TRITON PARTNERS WITH SECRETLAB TO RELEASE POKER’S MOST COMFORTABLE CHAIR

Heads Up Tom Dwan

Kuala Lumpur, 28 July 2022—Successful poker players spend many hours a day sitting down, where they are faced with numerous agonizing decisions. But Triton Poker, the world’s leading high-stakes poker series, has taken another step to make playing poker as comfortable as possible.

Today, Triton can announce the release of a new, exclusive poker chair, designed and produced by the multi-award-winning gaming chair manufacturer Secretlab.

Players and dealers on the Triton Series, where the world’s poker elite do battle for millions of dollars will have the chance to sit in the co-branded Triton/Secretlab chair ensuring maximum comfort for their many hours of intense competition.

The chair is a Triton Poker-exclusive edition of the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022, upholstered in their signature NEOTM Hybrid Leatherette. Featuring integrated 4-way adjustable lumbar support, full-metal 4D armrests, patent-pending cold cure foam, and more, the Secretlab TITAN Evo 2022 is recommended by ergonomics experts for its ergonomic design that supports users throughout long hours of sitting.

It is regularly described as the most comfortable gaming chair in the world — the perfect fit for the superlative talents who play on the Triton Series.

“This is a chair that money can’t buy, you have to work for it,” said Andy Wong, CEO of Triton Poker Series, revealing that only the last two players in any Triton Series tournament get to sit in the chair. “When players go all in, we want them to go all in with style.”

Wong added that the chair — the only such item tailor-made by a globally recognized brand specifically for a poker tour — reflects Triton’s commitment to providing a luxurious all-round experience for the world’s leading poker players. “It’s a champions’ chair for the Champions League of poker,” he said.

Secretlab’s designs bring together gorgeous aesthetics with only the finest materials, and their chairs are the No 1 choice among the world’s top esports teams and global esports tournaments. The Triton Poker Series is the most prestigious poker tour on the planet, attracting only the most elite poker players and businesspeople, who expect and receive superior service in every area.

The new Secretlab chair made its debut at the Triton Series’ recent stop in Madrid, Spain, where top poker pros including Erik Seidel, Stephen Chidwick, Michael Addamo, and the Triton Ambassadors Jason Koon and Tom Dwan tried it out for size. Each of them made it to heads-up play in at least one of 12 high-stakes tournaments, where players battled for prize pools of more than €44 million.

“These chairs are awesome,” said Koon, who won a fourth Triton title in Madrid, while sitting in one of the Secretlab chairs. “It’s just part of a poker player’s life that we have to sit down for hours and hours, and it’s super important that we can keep a good posture and be comfortable. The new chairs are as good as any I’ve ever played live poker in, they are really comfortable and hopefully, at the end of a long Triton series we will all feel a little more rested.”

Every one of Triton’s industry-leading team of dealers will also sit in the exclusive new chair. This provides perfect ergonomic comfort for the dealers to perform their best.

The next stop on the Triton Series is in Cyprus, scheduled for September 5-17, 2022, where players will again battle it out to sit in the Secretlab chairs.

Although high-stakes poker will always require some very uncomfortable decisions, players can at least be assured that their body will be relaxed while they make them.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

ABOUT TRITON POKER: Triton Poker is the world’s leading entertainment platform for the affluent poker enthusiast. Founded in 2015 by the Malaysian businessman, philanthropist, and poker lover, Richard Yong, Triton Poker is dedicated to the provision and showcasing of premium poker events and services to its elite audiences. The tour visits some of the most luxurious destinations in the world and hosts the most prestigious tournaments, with a mission to support and grow the poker community. The tour retains a significant philanthropic focus: In 2019, Triton Poker raised more than $3 million, which was distributed to charities around the world to aid efforts for better health and sanitization, community development, and disaster relief.

For further information on Triton Poker, visit www.triton-series.com or contact info@triton-series.com. For tournament info or buy-in details email vip@triton-series.com.

ABOUT SECRETLAB: Established in 2014, Secretlab has redefined what people think of when it comes to gaming chairs. Driven by extensive research, development, and cutting-edge engineering,
Secretlab’s award-winning chairs are the top choice of the world’s premier gaming tournaments, championship-winning teams, and over 2,000,000 users worldwide. Today, Secretlab’s proprietary technology and design innovations continue to push the boundaries in ergonomic comfort and the science of sitting, winning over 50 Editor’s Choice and Best Hardware Awards from leading international publications and reviewers.

To learn more about us, visit www.secretlab.co, or follow Secretlab on our Facebook, Instagram (@Secretlab), and Twitter (@secretlabchairs) pages.

DWAN HITS THE TWO-TIME AFTER LAST-GASP TURBO SUCCESS IN MADRID

Double champion Tom Dwan is even now getting used to winner’s photos!

Tom Dwan came to Triton Madrid this week with one of the most awesome reputations in the world of poker, but without ever having won a live multi-table tournament. Now, as the curtains come down on this spectacular festival, Dwan is a two-time Triton Series winner, having added victory in the final €30K Short Deck Turbo to his success in the €25K PLO.

He won this event at the exact same time the €150K Short Deck was concluding — two tournaments ending simultaneously with two brilliant Americans, and two Triton Ambassadors, taking the spoils. Koon won his €1.7 million over on the feature table as Dwan was downing Elton Tsang for a €336,000 first prize.

“I wanted that one,” Dwan said. “You want to swap!?!” he bellowed over to Koon.

“Bro, a win’s a win,” Koon said. “You went from no Triton wins to two.”

Dwan shrugged, but he smiled too. He is indeed a two-time champion. And he may even soon get used to having winner’s photos taken. He’s certainly a natural poker talent, but that part of his game still needs work.

Dwan and Luca Vivaldi at presentation time

There were two coolers in the heads up stage, which ruined Tsang’s chances. Both Dwan and Tsang hit full houses on a QcTd8h7s8c run-out, when Tsang had Ts8d and Dwan had Qh8s.

And then the next time they were all in, Dwan had Tc9h and Tsang QhJs when the board was Th9s8cTd8d.

That was what sent Tsang looking for his €233,000 prize and gave Dwan his second taste of success.

FINAL TABLE ACTION

The last-gasp nature of this tournament meant more than just a final chance to score a victory, of course. It was a last chance for a cash — and the last chance for a bubble.

When the field condensed to seven players, one from the money, the two Triton co-founders Richard Yong and Paul Phua were sitting next to one another with micro-stacks. “No bubble!” bellowed Phua, as Chris Brewer noted how crucial the last table redraw might be, positioning one of them away from the button.

Unofficial Final Table in the turbo (clockwise from top left): Chris Brewer, Danny Tang, Ivan Leow, Tom Dwan, Elton Tsang, Richard Yong, Paul Phua.

Seven-handed chip counts
Tom Dwan – 3,402,000 (227 antes)
Elton Tsang – 2,358,000 (157 antes)
Danny Tang – 1,690,000 (113 antes)
Ivan Leow – 1,252,000 (83 antes)
Chris Brewer – 750,000 (50 antes)
Richard Yong – 257,000 (17 antes)
Paul Phua – 156,000 (10 antes)

Unfortunately for Phua, “no bubble” was the exact opposite of what happened. He was the bubble boy again, for the second time on this trip to Madrid. Phua got his last crumbs into a pot against Elton Tsang, and Tsang’s AhQc hit two pair.

Phua’s “Bubble!” was part anguish, part chuckle. He won his first Triton title here in Madrid, so will still remember this trip fondly.

By this point, Yong had doubled through Brewer. And then he pretty much doubled again after he three-bet pushed over Ivan Leow’s open and Leow folded. That meant it was Brewer who was next to depart, picking up €69,500 after losing in a three-way pot against Dwan and Elton Tsang.

Yong’s escape act couldn’t turn into a sun-run. Dwan knocked him out soon after Brewer, when aces stayed good against Yong’s AhJs. It put Dwan further clear at the top of the counts, with four players left.

Another great run for Richard Yong

The quartet opted to skip dinner in favour of a four-way bento box delivery, and they played through two or three levels before the next elimination. It ended up being Danny Tang’s turn to take the fall — another victim of Dwan. This time, Dwan made the nut flush with his AdQc on a 7h6d7d9dTd. Tang did not have the 8d, so had to go looking for a €114K payout instead. That was his fifth cash of the series.

It was a five-cash trip to Madrid for Danny Tang

Ivan Leow is always one of the most dynamic players at any table, and he was happily hammering his chips into the pot with great regularity. But he could never really get his head truly above water in this one, and Tsang turned a straight with his Ah7h and got the last of Leow’s money in on the river. Leow, twice a champion on the Triton Series, won €148,500 for third this time. It was his first cash of a difficult trip to Madrid.

