yong raised to 45,000 holding pocket queens, and Ivey raised to 200,000, on the button, holding pocket aces. Torbergsen released his hand, Yong moved all-in, and Ivey made the call.

Yong only had one out, the Qd, and it arrived on the flop like a spear through Ivey’s heart. Both aces remained in the deck. Ivey had to re-enter. Yong moved up to 2.1m.

Within minutes of sitting back down, Ivey was at it again, only this time his hand held up when his pocket aces bested the K9o of Chan Wai Leong after the pair got it in on a K87 flop.

Then we lost Alan Sass.

We caught the action on a flop of Tc7s6h with four people splashing around. Sass bet 80,000 from the cutoff, Badziakouski called from the button, and Gabe Patgorski called from the blinds with Wang Qiang folding.

The turn was the Ks, and Badziakouski bet 200,000 once checked to, and only Sass called. The Ac brought the action to a close; Sass checked, Badziakouski jammed for 700,000, and Sass made the call for his tournament life. Badziakouski showed 98dd for the flopped straight, and Sass mucked his hand and left the table. The Belarusian moved up to 1,950,000.

Level 8 – Ante 6k

Gabe Patgorski eliminated Qiang when his KQcc turned a queen to trip up pocket jacks. Phil Ivey sent Bryn Kenney to the cash desk when his J9s out turned and rivered the pocket eights of the GGRAsia pro. And Paul Phua doubled through Andrew Robl KK>AQ.

Vivek Rajkumar had been playing in the cash games all week, and Tom Dwan sent him back from whence he came. Four players limped into the pot to see the AdKsQd flop. Everyone checked to the Ah turn. Ditto. Would the 9s on the river bring some life to this hand? It would. Dwan bet 40,000, Rajkumar moved all-in for 253,000, and everyone folded except Dwan, who had his opponent covered. Rajkumar showed Q9cc for two pairs, and Dwan showed Ac8s for trips and moved over the million chip mark.

Level 9 – Ante 8k

Kenneth Kee is having a decent week, and it continued with the elimination of Gabe Patgorski. Kee’s pocket queens upending the KTo of the American. And ‘West’ lost in another East v West fatal fight when Xuan Tan’s AQo rivered a boat to beat the 86cc of Ben Lamb.

Level 10 – Ante 10k

Tom Dwan removed the dangerous Wai Kin Yong when the pair got it in on a QcTs7cAc board with Dwan holding KJo for the straight, and Yong holding A7o for two pairs. The board didn’t pair, Yong was out, and Dwan moved up to 2.5 million chips.

Then we lost Phil Ivey for good.

We caught the action on fourth street with Ac8d7dKc staring at the chandelier, and around 900,000 in the middle. Badziakouski had put Ivey all-in, and he burned through four-time extension chips before making the call, and it was good.

Badziakouski: Tc9s
Ivey: AhTs

The Belarusian was on the draw, and Ivey was ahead with top pair.

River: Jc

Badziakouski nailed his straight to move into the chip lead, and Ivey was out despite doing everything right.

Level 11 – Ante 12k

Paul Phua doubled through Andrew Robl AQ>KJ and Badziakouski KK>TT. And Carey Katz doubled through Romain Arnaud when the pair got it in on KcTc6hKs in a boat over boat cooler of a hand for the Frenchman.

Robl took his time to double up when his JTo found the magic turn card it needed to turn a nearly flop into a winning hand against Leow’s AK. Katz eliminated Xuan Tan when the pair got it in on JsTd8s with Katz holding the middle pin and the open-ended straight draw, and Tan holding the Broadway draw. The Qh on the river giving Katz his straight. And Kenneth Kee won a big flip against Tom Dawn AK>JJ to move up to 3 million chips, and knock Dwan down to 2.3m.

Level 12 – Ante 15k

It was a different level but the same old Kee. This time Romain Arnaud feeling the pain after running JTo into the Andre the Giant looking KK, to create a final table of nine.

The first player to hit the dirt was Dwan.

Katz and Kee (it sounds like a pub duet) limped into the pot, and only Katz called when Dwan raised to 130,000 on the button. The flop rained down AcJh9h, Katz checked, Dwan bet 160,000; Katz called. The turn was the Ts; Katz moved all-in, and Dwan made the call.

Katz: KhQc
Dwan: AsJc:

Katz was ahead with the straight. Dwan needed one of his cards to pair up to avoid elimination, but it wasn’t to be. The Qh finished the action, Katz moved up to 4 million chips, and Dwan was out.

And then there were seven.