Ivan Leow left it late to secure his first cash of the trip

That left Tsang and Dwan heads-up, two of the very best from their respective continents. They have done battle against each other many times before, in the nosebleed cash games across the world.

They’d never been heads-up in a tournament, however, and certainly never in such strange circumstances, where there was another tournament going through its final stages on an adjacent table.

Heads up Elton Tsang and Tom Dwan

But these two great players ended up at the liberty of the deck. Everyone would have played those two pivotal pots the same. It just so happens that this time, it went to Dwan. And now durrrr is a two-timer. Time to get used to it.

Triton Madrid – Event 14
€30,000 Short Deck Ante Only Turbo


Date: May 25, 2022
Entries: 33 (inc. 9 re-entries)
Prize pool: €990,000

1 – Tom Dwan, USA – €336,000
2 – Elton Tsang, Hong Kong – €233,000
3 – Ivan Leow, Malaysia – €148,500
4 – Danny Tang, Hong Kong – €114,000
5 – Richard Yong, Malaysia – €89,000
6 – Chris Brewer, USA – €69,500

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive

KOON MAKES IT FOUR AFTER DOWNING DVORESS FOR €1.75M SHORT DECK PAYDAY IN MADRID

A new four-time champion: Jason Koon!

By the incredibly high standards they set for themselves, this had been a disappointing trip to Triton Madrid for Jason Koon and Daniel Dvoress. Both men had played everything and cashed twice each — a fourth and a sixth for Dvoress, and two sixth places for Koon. For two of the game’s most decorated elite, it was a relatively poor return.

But you’re never out of it on the Triton Series until the very last card is dealt, and Koon and Dvoress managed to navigate their way to the last two places in the €150K One Bullet Short Deck event on the festival’s closing day, where they were each guaranteed a payday of more than €1.1 million.

They squared off — friend vs. friend; exceptional talent vs. exceptional talent — and played to decide who would be the champion. A first for Dvoress or a fourth for Koon? A pair of black aces in Koon’s hand decided that.

“I get my four-time badge!” Koon said after the dealer had secured it in his favour. “I was denied that twice and I was upset that Mikita [Badziakouski] had it. But I got that now.” He’s right. Koon has 19 Triton cashes and now a fourth win, and this one came with a prize of €1,750,000.

It was the biggest buy-in of all events on this long and draining festival, and landed the Triton Ambassador another massive prize to take back to his wife and young son, Calum.

“Maybe it’s real,” Koon said when asked whether “baby run-good” was responsible for this result. “He’s been here eight months and we’ve won a bracelet and a Triton title. Maybe there’s something to it.”

He added that he was looking forward to getting home with the family, describing himself as “deliriously tired, exhausted.” He added: “But this is what we’re here for.” He paid tribute too to his final table opponents, all of whom are Koon’s buddies and “great competitors”.

He said it presented some demanding positions, and described how he had been both on easy street and against the wall, and how happy he was to have navigated past the sharks.

Elation with Jason Koon

“It was a really grindy final table,” Koon told Ali Nejad. “Everything was smooth sailing, and I was in a really good situation where I got to put tons of pressure on the short stacks. I was up against three guys who understand ICM really, really well, so it wasn’t one of these lotteries where you’re guessing what you think your opponent is going to do.

“I was feeling really good about the situation that was presented, but then I happened to lose a couple of unfortunate all-ins. But then I got lucky with the queen-jack suited against the kings and made a bunch of big hands to close the thing out.”

He could not contain both relief and delight.

As for Dvoress, he took €1.19 million, after another stellar performance.

Daniel Dvoress defeated heads-up

FINAL DAY ACTION

Day 2 began with the closing of the registration desk, but there was still time for last night’s newly-crowned Main Event champion Stephen Chidwick to sneak in, among others, and bring the number of entries up to 34 (including 10 re-entries). That put €5.1 million in the prize pool and offered those two seven-figure prizes at the top.

It quickly became apparent that Chidwick wouldn’t be winning one of them. He lost his stack quickly. And more gradually, dreams also died for Phil Ivey, Paul Phua, Michael Soyza, Tom Dwan and Mikita Badziakouski, among others.

When seven were left, they gathered around a final table, and took a photo, but only six were due to be paid. It meant that one of the following would be leaving with nothing, despite smiles around the table.

The unofficial final table (l-r): Sam Greenwood, Seth Daview, Jason Koon, Lun Lookn, Isaac Haxton, Daniel Dvoress, Dan Cates.

It’s been a wretched trip to Madrid for Malaysia’s Lun Loon too, and proceedings in Casino Gran Via today won’t have made him feel much better. Loon had one of the biggest stacks in the early stages of the day, but went on a steady decline as the bubble drew closer.

His tournament ended in the very worst spot: seventh, with six to be paid. His QdJd lost to Daniel Dvoress’ aces and Loon left with nothing.

A wry smile from the bubble boy Lun Loon

Poker fans have not seen very much of Dan Cates this week, even though he has been in Madrid from the start of the event. Cates has been rumoured to have been in the cash game room for most of the time, only making the briefest of appearances at the tournament tables.

But this big buy-in short deck event ushered him out of exile last night, and he was still playing through the bubble. “Still playing” meant still also chattering away incessantly, sometimes to his opponents, sometimes to people watching the live stream and sometimes to himself. He was also, of course, playing his usual flawless game.

However, with only a handful of antes just after the bubble burst, Ike Haxton was able to trap him. Haxton limped with aces and Cates moved in with AsTd. The aces held and Cates was out in sixth, earning €360,000.

A rare tournament appearance ended in a cash for Dan Cates

Prior to arriving in Madrid, Seth Davies was one of those unfortunate players on the elite circuit who had never cashed on the Triton Series. It was mysterious how this was so, and Davies was able to remedy it quickly this week, cashing in both the €75K NLHE and the €100K Short Deck Main Event.

He made it three in this €150K tournament, but was not able to progress past fifth this time. His day had hit its high point early on, when he managed to double through Elton Tsang with pocket sixes, and his stack barely fluctuated for a long period after that. But 2.1 million went in the middle, calling Jason Koon’s shove, when Davies had AcKc. Koon’s KdKh had Davies strangled and the board offered no help.

Davies’ run this time earned him another €460,000.

Seth Davies hits the rail

The final six players had represented some of North America’s finest poker talents, and that was still true, of course, even after Cates and Davies’ eliminations. Now it was more balanced, though, with two Canadians — Daniel Dvoress and Sam Greenwood — facing off against two Americans — Ike Haxton and Jason Koon.

Dvoress suddenly found himself in an incredible spot three-handed, where he had the covering stack and the chance to knock out both Haxton and Greenwood when all three were all-in. As it turned out, Haxton managed to survive and find a triple up, while Dvoress eliminated his countryman Greenwood.

They got all their chips in with KcJd for Haxton, AhJh for Dvoress and AcQd for Greenwood. But the best pre-flop hand ended up third after a run-out of KhJc7s6h9d.

Greenwood has been so near but yet so far a lot this week in Madrid, and the €580,000 he took for fourth here is another example.

Sam Greenwood with an expression that tells its own story

Haxton was now in a much better position than he had been previously, and it got even better for him when he doubled through Koon shortly after. Haxton’s Ac6c ran down Koon’s pocket queens when an ace came on the river.

Koon’s frustration only grew when Dvoress managed the same doubling trick through the chip leader soon after, Dvoress’s JdTs beating Koon’s AdQd. That put Dvoress into the lead and left Koon the short stack and needing a double. He got it very quickly, through Haxton, with QhJh cracking Haxton’s kings.

Haxton sat on that short stack for a while, getting his chips in every now and again, but either getting no customers or chopping pots. It couldn’t last forever, however, and Haxton did indeed become the next out, losing with Ah8h to Dvoress’ AdQd. The gods of short deck, more cruel even than the regular poker gods, gave Haxton an eight on the flop, but Dvoress a queen on the river.

Haxton won €760,000 for this one, but there was a €400K jump now for the heads-up players.

Isaac Haxton raps the table before leaving

They took a quick break before reconvening for the heads-up, with Dvoress’s 8.8 million ahead of Koon’s 4.8 million. There were still 140 antes between them, but that’s not a massive amount in short deck.

Even so, they did not look at any numbers. They both seemed content to play it out, and so knuckled down to do just that.

Jason Koon and Daniel Dvoress

The early exchanges were fairly benign, but then there was a sudden explosion and a huge double for Koon. He had AhKc against Dvoress’ KdQc and it stayed good. That put Koon up to the dizzy heights of 11 million, and in sight again of the title.

Not long later, he found those AsAc and Dvoress had QsTh. The aces held and the two went to look for their million-plus cheques.

That brought the curtain down on Triton Madrid. What a ride…

Triton Madrid – Event 13
€150,000 Short Deck One Bullet


Dates: May 24-25, 2022
Entries: 34 (inc. 10 re-entries)
Prize pool: €5,100,000

1 – Jason Koon, USA – €1,750,000
2 – Daniel Dvoress, Canada – €1,190,000
3 – Isaac Haxton, USA – €760,000
4 – Sam Greenwood, Canada – €580,000
5 – Seth Davies, USA – €460,000
6 – Dan Cates, USA – €360,000

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive

TRITON SERIES AND JACOB & CO.: AN EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP OF THE VERY BEST

The Jacob & Co Triton Epic X Skeleton

When Stephen Chidwick arrived to play the €150K Short Deck event at Triton Madrid today, there was something different about him. There was something spectacular glinting on his left wrist.

Last night, Chidwick won the Short Deck Main Event here at the Casino Gran Via, and banked €1.8 million. But he also won something that money can’t buy: the exclusive Triton Epic X Skeleton timepiece, created by the luxury jewellers Jacob & Co, which only Main Event victors on the Triton Series can boast.

“Beautiful,” Chidwick said, when asked about the watch immediately after strapping it to his wrist last night. And he now wears it proudly as he returns to action. The only other person with a similar item is Henrik Hecklen, who won his in the No Limit Hold’em Main Event. Hecklen spent the hours after his victory showing off his new accessory around the exclusive players party as his celebrations kicked off.

This brings great pride to both the staff of the Triton Series and Jacob & Co — the result of an exclusive collaboration that underlines the Triton Series’ commitment to offering a complete luxury experience for its players. The timepiece is designed to be both stunning but functional; something that Triton Series players will do everything they can to acquire.

The initial response to it has been universally positive, yet one more detail to match Triton’s most lofty ambitions.

Stephen Chidwick, with his new accessory

Triton Poker has a very simple aim: to be the very best at everything it does. Its staff talk about creating the Champions League of Poker, or liken its four-stop season to the Grand Slams in tennis and golf.

Triton already hosts the most prestigious poker tournaments, with the very best player experience. It visits the most dynamic cities and the most exclusive properties. It hosts the highest class live streams and recorded broadcast content. And it has an industry-leading app for players and fans to follow all the action.

Its new partnerships are with similarly market-leading brands that cater for the most demanding and most exclusive consumers — adding even more prestige to Triton’s exceptional all-round offerings.

“The Triton philosophy is to inspire and give back to the poker community by creating the elite stage for the world best players to compete,” says Chng Zhen Wei, Triton’s head of business development. “Triton also seeks deliver exceptional service to all stakeholders with the highest level of integrity and professionalism, culminating in the full Triton experience.”

He adds that Jacob & Co share this core philosophy. “Jacob & Co also puts its customer in the forefront, which is in tandem with Triton’s mantra as such having two companies that goes all out to give nothing but the best to the customers. This partnership would ideally create an exclusive brand alignment for both companies, allowing customers to express their individuality at the highest level.

“We look for partners that are exclusive, be bold to express themselves, to be a part of the world-class Triton experience and the poker community.”

Ruyi Xu, Regional Brand Director of Jacob & Co, visited Madrid for this first Triton Series stop since the partnership was signed. Some of Jacob & Co’s other exquisite timepieces were on display outside the tournament room, and Xu was keen both to showcase Jacob & Co’s products, and to meet Triton’s players to learn more about their lifestyle and demands.

“Triton is the perfect stage for the most elite poker players and businesspeople — and these are also our potential clients,” Xu explains. “Being here with the players and with Triton allows us to get to know the players. We can come to events and meet these people face to face, and understand their requirements and desires. We share their experiences. We can produce timepieces to reflect the life of an elite poker player. We can forge an emotional link with players.”

Champion Henrik Hecklen receives his new timepiece from Ruyi Xu

She adds: “Triton is also keen to produce a complete experience for its players, even outside of the poker, and as a luxury brand, we can be a part of that.”

All good partnerships offer benefits to both parties, and Xu laid out what Triton can bring to the esteemed jewellers — already one of the world’s leading jewellers.

“Triton has a very high standing in the poker community, and can offer Jacob & Co a lot of exposure,” Xu says. “It has its very popular live streams and social media channels, and its games are broadcast on TV in Asia, North America and Europe. We can appear in those broadcasts too.

“Triton gives us an audience of the kind of people for whom Jacob & Co can offer a lot. No other luxury brand has entered this world. It’s a new universe for us, but it’s been a great start.”

Xu says she hopes the partnership can extend to several years, in keeping with the manner of luxury timepiece production, where quality is prized much more highly than haste.

“Producing timepieces of this quality doesn’t happen overnight,” Xu says. “It takes sometimes up to 10 months. So I would imagine a collaboration to last two or three years. Jacob & Co produces very high end timepieces. We are an American company, but we produce timepieces in the Swiss watchmaking tradition, which takes a long time. So we hope for this to be a long partnership.”

As for the Triton Series watch itself, it’s an incredible piece of work.

It’s a 44mm skeleton timepiece designed with the personalised Triton logo integrated beautifully at the 12 o clock position as a part of the skeleton mechanism. It also features a rose gold face and the exclusive CHAMPION mark on the case-back, to celebrate the achievement of the Triton Champion.

The Triton/Jacob & Co timepiece in action on Stephen Chidwick’s wrist

Xu says: “The Triton Epic X Skeleton is the result of an exclusive collaboration with Triton. A lot of thought has gone into the design.

“Most importantly, this is a luxury watch but it can be worn every day. It is light and comfortable. It has a light titanium case, and a soft leather strap, which is very comfortable to wear over long periods, like a sport watch.

The skeleton timepiece means you can see all its intricate mechanisms; you can see the manual winding coil. You can see the ruby on the balance spring, which is the heart of the watch. The jewels protect the wheels.

The skeleton designs are very popular, and you can see the integrated Triton logo, in the well-known Triton black and gold colours. The Triton logo is part of the mechanical elements. It’s not just for decoration.”

The Jacob & Co stand in the Triton tournament lobby was highly popular, with many Triton players, and others who find a home at these series stops, visiting to learn more about the exceptional jewellery. “We offer players a boutique experience, without having to go to the boutique itself,” Xu said.

The Triton Epic X Skeleton is already the most sought-after accessory in the poker world. And long may this partnership continue.

A boutique without visiting a boutique: The Jacob & Co showcase at Triton Madrid

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive

TRITON MADRID — ALL THE REPORTS, PHOTOS AND NEWS

The spectacular tournament area at Triton Madrid

Welcome to the coverage hub for the Triton Super High Roller Series in Madrid. The event, which ran from May 13-25, 2022, featured 13 tournaments in no limit hold’em, short-deck and pot-limit Omaha, with buy-ins from €20,000 through €150,000. You’ll find all you need to know about the event below, including links to completed tournaments and results.


COMPLETED EVENTS

EVENT 14 – €30,000 SHORT DECK TURBO

Double champion Tom Dwan is even now getting used to winner’s photos!
DWAN HITS THE TWO-TIME AFTER LAST-GASP TURBO SUCCESS
Tom Dwan came to Madrid without a live multi-table tournament victory to his name, despite his gloried career. But he leaves as a two-time champion having added victory in the last-gasp short deck Turbo to success in the PLO secured earlier in the week. Dwan’s tournament wrapped at the exact same time as the €150K event, meaning two Triton Ambassadors won simultaneously.

Results:
1 – Tom Dwan, USA – €336,000
2 – Elton Tsang, Hong Kong – €233,000
3 – Ivan Leow, Malaysia – €148,500
4 – Danny Tang, Hong Kong – €114,000
5 – Richard Yong, Malaysia – €89,000
6 – Chris Brewer, USA – €69,500

33 Entries | €990,000 prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS


EVENT 13 – €150,000 SHORT DECK ONE BULLET

A new four-time champion: Jason Koon!
KOON MAKES IT FOUR AFTER DOWNING DVORESS
The Triton Ambassador Jason Koon put an end to a relatively poor run of form in Madrid, taking down the tournament with the highest buy-in of the trip and banking €1.75 million. It’s his fourth Triton title, bringing him level with Mikita Badziakouski.