Paul Phua moved all-in for 575,000 holding KJo, and Badziakouski looked him up holding AQo. Five cards later, and the Belarusian had 3.8m chips. Paul Phua had none.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Cary Katz – 4,940,000
2. Mikita Badziakouski – 3,820,000
3. Richard Yong – 3,380,000
4. Kenneth Kee – 2,230,000
5. Andrew Robl – 1,535,000
6. Peter Jetten – 1,430,000
7. Ivan Leow – 665,000

The Money Honey

1. HKD 22,500,000 (USD 2,867,426)
2. HKD 13,920,000 (USD 1,773,981)
3. HKD 9,120,000 (USD 1,162,264)
4. HKD 6,300,000 (USD 802,879)
5. HKD 4,620,000 (USD 588,778)
6. HKD 3,540,000 (USD 451,141)

Level 13 – Ante 20k

The great thing about watching Triton Short-Deck Ante-Only events is the happiness factor. I have never seen so many people walk away from such savage beats with a smile, but you knew at least one person was going to find the next hop, skip and jump a tad challenging on the zygomaticus major.

Seven remained.

Only six places contained any cash.

The person who left empty-handed was Andrew Robl.

Ivan Leow limped into the action holding KTo, Robl moved all-in holding ATdd, Richard Yong moved all-in with AQss, Leow folded and five community cards later, Robl was left wandering behind the wrong side of the curtain looking as grey as the shirt and cap that clothed his body.

Yong took the chip lead.

Level 14 – Ante 25k

Kenneth Kee doubled through Badziakouski when his pocket kings gave AJdd a good kick in, but it wasn’t without a scare. Kee watched helplessly as the Belarusian flopped two pairs on AcQcJh. The 6h on the turn changed nothing, but the Th on the river righted the wrong and Kee moved up to 3.7m, with Badziakouski sliding to 1.2m.

Kee wasn’t the only person doubling.

Peter Jetten got it in with KQss against the JThh of Yong, and the board stayed as low as it possibly could with all of the small cards removed from the deck to give the Canadian star the win.

And then six became five, and once again Kenneth Kee was at the heart of the action.

Richard Yong limped into the pot with T8o, Kee joined him with ATcc, and Ivan Leow moved all-in for KQss. Yong folded, and Kee looked him up. The flop was Js9c8h to maintain the status quo. The Kc gave Leow hopes of a doubled up, but the 7h on the river gave Kee the straight, moving into the chip lead, and sending Leow to the rail.

And then we had one of the most magical hands since Triton formed.

Kee limped into the action holding the rockets, Badziakouski raised to 400,000 with pocket kings in the next pew, and Peter Jetten moved all-in for 2,205,000 holding pocket queens. Kee put on a little Hollywood before also moving all-in, and Badziakouski called.

The flop brought more clubs than a high street in Ibiza – 9c8c6c – giving Badziakouski a backdoor flush draw, but that door shut on the fourth street when the 8h arrived, and it’s twin, the 8s, turned up on the river to end the action.

After the smoke had cleared, Badziakouski and Jetten ended up on the wrong side of the rail in fifth and fourth respectively, and Kee took the chip lead into three-handed action.

Kee – 7,140,000
Katz – 5,615,000
Yong – 5,245,000

The three of them battled it out for a further three hours before deciding to return at 4 pm the following day to play down to a winner.

Final Chip Counts

Kee – 8,245,000
Yong – 6,815,000
Katz – 2,940,000

There was a moment at the end of the HKD 500,000 (USD 64,000) No-Limit Hold’em Short Deck, Ante Only event at the Triton Poker Series in Jeju where I thought, if I throw a peanut at David Peters, he will fracture into a million different pieces.

It was at the end.

Everyone had either gone to bed, or was sitting in the cash game, winning or losing enough money to take over a small country, and there was Peters, holding up the trophy, with a fake smile etched across his face so the photographers could get the snap.

After what seemed an age, he came down from the stage, and I asked him to describe the moment in the tournament when it turned in his favour, and he knew he would lock up a million bucks.

“My brain is so fried, I don’t remember,” said Peters.

Jet lag.

Starvation.

Uninterrupted, high octane concentration.

Whatever it was, this man was a zombie.

I decided to cut him loose, and he walked over to the bar with his girlfriend to celebrate his most recent million dollar win like you would celebrate hitting three numbers on the lottery.

Let’s press the rewind button.

The Backstory

14-players had made it through to Day 1 of the HKD 500,000 (USD 64,000) No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed. The buy-in was a new one for Triton’s 2018 tour. The previous buy-in was HKD 250,000 (USD 32,000) and the tour’s founder, Richard Yong, beat 35 entrants to win the HKD 3,046,000 (USD 388,024) first prize.