Results:
1 – Jason Koon, USA – €1,750,000
2 – Daniel Dvoress, Canada – €1,190,000
3 – Isaac Haxton, USA – €760,000
4 – Sam Greenwood, Canada – €580,000
5 – Seth Davies, USA – €460,000
6 – Dan Cates, USA – €360,000

34 Entries | €5.1 million prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

IMAGE GALLERY


EVENT 12 – €100,000 SHORT DECK ANTE ONLY MAIN EVENT

Stephen Chidwick poses with his haul of goodies
CALM AND CONFIDENT CHIDWICK REPELS TONY G
Stephen Chidwick built back from an early loss on the final day to claim his first Triton title and his second €1m+ payday of this stop in Madrid. He beat Tony G heads-up to win €1.8 million.

Top five:
1 – Stephen Chidwick, UK – €1,800,000
2 – Tony Guoga, Lithuania – €1,305,000
3 – Mikita Badziakouski, Belarus – €840,000
4 – Richard Yong, Malaysia – €640,000
5 – Danny Tang, Hong Kong – €490,000

60 Entries | €6 million prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

IMAGE GALLERY


EVENT 11 – €25,000 POT LIMIT OMAHA

Champion at last, Tom Dwan!
DWAN ON CRUISE CONTROL TO TAKE PLO TITLE
Triton Ambassador Tom Dwan knocked out five of his seven final day opponents to breeze to his maiden Triton Series title. They went from eight returning players, through the bubble and to the champion in two-and-a-half hours.

Results:
1 – Tom Dwan, USA – €290,000
2 – Jeremy Ausmus, USA – €199,000
3 – Tom-Aksel Bedell, Norway – €127,000
4 – Patrik Antonius, Finland – €97,500
5 – Filip Lovric, Sweden – €76,500
6 – Elton Tsang, Hong Kong – €60,000

34 Entries | €850,000 prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

IMAGE GALLERY


EVENT 10 – €50,000 NLHE TURBO

Champion Laszlo Bujtas
BUJTAS WINS FIRST TITLE AFTER INCREDIBLE SHOW FROM FIRST-TIMER HOMLIAVYI
The Hungarian pro Laszlo Bujtas won a fun and frantic Turbo event, for €630K, but Ukraine’s Denys Homliavyi, playing his first ever poker tournament, took a heroic second place.

Results:
1 – Laszlo Bujtas, Hungary – €630,000
2 – Denys Homliavyi, Ukraine – €434,000
3 – Stephen Chidwick, UK – €277,500
4 – Wiktor Malinowski, Poland – €212,500
5 – Jeremy Ausmus, USA – €166,000
6 – Bali Gee, Malaysia – €130,000

37 Entries | €1.8m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

IMAGE GALLERY


EVENT 9 – €100,000 NLHE MAIN EVENT

Champion Henrik Hecklen, with timepiece, champagne and extras
HECKLEN STORMS TO MAIN EVENT TITLE
The formidable Danish tournament crusher Henrik Hecklen landed the biggest score of his career, winning the Madrid NLHE Main Event after a heads-up deal with UK-based businessman turned poker player Orpen Kisacikoglu. Both players won more than €2m.

Top five:
1 – Henrik Hecklen, Denmark – €2,170,509*
2 – Orpen Kisacikoglu, Turkey – €2,016,491*
3 – Kevin Paqué, Netherlands – €1,134,000
4 – Aleksejs Ponakovs, Latvia – €888,000
5 – Sam Grafton, UK – €716,000

93 Entries | €9.3m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

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EVENT 8 – €50,000 SHORT DECK ANTE-ONLY

Champion Chin Wei “Webster” Lim
LIM WINS €50K SHORT DECK TO CLAIM ANOTHER FOR MALAYSIA
A self-confessed poker fan-boy turned high-stakes pro, Chin Wei “Webster” Lim beat many of his idols to claim his first Triton title and more than €850K. There was another final table appearance by Phil Ivey, but Lim beat Bjorn Li heads up to win.

Top five:
1 – Webster Lim, Malysia – €855,000
2 – Bjorn Li, Hong Kong – €618,500
3 – Winfred Yu, Hong Kong – €399,000
4 – Elton Tsang, Hong Kong – €302,000
5 – Wai Kin Yong, Malaysia – €233,700

57 Entries | €2.85m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

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EVENT 7 – €75,000 NLHE 8-HANDED

Michael Addamo with his double trophy haul
ADDAMO DOUBLES UP AFTER DEAL AND DEFEAT OF CHIDWICK
Australia’s Michael Addamo picked up his second title of the series, and a €1m+ payday, but the UK’s Stephen Chidwick took the biggest slice of the €4.725m prize pool after the pair agreed a heads-up deal.

Top three:
1 – Michael Addamo, Australia – €1,152,086*
2 – Stephen Chidwick, UK – €1,291,414*
3 – Seth Davies, USA – €661,500
4 – Daniel Dvoress, Canada – €500,500
5 – Laszlo Bujtas, Hungary – €387,500

63 Entries | 4.725m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

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EVENT 6 – €50,000 NLHE 7-HANDED

Badziakouski became first to four titles
BRILLIANT BADZIAKOUSKI BECOMES FIRST FOUR-TIME TRITON CHAMP
A field of poker’s superstars built a prize pool of more than €5m — and none could beat Mikita Badziakouski, who won a record-setting fourth Triton title after a marathon heads-up battle with Danny Tang. Ivey, Mateos, Loeliger and Holz all cashed, but Badziakouski was best.

Top five:
1 – Mikita Badziakouski, Belarus – €1,340,000
2 – Danny Tang, Hong Kong – €932,000
3 – Fedor Holz, German – €616,000
4 – Mike Watson, Canada – €482,300
5 – Kevin Paque, Netherlands – €389,000

101 Entries | €5.05m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

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EVENT 5 – €25,000 SHORT DECK

Rui Cao celebrates his second Triton title
RUTHLESS CAO BULLDOZES TO SECOND SHORT DECK WIN
Frenchman Rui Cao put on a masterclass in big-stack aggression to win on the Triton Series for a second time, leaving Richard Yong one place short of emulating his fellow Triton co-founder’s earlier victory. There was another cash for Triton Ambassadors Tom Dwan and Jason Koon.

Top five:
1 – Rui Cao, France – €497,000
2 – Richard Yong, Malaysia – €357,000
3 – Kenneth Kee, Malaysia – €232,000
4 – Tom Dwan, USA – €175,100
5 – Choon Tong Siow, Malaysia – €136,000

68 Entries | €1.7m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

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EVENT 3 – €20,000 SHORT DECK

Champion Chris Brewer!
BREWER CAPITALISES ON BIZARRE MISTAKE TO WIN FIRST TITLE
After surviving a bizarre moment against Rob Yong that could have eliminated him, Chris Brewer recovered to win his first Triton title during only his second visit to the series. Tom Dwan also made the final, but was knocked out in seventh.

Top five:
1 – Chris Brewer, USA – €372,000
2 – Mike Watson, Canada – €269,100
3 – Rob Yong, UK – €173,600
4 – Max Silver, Ireland – €131,500
5 – Webster Lim, Malaysia – €101,700

62 Entries | €1.24m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

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EVENT 2 – €30,000 NLHE 7-HANDED

Champion Paul Phua!
AFTER 19 NEAR MISSES, PHUA FINALLY GRABS HIS TITLE
The Triton co-founder and tournament ever-present Paul Phua finally managed to claim a trophy on his 20th in-the-money finish, beating the American Hall of Famer Erik Seidel heads-up. Phua’s victory was greeted by delirious scenes in Madrid as he finally got victory he craved.

Top five:
1 – Paul Phua, Malaysia – €740,400
2 – Erik Seidel, USA – €514,800
3 – Isaac Haxton, USA – €340,300
4 – Kannapong Thanarattrakui, Thailand – €266,500
5 – Ben Heath, UK – €214,800

93 Entries | €2.79m prize pool
FULL RESULTS AND REPORT

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EVENT 1 – €20,000 NLHE

Michael Addamo got straight into the groove with victory in Event 1
ALL ABOUT ADDAMO AS AUSTRALIAN’S PURPLE PATCH CONTINUES
There was no one hotter in world poker than Michael Addamo and the Australian won his first Triton title, sweeping past Michael Soyza heads-up to win the curtain-raising No Limit Hold’em tournament in Madrid. Paul Phua finished fifth, earning his 19th career Triton cash.

Top five:
1 – Michael Addamo, Australia – €478,000
2 – Michael Soyza, Malaysia – €332,000
3 – Tommy Kim, South Korea – €219,5004
4 – Heung Wayne, Hong Kong – €172,000
5 – Paul Phua, Malaysia – €138,500

90 Entries | €1.8m prize pool
FULL REPORT AND RESULTS

IMAGE GALLERY


MORE COVERAGE

GET THE TRITON POKER PLUS APP

The Triton Poker Plus app is like nothing else available
Triton Poker unveiled its sensational new Triton Poker Plus app in Madrid, the best way to follow all the Triton Series events, and stay up to date with player results and the leader board race.

The exclusive Triton live stream shows all the action from the feature table, with hole cards exposed, but the app has complete hand histories for all hands played across all tables in the field.

You can also access the full archive of previous Triton cash game and tournament action.

Download for APPLE or ANDROID
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE APP

More useful links:
SHORT-DECK REFRESHER: What is short deck hold’em? Here’s a quick run-down on the important differences between short deck and regular, long-deck hold’em.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR EXPLAINED: There’s $200,000 in added money for the top performer during this season’s Triton Series. Find out more about this incredible freeroll.

CALM AND CONFIDENT CHIDWICK REPELS TONY G TO WIN SHORT DECK IN MADRID AND €1.8M

Stephen Chidwick poses with his haul of goodies

Arguably the best player in modern poker without a Triton Series title remedied the situation in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night as Stephen Chidwick, the online phenom turned high-stakes tournament boss, won the €100K Short Deck Main Event in Madrid. To do so, Chidwick had to battle past Tony Guoga (aka Tony G) heads up to claim a €1.8 million first prize.

“It feels incredible,” Chidwick said. “Such a big event. It feels amazing.”

Chidwick had been heads-up once before this week, taking the largest slice of a two-way chop with Michael Addamo, before being defeated with just the trophy and title on the line. But Chidwick made no mistake at the final table in this huge Main Event, overcoming an early blow that looked like scuppering his chances, to refocus, rebuild and then remain immune to the particular challenges of playing Guoga heads up.

His prize is that enormous pay-check, of course, plus the exclusive Jacob & Co timepiece, offered only to Main Event champions. (“Beautiful,” Chidwick said.) He also picks up a huge number of Player of the Year points, putting him into the overall lead.

These two men had played what had seemed like a tournament-defining pot within the first hour or so of play beginning, back before even the bubble had burst. In that one, Guoga cracked Chidwick’s aces with pocket queens and scored an enormous double up. It allowed Guoga all the privileges of a monster stack for the vast majority of the day, and forced Chidwick back on the ropes.

But when the two became reacquainted after everyone else had departed, Chidwick got the better of the old foe. Guoga, looking for a second career Triton title, banked €1.305 million for second. He had also had to bounce back from a micro-stack at one point to put himself in contention again.

A frustrated Tony G

There couldn’t really be a starker contrast between the table demeanour of these last two players. Chidwick is silent, focused and menacing; Guoga is no less of a tyrant, but does everything with more of a flourish, a rub-down and with the volume turned up. Guoga tried all his tricks at the final table, cracking wise, loudly ordering expensive drinks, attempting to get under Chidwick’s skin.

But the British player could not be shifted and would not be beaten. The only amazing thing is that it has taken Chidwick so long to lift a trophy, but he has a third, a second and now a first-place finish from this trip alone. And the floodgates could be about to open.

“It was a super long final table and I was short for a lot of it,” Chidwick said. “I lost count of the all-ins I won.” But he added that he was thrilled to win finally, especially on such a prestigious tour, and vowed only to “keep playing” and expressed a desire “just to get better”.

Champion Stephen Chidwick!

FINAL STAGES ACTION

The bubble burst when Webster Lim went out in ninth — read the bubble recap here — but the official table only allowed seven players. So the tournament progressed on for a little while on two four-handed tables. That was until Michael Soyza was knocked out in eighth, losing the last of his chips to Stephen Chidwick.

Soyza shipped a few to Danny Tang in a previous hand, and then open-pushed the hijack with As9s, for 665,000 (27 antes). Chidwick was in the hijack with TdTc and re-shoved for 1.125 million. That persuaded Richard Yong to fold his JhQh.

Michael Soyza cashed, but fell short of the final

The board would have smashed Yong. It came 8hQc7hQs7c. But Yong was irrelevant, and it missed Soyza. “GG boys,” Soyza said as he walked away, looking for €240,000. That’s his third cash of this trip to Madrid.

They finally now consolidated around a final table and Tony G, after his massive pre-bubble hand against Chidwick, still held a sizeable chip lead.

The stacks at the start of the official final were as follows:

Tony G – 5,025,000 (201 antes)
Mikita Badziakouski – 3,205,000 (128 antes)
Richard Yong – 2,880,000 (115 antes)
Danny Tang – 2,770,000 (111 antes)
Stephen Chidwick – 1,865,000 (75 antes)
Isaac Haxton – 1,485,000 (59 antes)
Seth Davies – 770,000 (31 antes)

Antes: 25K/50K

Short deck Main Event final table (clockwise from back left): Isaac Haxton, Richard Yong, Danny Tang, Tony G, Seth Davies, Mikita Badziakouski, Stephen Chidwick.

Seth Davies was the shortest stack and was obviously looking to get his chips in. The real problem with short deck, however, that even if you find the perfect spot, you never really have as much equity as you would probably like.

Here’s an example: Davies had AdKh and was looking at a flop of AcKs9c in a single raised pot. Mikita Badziakouski made a bet of 175,000 and Davies moved in for his last 555,000.

Badziakouski called with a dominated AhQh, but the turn and river were JcTd and that was a straight for Badziakouski. Davies was dust, but won €305,000.

The end of Seth Davies

Ever since the pre-bubble double up, things had been pretty easy for Tony G. His tracking line was pretty much flat, and any pronounced jerks were in the upward direction. He beat Danny Tang out of a pot with aces over ace-king and crept further upward — until he was forced to pay out Yong in full when the Triton co-founder turned a full house with KsQh. This wasn’t a loose call by Guoga, though. He also had a full house with his KdJs.

It pegged Guoga back a small amount, keeping him in sight of the chasing pack, now led by Yong.

By contrast to some of the leaders’ tracking graphs, Isaac Haxton’s suggested someone in need of a defibrillator. He was up, down, up and then down again, this final time being permanent. After Haxton opened pre-flop with QhJd, from a stack of around 2 million, Yong put it all-in, covering the American’s stack.

Haxton called and saw that Yong had him dominated with AdQd. Haxton flopped a gutshot, but missed it, and with that his tournament was done. Haxton’s third cash of the series earned him €380,000.

Isaac Haxton’s last stand

As players departed, the rich got richer and the smaller stacked — Tang and Chidwick, in particular — had to look for spots to either double or leave. When they clashed against one another, it was always likely to prove terminal for the loser. They did indeed butt heads, with Chidwick’s KsQs flopping a straight to beat Tang’s QhQd and though Tang had the marginally bigger stack, and doubled it quickly afterwards, Tang was knocked out on the first hand back from the dinner break.

This time his pocket jacks lost to Badziakouski’s AhQc and Tang’s tournament ended with a visit to the payout desk looking for €490,000. Tang has cashed four times this trip, and leapt almost immediately into the €150K event, looking for No 5. (He was sat next to Haxton.)

Danny Tang couldn’t double for a second time

All established patterns continued for the next level or so, where Tony G was able to raise frequently and take pots uncontested, while Chidwick had to navigate a minefield with his tiny stack and somehow find a way to grow it. He did exactly that in two major pots, doubling up first through Yong and then through Guoga, and that gave him 40 antes. That was roughly the same as Yong, so the table now split down the middle: Yong and Chidwick both equally short, and Badziakouski and Guoga equally much bigger.

There’s frankly not much point attempting to explain what happened next. Guoga began a steep downward slide, his magic touch having seemingly deserted him. Having been so dominant, he now spent a small amount of time as the tournament short stack. However, his fortunes turned back just as quickly, and in the space of about 15 minutes he was chip leading again, ruining the prospects of Yong in the process.

Tony G in formidable form

Guoga doubled through Chidwick, with Kd9s beating JsTs. And then he doubled through Yong, with KcKh beating AdQd.

The next time those two got their chips in, Guoga had Jh8h against Yong’s Ad8d and Guoga won that too. And that was the end for Yong, who took €640,000 for fourth.

Yong already had one second place finish from his Triton Madrid visit, and now had to make do with fourth as his search for a second title continues.