That was in Montenegro; this was Jeju.

By the end of registration, the field size swelled to 39, and one man was going to walk away with a silver trophy and an HKD 8,775,000 (USD 1,118,058) first prize.

The Guts

Day 2 begins with Cary Katz and Bryn Kenney joining from the off.

Level 10: 800/1600/1600

To @SamGreenwoodRIO NEVER, EVER THREATEN TEAM GERMANY AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A GROUP THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!

— Dominik Nitsche (@DominikNitsche) July 23, 2018

The mild-mannered Greenwood reacted to Nitsche’s threat to his life, by ending his tournament life. The overnight chip leader extended his lead after a blind on blind confrontation with the German. Nitsche called after Greenwood put him all-in after limping from the small blind with a stack of 29,700 sitting behind. Nitsche was ahead with KQss, but Greenwood’s QdTs won the day, flopping a ten. Nitsche was left deliberating whether to rejoin the action. He never did, but don’t tell Greenwood.

Greenwood was on a roll. The next person to feel his wrath was James Chen, and once again it was a battle for the blinds. Chen limped from the small blind, Greenwood raised to 6,000, and Chen called. The flop was Ts3s2h, Chen checked, Greenwood bet 7,000, and Chen called.

The turn was the 7s, Chen led for 9,500, and Greenwood called.

The final card was the 3s, putting four spades on the board; Chen led out again for 15,000, and Greenwood put him all-in; Chen spewed forth a single time bank before calling. Chen held AhTc for top pair, and Greenwood showed down pocket queens (minus a spade) for the overpair. Chen was out, and soon enough, he was back in, joined by Yeu Wei Hsiang, Ivan Leow and Ying Jinghui.

Towards the end of the level, Bryn Kenney got short and got his last 12,800 into the middle holding A8cc versus the ATo of Cary Katz. The board held no salvation for Kenney, and he was sent to the rail but would return to make a proper fist of things.

Level 11: 1000/2000/2000

I found Nick Schulman in the restaurant pondering whether to play or not. It seems the magnetic lure of the poker table had a grip on him. He bought in. It didn’t last. The HKD 250,000 Short-Deck Champion lost a flip with AK not finding a partner on the flop, turn or river giving the pocket tens of Steve O’Dwyer reason to celebrate.

David Peters eliminated Luc Greenwood when the pair got it in pre-flop. Peters had QQ, and Greenwood was hoping for an ace or running hearts with AJhh. Greenwood did hit a jack on the turn, but a clear river sent him to the cash desk where he re-entered with a fresh looking 50,000 stack.

Level 12: 1000/2500/2500

JC Alvarado busted both Phil Ivey and Ivan Leow when the three of them got it in pre-flop. As has so often been the case this week, Ivey was ahead with pocket queens, Alvarado held A9o, and Leow held KTdd. The low 567 flop was good for Ivey, but the Ks gave Leow the lead, and the Ah passed that lead to Alvarado and the pair headed to the rail.

Kok Weng Beh then eliminated Yeu Wei Hsiang in another pre-flop all-in and call. Hsiang held pocket eights, and Beh showed down the pocket nines. Yeu did hit a set on the river, but it also handed his opponent a straight.

With that knockout, we were down to the final three tables.

O’Dwyer doubled through Alvarado when his pocket kings bossed the hell out of pocket tens. Mikita Badziakouski showed Alvarado how to do it when he eliminated Richard Yong TT>KK, after rivering a ten. And in one of the last hands of the level, Ying Jinghui eliminated John Juanda after he moved all-in with J8 and was picked off by Jinghui’s JTo.

Level 13: 1500/3000/3000

O’Dwyer eliminated the overnight chip leader, Sam Greenwood, when his pocket nines beat pocket threes, all-in, pre-flop. Jinghui followed up his Juanda elimination by taking the axe to Cary Katz. The PokerGo founder was ahead QQ>JJ, but Jinghui turned the third jack to send Katz packing.

The elimination of Katz gave us the final two tables.

Here were the top five chip counts.

1. Steve O’Dwyer – 425,000
2. Stephen Chidwick – 230,000
3. David Peters – 185,000
4. Chow Hing Yaung – 175,000
5. Ying Jinghui – 140,000

O’Dwyer put Alvarado on the wrong side of the rail when his KJo beat AJo after flopping a king. And then we lost two more when Bryn Kenney’s KQhh turned a boat to beat the straight of Kok Weng Beh, and Patrik Antonius had his aces cracked by the 98o of Chow Hing Yaung when the latter flopped two pairs to give Antonius a free evening to kick back his heels and think of Finland.