Another deep run for Triton co-founder Richard Yong

So what of Badziakouski? The Belarusian master had mostly taken a back seat in this short-handed insanity, but he doubled up Yong shortly before his elimination (Ah7h losing to AsKc) and he then lost a big one to Chidwick, shortly after they went three-handed.

Chidwick had Ac9s to Badziakouski’s KcJc. Badziakouski flopped a king, but Chidwick rivered an ace and a flush, to win it two ways. It left Badziakouski very, very short and his chips went in with QsTd, which ended up inferior to Guoga’s Ac6c. Badziakouski, with four titles already to his name, will have to wait for number five. He took €840,000 for third.

Mikita Badziakouski will have to wait for title No 5

And so there they were, heads-up, with Chidwick now in the last two for the second time. He previously banked €1.2 million after chopping Event #7 with Addamo, and he was now guaranteed another €1.3 million, at least. As for Guoga, he was eyeing a second Triton success, having won in Rozvadov in 2019.

Guoga had the chip lead again — 11.15 million (112 antes) to Chidwick’s 6.85 million (69 antes) — and we settled in for the long haul. “Tune in to Triton Poker for the greatest heads-up battle!” Guoga bellowed to the cameras.

The first meaningful pot heads up was a huge double for Chidwick. It went call, shove (from Guoga) and call from Chidwick pre-flop, with Chidwick’s 5.2 million stack effective. Chidwick was in bother with KsQs to Guoga’s AdKd, but rivered a queen to double.

Stephen Chidwick and Tony Guoga heads up

It was small ball from there, with Guogo nibbling back at Chidwick, and once turning down the oppotunity to gamble for it after Chidwick shoved pre-flop. “You’re too good to go all in,” Guogo jibed, looking for info. “You’re probably a very nice guy inside.”

Chidwick didn’t blink and Guogo folded that one.

Not long later, he did get it all-in, however. Both players had found big aces — AsQd for Chidwick and AdJs for Guoga. And despite a lot of outdraws in previous pots, this one ran pure.

That was it. Chidwick was the champion.

Triton Madrid – Event 12
€100,000 Short Deck Ante Only


Dates: May 23-24, 2022
Entries: 60 (inc. 28 re-entries)
Prize pool: €6,000,000

1 – Stephen Chidwick, UK – €1,800,000
2 – Tony Guoga, Lithuania – €1,305,000
3 – Mikita Badziakouski, Belarus – €840,000
4 – Richard Yong, Malaysia – €640,000
5 – Danny Tang, Hong Kong – €490,000
6 – Isaac Haxton, USA – €380,000
7 – Seth Davies, USA – €305,000
8 – Michael Soyza, Malaysia – €240,000

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive

SHORT DECK BUBBLE BURSTS AMID TENSION AND SILENCE IN MADRID

Another bubble for the unfortunate Webster Lim

The stereotypical short-deck hold’em hand features wild bets driven by pure speculation, then unlikely suck-outs, celebration and commiseration. But honestly, it’s not always like that.

Today at Triton Madrid, they’re playing the €100K Short Deck Main Event, where there’s €6 million in the prize pool and €1.8 million up top. But first there was the matter of a €240K bubble — and that meant play for the opening couple of levels took place in library-like silence, with pots kept mostly small as only nerves ratcheted up.

There were notable exceptions. On the very first hand of the day, Chris Brewer lost the last of his stack in a pot worth 2.8 million: QhQc losing to Stephen Chidwick’s AcKh. And then Jason Koon, the overnight short stack, was out with AhJd beaten by Isaac Haxton’s pocket queens.

Tony Guoga took the chip lead

The volume spiked fairly rapidly a few orbits after that, however, when Tony G doubled into the chip lead. Guoga limp-called Chidwick’s raise, and the pair saw the 6cQc9h flop. Guoga checked and Chidwick moved in, his 2.3 million covering Guoga’s stack by about 1 million.

Guoga called and showed his pocket queens. Chidwick’s pocket aces were in trouble, and didn’t get any help.

“Run the aces down, beat the pros,” a triumphant Guoga explained, prowling between the two tables. Chidwick shipped the chips over and assumed the duties of a short stack.

Even Guoga quietened down a little during the next hour or so as Phil Ivey silently departed. Guoga actually knocked him out, with Kh9h beating Ivey’s Jh9d, and Seth Davies, with QhQc also losing a chunk in a three-way pot. The board was 7h6h6d8cKc, with the river king sealing it.

Phil Ivey silently departed

Then Bjorn Li, who had finished in second in a previous short-deck event, headed out in 10th. All the eliminations to this point had come from the same table, but Richard Yong sent Li packing from the other table, with AcKd to Li’s KsQh.

That took nine players on to the stone bubble, and some difficult tournament administration for the floor staff. One table had five players and the other had four, but they would not combine until they were down to seven (and into the money). At this stage, they would play hand-for-hand, but they also had to be prepared to balance the tables.

Luca Vivaldi, the Triton tournament director, has introduced a number of innovations to make sure these kinds of situations are as fair as possible in these high-stakes tournaments, and here was another. After one round of play on the five-handed table (i.e., five hands) a player would be balanced from that table, on to the four-handed table. But in order that players didn’t adjust their play knowing they were about to be moved from a table, this balancing would only take place after a random number of subsequent hands.

The floor staff performed a random draw from one to five, out of the players’ sight, and after that many more hands, the under-the-gun player was due to move tables. If hand-for-hand went on for another five hands, then the process would repeat and a player would come back from the five-handed table onto the four-handed one. Repeat, repeat, like a tennis ball, for as long as it took.

So, first they needed to play five hands and, during this period, Isaac Haxton moved all in from the cutoff and pinched Mikita Badziakouski’s button ante. But Badziakouski pushed all-in on both the next two hands, earning it back from Chidwick and Seth Davies.

While they still awaited the result of the balancing lottery, Chidick and Badzkiakouski then played through the streets on a limped pot, with Chidwick’s pair of jacks winning it. “Nut low,” Badziakouski declared on the checked river.

They had played eight hands on the five-handed table when action paused because Webster Lim was all in on the feature table. He had been called by Yong. Lim, all-in for 620K or 25 antes, had QdJd and Yong had AhQc.

Lim picked up a flush draw on the turn, but missed everything and was out in ninth. It was the first all-in call of the bubble period and ended in elimination. That’s Lim’s second bubble of this stop, but he has also won an event, so is still going to come away from Madrid happy.

Webster Lim struggles to contain the disappointment

As are the other eight players, all now in the money in this €100K event. That’s a nice place to be.

Triton Madrid – Event 12
€100,000 Short Deck Ante Only


Dates: May 23-24, 2022
Entries: 60 (inc. 28 re-entries)
Prize pool: €6,000,000

1 – €1,800,000
2 – €1,305,000
3 – €840,000
4 – €640,000
5 – €490,000
6 – €380,000
7 – €305,000
8 – €240,000

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive

TRITON MADRID TAKES A MOMENT TO RELAX — THANKS TO IRON BALLS

Crack open the huge champagne

Players and staff alike work very hard at all events on the Triton Series. There are poker tournaments going on for about 12 hours of every day, plus cash games in the tournament down-time, as the world’s premiere high-stakes tournament series offers everything these elite players need.

The one exception was last night, where Triton hosted its players party at the conclusion of Day 1 of the PLO — in association with one of Triton’s new partners Iron Balls. There were free-flowing drinks, all the food you could eat, and some taste of the local culture too in the form of a flamenco quartet.

Those Iron Balls drinks incredible popular, of course: there was the “Full House” cocktail (Iron Balls vodka, ginger beer, kaffir, Campari and saline & citric soul) or the “Four of a Kind (Iron Balls Gin, cucumber & basil tonic, marrasquino, and green chartreuse).

There’s not much point in attempting to describe the scenes inside Casino Gran Via, especially when Triton photographer Joe Giron was there too. Here are a few snaps from the evening.

The Iron Balls gin and vodka went down very well at the party

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive

DWAN, ON CRUISE CONTROL, TAKES MAIDEN TRITON TITLE IN MADRID

Champion at last, Tom Dwan!

Triton Poker Ambassador Tom Dwan has his first title on the series where he holds legendary status already — bludgeoning through the €25K PLO field in Madrid to win €290,000.

It was a clinical display from Dwan, 35, who led the field from the mid-point of Day 1 and never relinquished it through a quick-fire final table. They went from eight players, through the bubble, and all the way to a champion in two-and-a-half hours.