Level 14: 2000/4000/4000

Sergio Aido sends Lim Chin Wei off to find something else to do in this palace when his pocket queens faded an ace and a smattering of clubs during an all-in pre-flop fight.

Level 15: 2500/5000/5000

O’Dwyer continued his incredible fly swatting run by putting Ying Jinghui out of his misery when the pair got it in with O’Dwyer holding QTc, and Jinghui moving all-in pre-flop holding AQdd. O’Dwyer flopped two pairs, Jinghui turned a flush draw, but the river was clean for the bearded wonder, and we had a final table.

1. Steve O’Dwyer – 627,500
2. David Peters – 305,500
3. Chow Hing Yaung – 301,000
4. Luc Greenwood – 248,500
5. Stephen Chidwick – 195,000
6. Bryn Kenney – 167,500
7. Sergio Aido – 104,000

Level 16: 3000/6000/6000

The first player forcibly removed from the final table was Bryn Kenney. Chow Hing Yaung and Kenney saw a flop of AsJs9s in a three-bet pot with Kenney, the aggressor. Kenney then check-raise jammed, and Chow called.

Kenney: AcTs
Chow: AhJd

Kenney had top pair and the flush draw, but Chow was ahead with top two pairs, and it stayed that way until no more cards were flying out of the deck.

Then we lost the Spaniard.

Sergio Aido opened jammed the button holding JTs, and David Peters called with pocket sevens from the big blind, and they stuck.

Bubble time.

Level 19: 6000/12000/12000

The man with the position nobody wanted was Luc Greenwood.

Chidwick opened from the cutoff for 25,000 and Greenwood called from the big blind.

Flop: AdTh7h

Chidwick c-bet to 15,000, Greenwood moved all-in for 136,000, and Chidwick made the call.

Chidwick: AhTh
Greenwood: Kh9h

Greenwood had flopped the king-high flush draw, but Chidwick had him crushed with the nut flush draw and top pair. The flush did come in on the river, but it meant nothing to the bank account of Greenwood, who was out, with everyone else but him earning a minimum return on investment of HKD 1,950,000 (USD 250,000).

Then we were three-handed after O’Dwyer removed Chow Hing Yaung from the equation. The battle occurred pre-flop with Chow holding pocket nines, and O’Dwyer searching for an ace or a queen. O’Dwyer didn’t need to waste too many batteries in his flashlight, as he found the ace on the flop.

Level 21: 10000/20000/20000

O’Dwyer had one more Kapow in his hand before heads-up, this time the Global Poker Index (GPI) #1, Stephen Chidwick, feeling his power. The pair got it in with O’Dwyer ahead, holding pocket fours, and Chidwick, looking for some help with A3o. It never came. Chidwick was out, and O’Dwyer moved into the end zone to face Peters for the title, as he did during in Montenegro the last time Triton had a six-max event.

Heads-Up

O’Dwyer – 1.3m
Peters – 650k

Peters took the chip lead after forcing some value from O’Dwyer on a Kd9d3d5d4h board holding QhTd for the flush, and O’Dwyer called holding 7h7d for the inferior glow.

O’Dwyer came close to evening the stacks, but he never retook the chip lead, in a short and shrift heads-up encounter that went the way of Peters in the final hand.

O’Dwyer limped into the pot holding KcJh, Peters raised to 170,000 holding Qd8s, and O’Dwyer made the call. The flop was Td9h7c, and Peters went for it betting 200,000; O’Dwyer called. The river was the Js handing Peters the straight. Peters checked, O’Dwyer moved all-in, and Peters made the call to take the title and one million dollars first prize.

It was another deep run from O’Dwyer, who finished runner-up to Richard Yong in the smaller buy-in version of this event in Montenegro. For Peters, this was his 20th career title and his fourth seven-figure cash. It’s his third cash in a Triton Poker Series event including a runner-up finish to Fedor Holz in 2016 where he earned a record $2,699.752.

Here are the ITM results.

1. David Peters – HKD 8,775,000 (USD 1,118,215)
2. Steve O’Dwyer – HKD 5,850,000 (USD 745,477)
3. Stephen Chidwick – HKD 2,925,000 (USD 372,738)
4. Chow Hing Yaung – HKD 1,950,000 (USD 248,492)

The next event on the horizon is the HKD 1,000,000 (USD 127,000) buy-in Short-Deck, Ante-Only event taking place at 4 pm (local time) Saturday 28 July.