That was due to Dwan’s formidable talents as a pot limit Omaha player. He never gave any of his opponents any chance to settle, and enjoyed the run of the cards as well. He was able to blast past opponents including his fellow online nosebleed superstar Patrik Antonius, and then ran over Jeremy Ausmus heads-up.

“It was cool,” Dwan said. “Honestly, it was fun to play because I had a big stack, and with this kind of structure you get to get away with a lot…That’s the fun kind of poker, and then every time I got called, I just got there. So that was fun.”

Never has a high-stakes tournament win seemed so easy. Never has a winner seemed so comfortable. After six previous cashes on the Triton Series, Dwan’s picture will now also appear on the board of champions.

Ali Nejad described Dwan’s performance as like a “hot knife through butter” and asked Dwan how he managed it. “Most of it was run-good,” Dwan said, but added that he thought some people were playing too tight from about 12 players onward.

Dwan also said how content he was playing on the Triton Series. “There’s a warm vibe, a warmer atmosphere,” he said. “It’s pretty chill.”

An unflustered Dwan is a joy to watch, and repeats of this final will be worth looking at if you’re looking for an entirely pure run to a major title.

Tom Dwan on cruise control

FINAL DAY ACTION

The day began with eight players, but the doom-filled knowledge that only six would be paid. It was therefore an exercise in attempting to look unflustered by the looming sight of a €60,000 bubble, particularly for Jeff Gross, Paul Phua and Tom-Aksel Bedell, whose smaller stacks put them most under threat.

PLO Final Table (l-r): Tom-Aksel Bedell, Filip Lovric, Jeremy Ausmus, Elton Tsang, Tom Dwan, Patrik Antonius.

DAY 2 STARTING STACKS

Tom Dwan, USA – 3,240,000
Jeremy Ausmus, USA – 1,980,000
Patrik Antonius, Finland – 1,795,000
Filip Lovric, Sweden – 960,000
Elton Tsang, Hong Kong – 660,000
Tom-Aksel Bedell, Norway – 595,000
Paul Phua, Malaysia – 550,000
Jeff Gross – 390,000

Gross had stepped out of the commentary booth to play this one, and was making his first appearance at the tables on the Triton Series. He certainly seemed to be enjoying himself, but he couldn’t cap it with a debut win. He became the first elimination of the day, losing with AhQhJh4s to Dwan’s QsTd8h5d, all-in pre-flop.

Jeff Gross narrowly missed out on the money

Dwan ended up pairing his five on a board that didn’t really connect with either of them, and Gross departed.

Nobody on the Triton Series loves poker more than Phua. He set the whole thing up, after all, because of his insatiable appetite for the game. We’ve talked before about his incredible short-stack play, but even he couldn’t navigate his way into the money in this tournament. He had only three big blinds and got them in with AdKc6c2d. Antonius called with AhKhJs9h and although those hands looked pretty similar, Antonius flopped a nine to expose their differences.

Paul Phua became the bubble boy

Phua chuckled his way off the tournament stage, and ambled through the tournament room stating, “Bubble boy!” to everybody, whether or not they asked. He’ll be back for the short-deck Main Event. No doubt about that.

Shortly before Phua’s elimination, Bedell had managed a double up through Dwan, which not only helped him through the bubble, it also pushed him at least one more spot up the ladder.

His cause was also helped by Elton Tsang becoming the next man out: Tsang pushed over Dwan’s open with AcKdKhJs. Dwan called with TsTd7d5h and the board of 7h7c6c9d8c gave Dwan a straight.

The end of Elton Tsang

Tsang’s kings were cracked and he picked up €60,000.

That was the first explosion in a rapid-fire period of play, which took us down to five, then four, then three and two players before the day was 90 minutes old.

Next out was Filip Lovric, who had the misfortune to find a big pocket pair in the small blind, when Ausmus had a bigger pair in the big blind. Dwan started this hand, opening to 210,000, and that was enough to prompt Lovric to jam for 465,000 with QdQhTd3h.

Filip Lovric, right, hits the rail

Ausmus looked down at the very pretty double-suited KsKh3s2h and also moved all-in, which persuaded Dwan out of it.

Lovric picked up a straight draw on the flop, but whiffed turn and river. His first appearance on the Triton Series earned him €76,500.

Fans of the online nosebleed cash games will have been licking their lips when first seeing this final table line-up as it gave the clear potential of an Antonius v Dwan heads-up duel. Those old adversaries have played thousands of hands against one another through the years, and the prospect of seeing a few more on the Triton live stream was very exciting.

Tom Dwan eyes Patrik Antonius

The problem was, Dwan had hit this particularly purple patch of form in this tournament, and was managing to win pretty much every pot he entered, including a huge showdown with Antonius when there were still four of them at the table.

With Dwan in the big blind, and 770,000 in his stack, Antonius opened to 280,000 under the gun. Dwan called. The flop was 8s5sAh and Dwan bet enough to put Antonius all-in. Antonius called.

Antonius had bottom two pair with his KcQc8h5h, and Dwan had a flush draw with his JsTs7h2d. The 2s on the turn hit Dwan, and Antonius couldn’t fill up on the river.

Patrik Antonius out in fifth

Antonius was out in fourth for €97,500, missing out on that heads-up duel with Dwan.

With Dwan seemingly unimpeachable, it was now down to Ausmus and Bedell to determine which one would try to take down Dwan in the final confrontation. Bedell had seemed like a huge underdog at the start of the day, but was still sticking around.

However, he ended up becoming the next player crushed by the Dwan juggernaut, in another pot where the inferior pre-flop holding came good. Dwan raised with his Td8h6h5c and Bedell called with his AcQs5h3h. That left him only 150K behind, two big blinds, but he didn’t see reason to risk it all yet.

Salute Tom-Aksel Bedell and his third-place finish

After the 7h2s6s flop, Dwan bet all the draws and Bedell put the rest of his chips in. Turn and river came 4s and 3s, and Dwan’s straight was one pip bigger than Bedell’s.

Bedell won €127,000 for third, his second cash in only his third Triton event. “Nice playing with you,” Ausmus and Dwan both echoed, as they shook Bedell’s hand.

The heads-up battle was thus decided: two Americans would go at it. Dwan had a more than three-to-one advantage — it was 2.5 million to Ausmus, 7.7 million to Dwan — but there were enough blinds in play to make it interesting. They were still in the 40K/80K level.

Ausmus, making his debut on the Triton Series in Madrid, won a couple of early pots to narrow the gap slightly, but Dwan then won pretty much everything else. His tracking graph, on the Triton Poker Plus app was a near enough straight upward slope.

Ausmus had only about 10 big blinds when they played the final hand. Dwan raised to 300,000 with QdQsJd3c and Ausmus called with 9d5s4d3h.

After the Jh8d3d flop, Ausmus moved in with his bottom pair and diamond draw, but Dwan called with an overpair and a better draw (as well as a three) and the 8s turn followed by the Kh river were blanks.

Jeremy Ausmus couldn’t get anything going against Dwan heads-up

Ausmus won €199,000, which was his second cash of his trip to Madrid, but Dwan was the deserving champ. It was all done and dusted by 2.30pm local time — just in time for the short-deck Main Event, a tournament Dwan also has his eye on.

“I like playing tournaments,” he said. “It’s nice not to be bummed out from not winning. Hopefully I’ll be up here again in a day or two.”

Triton Madrid – Event 11
€25,000 Pot Limit Omaha


Dates: May 22-23, 2022
Entries: 34 (inc. 9 re-entries)
Prize pool: €850,000

1 – Tom Dwan, USA – €290,000
2 – Jeremy Ausmus, USA – €199,000
3 – Tom-Aksel Bedell, Norway – €127,000
4 – Patrik Antonius, Finland – €97,500
5 – Filip Lovric, Sweden – €76,500
6 – Elton Tsang, Hong Kong – €60,000

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive

PAQUE LEADS THE WAY AS NINE LEFT IN MADRID MAIN EVENT SEEKING €2.4M FIRST PRIZE

Kevin Paqué heads the field going into the final

Triton Poker’s showpiece hold’em event in Madrid — the €100,000 buy-in Main Event — reached its final table late on Saturday night, finding the last nine players who will do battle for the lion’s share of an incredible €9.3 million prize pool.

The winner, who will be crowned on Sunday, is set to win €2.477 million — as well as an exclusive watch commissioned from Jacob & Co, a unique Main Event trophy, and the sole right to call himself the no limit hold’em Main Event champion from Triton’s first visit to Spain.

The last nine players are led by Kevin Paqué, the same player who bagged the chip lead at the end of a frantic Day 1. It was a fine showing from Paqué, who slipped out of that chip lead early in the day, but who was then able to navigate a path through the bubble, then to the final table.

In fact, he was the man responsible for bursting the bubble, sending Nick Petrangelo out in 14th (see below) and Paqué steadily chipped up from there. He leads Sam Grafton into the final, after the Brit won an enormous pre-bubble pot from Luuk Gieles, which sent the Dutchman home in 16th.

The final table also features the established pros Aleksejs Ponakovs, Henrick Hecklen, Patrik Antonius, Sam Greenwood and Bruno Volkmann, as well as the businessmen-turned-poker players Orpen Kisacikoglu and Alfred DeCarolis.

That is nine players from nine different countries, including Triton first timers and those who have been here many times before. (Only Hecklen has a Triton win before, however.)

There was no room for Sirzat Hissou, Brian Kamphorst, Chris Brewer and Linus Loeliger, who busted in 13th through 10th — in the money but before the final table. Loeliger was the last man out, shoving for 1.3 million with his Ac7c but running into Ponakovs’ AdKd.

Linus Loeliger, out in 10th

Loeliger took €200,000 for 10th, gave Ponakovs a huge boost ahead of the final, and left us with the following:

Kevin Paque, Netherlands – 5,125,000
Sam Grafton, UK – 4,225,000
Aleksejs Ponakovs, Latvia – 3,465,000
Henrick Hecklen, Denmark – 2,855,000
Sam Greenwood, Canada – 1,810,000
Patrik Antonius, Finland – 1,720,000
Bruno Volkmann, Brazil – 1,630,000
Orpen Kisacikoglu, Turkey – 1,505,000
Alfred DeCarolis, USA – 820,000

A reminder of what they’re playing for, and who has cashed already:

Triton Madrid – Event 9
€100,000 NLHE Main Event


Dates: May 20-22, 2022
Entries: 93 (inc. 34 re-entries)
Prize pool: €9,300,000

1 – €2,477,000
2 – €1,710,000
3 – €1,134,000
4 – €888,000
5 – €716,000
6 – €558,000
7 – €440,500
8 – €344,000
9 – €260,500

10 – Linus Loeliger, Switzerland – €200,000
11 – Chris Brewer, USA – €200,000
12 – Brian Kamphorst, Netherlands – €186,000
13 – Sirzat Hissou, Germany – €186,000

PETRANGELO BURSTS THE BUBBLE AS MAIN EVENT CLOSES IN ON ITS FINAL

Nick Petrangelo hit the rail in the most unfortunate spot

The skills of an elite poker player are practically limitless, but there’s one in particular that is never taught in the textbooks. It’s the skill of looking nonchalant when you’ve just hit the rail on the bubble in a €100K buy-in tournament, your chances of winning €2.4 million ended in the worst position possible.

Tonight at the Triton Madrid €100K Main Event, the player showing off this particular talent was Nick Petrangelo. Without question, Petrangelo is one of tournament poker’s absolute elite, but he’s had a stinking time of it on the Triton Series. He has $24 million in documented live tournament winnings, but none of it has come under the Triton branding.

Zero. Zilch. Cashless. And that unhappy record continued here in the Main Event where the bubble finish only added insult to injury.

Although there was one man with a shorter stack at the table, the obdurate Sirzat Hissou, Petrangelo found a good spot to get his last 14 big blinds in. He had QcJc and three-bet jammed after Kevin Paque opened his button.

Unfortunately for Petrangelo, Paque was near the top of his range with his AsKd. And there was no help on the board for Petrangelo.

That was the end of a comparatively short stone bubble period, although the threat of elimination had hovered over the tournament room ever since registration closed after two levels of Day 2.

Immediately following that close, there were a handful of players who had a freshly minted stack. At that stage, 250,000 chips was about 19 big blinds, so there was work to do.

Unfortunately for the likes of Brian Rast, Christoph Vogelsang, Jason Koon and others, they weren’t able to spin it up. They were soon joined on the sidelines by other superstars such as Ike Haxton, Fedor Holz, Phil Ivey and Michael Addamo, the latter unable to mount a serious challenge for his third victory of the week.

A field of 18 went to dinner, one of whom, Paul Phua, had only one big blind in his stack. Phua is an absolute master of short-stack play, but this was too big a mountain even for him. His departure in 18th brought the bubble much closer, with play spread across three short-handed tables.

The next player out had led the field at one point today — a position with which he is well accustomed. But Steve O’Dwyer lost a big pot with AdQc against Orpen Kisacikoglu’s pocket kings, and the same player finished off O’Dwyer. On the final hand, O’Dwyer flopped a pair of tens with his QcTc, but Kisacikoglu managed to turn trip fives with his Ah5c. All the money went in and O’Dwyer was done, bringing the field down to two tables.

There was then a slight slowdown in proceedings, before a huge explosion. Although there were 16 players remaining, two hands played out simultaneously on the feature and outer table that had the potential to burst the bubble immediately.

Up on the feature, Sam Grafton won a huge one from Luuk Gieles. Grafton opened to 80,000 from the hijack with Qs9s and Gieles called with AhQh on the button. Patrik Antonius also called in the big blind.

Sam Grafton won a massive pot to eliminate Luuk Gieles

The two saw a dangerous flop of Qc3s4c and, after Antonius checked, Grafton checked too. Gieles then bet 55,000, Antonius called, and then Grafton check-raised to 230,000. Gieles three-bet to 430,000 and that was too much for Antonius. But Grafton called.

The 9d came on the turn, giving Grafton two pair. He checked and Gieles moved all in for 585,000. Grafton snapped him off.

The Jh was a blank on the river, and Grafton’s outdraw scooped him a huge pot. “What a punt,” Gieles was heard to mutter as he wandered away from the table.

At that exact time, Henrik Hecklen, Bruno Volkmann and Andras Nemeth were playing a big hand on the outer table. Hecklen raised the hijack, making it 80,000. Volkmann three-bet the cutoff, putting 220,000 in the middle, and then Nemeth shipped for 370,000 from the button.

Hecklen, with the covering stack, called the all-in and that persuaded Volkmann to let it go. His fold meant we couldn’t burst the absolute bubble here, but Nemeth’s departure, if it happened, would leave us with 14.

And Nemeth did depart. He had found pocket jacks at precisely the wrong time. Hecklen had queens and the board ran out dry. Nemeth headed out the door.

We don’t know what Volkmann had in that hand, but his decision to fold kept him alive. And that was a big deal because moments later Petrangelo found himself all-in on the feature table. And we know how that turned out.

Thirteen players therefore remained and the quest now continued for the eight players who will sit at the final table. Here’s a reminder of what’s on offer to all of them.

Triton Madrid – Event 9
€100,000 NLHE Main Event


Dates: May 20-22, 2022
Entries: 93 (inc. 34 re-entries)
Prize pool: €9,300,000

1 – €2,477,000
2 – €1,710,000
3 – €1,134,000
4 – €888,000
5 – €716,000
6 – €558,000
7 – €440,500
8 – €344,000
9 – €260,500
10 – €200,000
11 – €200,000
12 – €186,000
13 – €186,000

Luca Vivaldi & Ruyi Xi unveil details of the exclusive Main Event winners’ prize

There was huge excitement in the tournament room of Triton Madrid this afternoon as registration closed on the €100K No Limit Hold’em Main Event, and players learned what they had the chance to win.

By the time the shutters came down on the registration desk, there had been 93 entries to the tournament, including 34 re-entries, which meant €9.3 million in the prize pool.

Thirteen players will be paid, with a min-cash worth €186,000. The winner of this showpiece event will earn €2.477 million. Wow.

Triton Tournament Director Luca Vivaldi also revealed details of an additional prize. In affiliation with Triton’s new partner Jacob & Co, the Main Event winner will also be awarded an exclusive watch.

To call it just a watch seems to understate it, however. This is a truly exceptional piece of kit, the result of an exclusive collaboration.

The exclusive Jacob & Co timepiece

Named the Triton Epic X Skeleton, it is a 44mm skeleton timepiece with the Triton logo integrated at the 12 o’clock position. It has a rose gold face and the word “CHAMPION” engraved on the case back. Look out for more details, and further information about Triton’s partnership with Jacob & Co, later this week.

Winners of both the short deck and long deck Main Events will get the watch — as well as the exclusive Triton trophy, of course.

Ruyi Xi, Regional Brand Director of Jacob & Co, joined Vivaldi on stage to reveal details of the prize. She then instructed dealers to shuffle up and deal as this freezeout part of the tournament began. Anyone out from now can’t come back.

The Triton Main Event trophy

Photography by Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive