Though the first three days of the Triton Series Cash Game Invitational in Montenegro had been characterised by enormous pots, massive swings and daredevil plays, it quickly became apparent on Day 4 that we’d merely been watching the appetiser. Things could get much, much wilder.
For the second day running, the buy-in was a minimum of $500,000, but two players were felted within the opening few orbits. And action barely slowed from that point on as stacks grew deeper and pots ever bigger.
We started with a mouthwatering line-up, featuring some of the undisputed stars of the first few days — Elton Tsang, Andy Ni, Tan Xuan, ST Wang, Paul Phua and Tony G — alongside the Spanish superstar Adrian Mateos, making a rare appearance at a cash game.
With Elizabeth Chen, Phil Ivey and Handz among those waiting in the wings, it was clear that sympathy for the busted would be in short supply. Everyone wanted those seats.
Here’s a run down of some of the key hands from Day 4 at the Maestral Resort. It was not one for the faint-hearted.
XUAN WELCOMES MATEOS TO THE LION’S DEN
It was only the third hand of the night when Adrian Mateos and Tan Xuan got involved in a pot against each other: the young tournament sensation coming to play the cash-game titan’s den. The TV director gave Xuan the Mystery Hand as he made it $7,000 to go, but we saw Mateos with his 
in the small blind bump it up to $32,000. Xuan called the bet.
The flop missed Mateos. It came 
and Mateos pretended it was good for him. He bet $40,000. Xuan, looking at a flop that actually was in his range, made the call.
The 
turn hit Mateos. He bet $90,000. You don’t get rid of Xuan that easily, however. He came along to the 
river.
Mateos now had top two pair and bet $168,000. It seemed initially to confuse Xuan, who said, “So small?” He then talked through a couple of potential holdings, including the ace king that Mateos did indeed have. However, despite the speech, Xuan then announced that he was all in, for a stack that covered the $163K Mateos still had back. The dealer seemed not to hear the all-in declaration, and neither did Mateos. He thought it was a call, and Mateos tabled his top two pair.
But then, after a ruling, Mateos learned that he still had the option to call or fold. We hadn’t yet seen Xuan’s hand. Mateos seemed to genuinely be considering folding, but just couldn’t find it. Xuan got to show his pocket tens for a flopped set, felting Mateos before things had really even got started. Mateos reached for another $500K.
MATEOS AND XUAN AT IT AGAIN
Only a couple of hands after the one in which Mateos lost his first buy-in, Tan Xuan raised to $7,000 from the hijack with 
and Mateos again got involved, this time with the Mystery Hand in the small blind. He liked it well enough to call and the others left these two to it once again.
The flop this time was queen high — 
— and Mateos checked it. Xuan, with top pair, bet $10,000. Mateos called.
The turn was the 
and both players checked it. Then the 
river added another level of intrigue. Mateos bet 26,000 to put Xuan in a difficult spot with his two pair, and Xuan thought better of it. He laid it down.
Only Mateos knew that he got away with one there. He had 
for a busted flush draw. He desperately needed the fillip, even if it was only a $67K pot.
TSANG FELTS TONY G
In addition to the two Mateos vs. Xuan pots, the table also had three or four big pre-flop raising hands, most of which featured Tony G, but none of which ended up with a win for him. Then when Tony G did go further, he found Elton Tsang in sticky mode at the same time.
It was actually the very hand after the Mateos bluff that Tsang found 
in the small blind and raised to $8,000. Tony G picked up the beautiful 
in the big blind and three-bet to $32,000. Tsang called and got some instant love from the dealer, who put the 
on the table.
Tsang checked, but then sprang into a check-raise after Tony Go bet $20,000. Tsang made it $50,000 and Tony G called. The turn connected with Tony G, but it was still better for Tsang, who led $75,000.
Tony G called, with the 
landing on the river. Tsang barrelled again. This time he went big, all in for $289,000 into a pot of $319,000. Tony G was in a world of hurt as he called, learning that he too needed a reload. Tsang won the $900K pot.
MILLION DOLLAR POT ALERT!
The crazy start to the day continued on the very next deal too, with Andy Ni finding red pocket queens. Ni had been one of the big winners over the previous three days, and he came in with a three-bet to $24,000, following Tan Xuan’s latest open raise. Xuan made it $7,000 with 
.
Xuan called and was rewarded with a perfect flop of 
. That turned his suited one gapper into two pair. Xuan checked it though, allowing Ni to bet $21,000 with his over-pair. Xuan now piled in an enormous check-raise, making it $200,000.
Ni jammed for $495,000 and Xuan called instantly, setting up a pot of $1,046,000. They opted to run it twice and, after Xuan’s hand held on the first run-out, the 
on the second turn was a lifeline for Ni. They ended up chopping it up, but what drama!
NI’S BOAT BEATS THREE
There was clearly something in the air during the early exchanges, with money flying around with crazy abandon. Nobody was trying to hide either, and four players soon went to a flop together after a $10K pre-flop raise from Andy Ni.
Ni was UTG+1 with red pocket sixes. His three opponents were Elton Tsang, in the cutoff, with , Paul Phua in the small blind with 
and Tan Xuan in the big blind with pocket eights.
The flop came 
, giving Ni a set, but smashing Phua, who flopped a flush. Phua checked it, and it was Xuan, with second pair, who led for $10,000. Ni called and Tsang called (he had the ace of clubs), and then Phua opted just to call as well.
If Phua was suspicious, he will have hated the sight of the on the turn. Ni now filled up. Phua checked again and Xuan continued his aggressive line with a bet of $35,000. Ni continued to disguise his strength with a call, and Tsang still hoped to hit his flush. He called too. Phua also just called again.
The river was the exact card that could kick things off again. Phua checked. His flush was now much weaker than he’d have liked. Xuan now also gave up. He checked. Ni, however, now bet $180,000 to put Tsang in a horrible position, having hoped to hit the nut flush, hitting it, but now realising he might not be good.
Tsang put out the call. Phua realised that he needed to fold his flush. Xuan got out the way as well. Ni showed his boat to Tsang and took the $589,000 out there. It was another great pickup for him.
TSANG GETS HIS REVENGE ON NI
Although first blood went to Andy Ni in his personal battle with Elton Tsang, Tsang got it all back and change a few hands later in a slow-moving cooler. Ni had pocket jacks and Tsang had pocket kings.
Tsang was in the straddle, so Tony G was first to raise, making it $11,000 from UTG+1. Ni called with his jacks in the small blind, then Tsang three-bet to $55,000 from the straddle. Tony G found a good fold, but Ni couldn’t. He paid to see a low flop: 
. It went check (Ni), bet $40,000 (Tsang), call, taking them to the 
turn.
It went check, bet ($155,000), call again. The river was then the , sending Tony G staring at the heavens (he would have had the nut flush), but leaving Tsang to work out a way to get it all in. Ni checked and Tsang just ripped it, for his last $367,000. Ni’s call put the pot up to $1.25 million — and it all went to Elton Tsang.
“I folded ace queen of hearts,” Tony G admitted. Tsang shook his hand and said, “Thank you, Tony. You’re my best friend, forever.”
Ni, meanwhile, quietly asked for another half million in chips from the tournament staff.
NI FALLS INTO WANG’S TRAP
Andy Ni quickly got some of his freshly-unsealed chips back to work, but unfortunately for him, he had to surrender a chunk of them to ST Wang. This was a collision between two of the understated stars of the week so far, but Wang came out on top in this one.
Ni was in the straddle with and action folded all the way around to Wang in the big blind, who had a Mystery Hand. Wang just called the $4,000, so nobody was any the wiser what he could possibly be sitting with.
The flop was 
, which meant Ni had flopped bottom two pair. Wang checked, Ni bet $5,000 and Wang check-raised to $16,000. Ni called.
The 
turn seemed to be a blank, but Wang led out for $27,000. Ni wanted to find out what was going on and raised it to $90,000. Wang was undeterred. He called and the 
completed the board.
Wang checked quickly. Ni thought there was still some value in his two pair and bet $160,000. Wang slammed that door back in his face, pushing out a check-jam to $464,000. Ni was now in a whole lot of trouble and after a long period of thought, tossed his cards away.
Only then did we discover it was the ultimate slow play from Wang. He had limped pocket aces, flopped a set and only went for it on the river. Great play by both players: Wang’s hand was completely disguised, but somehow Ni sniffed it out.
TONY G LOSES BACK-TO-BACK, HEADS AWAY
Tony G endured a difficult session at the tables on Wednesday night and cut it short after losing another two sizeable pots and landing in a $1.3 million hole.
Ni won the first of those, sitting with in the straddle and calling Tony G’s opening raise of $10,000. Tony G had 
.
The flop was 
, giving Ni bottom pair. Tony G continued the betting, making it $10,000 to go. Ni called and was rewarded by the on the turn. Tong G still went for it, betting another $25,000 with ace-high. Ni raised him to $80,000, and a stubborn Tony G called.
The river connected with Tony G’s hand. But it only served to cost him more chips. Ni bet $150,000, Tony G called it. But the $588,000 pot went to Ni and left Tony G steaming.
It only got worse, however. Tony G found pocket kings but any hope that would start his recovery were quickly snuffed out by the sight of aces in Elton Tsang’s hand. Tsang limped, Tony G raised to $20,000 and then it all got crazy. Tsang three-bet to $100,000. Tony G four-bet to $245,000 and Tsang called.
The flop was and Tony G checked it. Tsang bet $150,000. Tony G gave it a lot of thought, and perhaps even considered folding. But Tsang’s reputation was just too weighted towards any-two type holdings and Tony G decided to rip in his last $492,000.
Tsang called, the turn and river did not feature a king (they ran it once), and Tony G vanished without a trace. He was out of it before the first break of the day. Elton Tsang, meanwhile, headed to that break $1.47 million up already.
CHEN ARRIVES, SUFFERS
Elizabeth Chen pulled up a chair at the first break of the day, but things did not go her way in the early stages. Indeed, she lost a chunk to Andy Ni before she had had a chance to really get going.
Chen picked up 
in early position and put in an opening raise to $12,000. Adrian Mateos called in the cutoff, then Ni looked down at on the button and three-bet to $48,000. As we’ve learned over the past few days, Chen refuses to be pushed around and she lumped in a five-bet to $110,000. That got rid of Mateos, but Ni called.
“This is going in,” said Randy Lew in the commentary booth as the dealer put the flop of 
on the table. Ni had top pair; Chen an open-ender. Lew was right. Chen bet $80,000, Ni shoved with the covering stack, and all of Chen’s $311,000 remaining chips landed over the line.
The opted to run it twice, but Chen whiffed all four cards. Ni took the lot, building his stack to $1.1 million, while Chen needed a reload.
CHEN GETS ONE TO HOLD; DOUBLES THROUGH XUAN
Finally, Elizabeth Chen got a hand to hold up, and finally she won a significant pot, squaring off against Tan Xuan. Chen received fist-bumps from around the table after her pocket queens stayed good against Xuan’s pocket nines in a pot of close to a million bucks.
ST Wang started things, raising to $11,000 with . Xuan called with his 
, but Chen raised it to $57,000 from the big blind.
The 
was a good looking board for both players. They each had an overpair. Chen bet $50,000 and Xuan called. The 
was another dry card. Chen bet again, this time $110,000. Xuan was still not a believer, and called again.
The river left Chen with only one move. She jammed for her last $274,000. When Xuan called, the pot swelled to $1,003,000 and it was all heading in Chen’s direction. Cue: jubilation around the table.
IVEY FILLS MATEOS’ CHAIR, SHOWS CLASS STRAIGHT AWAY
Adrian Mateos needed to vacate the hot seat at the second break, licking his $776,000 wounds. Phil Ivey slipped into the pro’s position, and got his stack quickly moving in the right direction.
Elton Tsang raised to $12,000 from the cutoff with and Ivey, one seat along, called with 
. Tan Xuan was in the big blind and he raised to $59,000 having looked down at pocket sevens. It put the decision back on Tsang, with his small pocket pair.
Tsang had to worry about both Ivey and Xuan, but he called the $59,000. This, however, set up a perfect squeeze opportunity for Ivey. He seized on it with a jam of $453,000. His two opponents now liked their situation a whole lot less and both laid down their pairs.
With that, Ivey added around $130K to his stack without needing to see a flop — and with the third-best hand of three.
HANDZ TAKES ON TSANG
American crypto investor Handz had quietly impressed all viewers with his shrewd navigation through the exceptionally choppy waters of the Triton cash game tables. And returning for the fourth day, he waited once again to pick his spot in a pot against Elton Tsang. It turned out to be the wrong spot, however.
ST Wang opened the action with 
, making it $11,000 to go from the hijack. Tsang called on the button. Handz looked down at in the small blind and raised to $60,000. Everyone got out the way, with the exception of Tsang, who made the call with a Mystery Hand.
The flop came 
. Handz bet $40,000. He didn’t have much, but when has that mattered? Tsang was going nowhere. His call took them to the turn.
Handz now had top pair but checked. Tsang checked behind. The river was the and Handz took his time before announcing that he was all in for $276,000. Tsang snap-called, nodding his head when Handz asked, “Do you have a nine?”
Tsang tabled having flopped a straight draw and got there on the end. This $770K pot went to Tsang and left Handz looking for more chips.
ONE MORE FOR DOMINANT TSANG
Three enormous stacks — Elizabeth Chen, with $1.3 million, Andy Ni, with $1.4 million and Elton Tsang, with $1.6 million — got to a flop after a pre-flop raise to $11,000 from Ni in the cutoff. Ni had , Tsang had on the button and Chen had 
in the straddle (aka UTG).
Chen checked the even though she had top pair. Ni bet $16,000 with air, while Tsang called with his open ender. Chen also called.
The turn now gave Ni bottom pair, and after a check from Chen, he bet $70,000 at it. Tsang decided to stick around, while Chen let her top pair and flush draw go.
She was likely kicking herself when the completed the board. It made Ni runner-runner two pair and filled Tsang’s straight. Chen would have made the nut flush.
Ni checked it. Tsang, however, went big. He bet $200,000, nearly full pot, putting Ni to the test. Ni has made a series of excellent folds in these cash games over the past few days, and this was another one. He managed to escape the trap.
TONY G COMES BACK, PLAYS BACK
After hitting the showers early on, Tony G came back to the table for the final session of the night — and he pulled off one of the plays of the day. It wasn’t enough to dig him out of the hole he was in, but it was one for the highlights reel.
He got involved in a pot against Tan Xuan where neither man really had anything. But Tony G had the guts to get his full stack in first, and that was decisive.
Tony G was in the straddle of $4,000 and he was the only one interested after Xuan limped with 
in the small blind. Tony G looked at 
and raised to $24,000. Xuan called.
The flop brought the , which was a flush draw for Tony G. Xuan had a straight draw but checked. Tony G bet $50,000, a full pot bet.
Xuan pondered a little, then put in a big check-raise, to $160,000. Tony G called it.
Both players whiffed their draws when the fell on the turn. Xuan still felt like betting, though. He put $382,000 over the line. Tony G sniffed something out. He shoved, for $1.3 million and Xuan snap-folded.
With that. Tony G took down the $700K pot and found some solace for his earlier struggles.
THREE-TIME RIVER RUN SAVES SOME FOR HANDZ
As always, the late day action was especially crazy, and that’s just how Elton Tsang likes it. Although he dropped from his high water mark to a profit of “only” around $900K, he took another big chunk in a pot against Handz.
Tsang had and called from UTG+2. Handz called with and Tan Xuan stuck in a raise to $27,000 with the mighty . Andy Ni, in the straddle, came along with his 
, and that persuaded the others in as well. They went four-way to the flop of 
, which was a flush for Tsang.
There were three checks and then Tsang tickled $25,000 into a pot four times that size. Handz took the bait, raising to $125,000. Xuan and Ni departed, but Tsang stuck around, obviously. The missed Handz’ draw but gave him top pair. Handz bet $150,000.
Tsang took his time, and asked for a count of Handz’ stack. He eventually shoved it in, with Handz needing to think about whether to call his last $370K. Handz decided to go with it, and they decided to run it three times.
Tsang won the first one. Tsang won the second one. But Handz won the third and took a small rebate. Tsang added $263,000 to his stack, but it might have been more.
LUCKY MAN IVEY TAKES A LATE ONE FROM TSANG
As the witching hour approached, Phil Ivey found a good spot, and a good hand, to take some chips from Elton Tsang. Tsang limped with and then called after Ivey bumped it up to $20,000. Both players then checked the flop. Ivey was playing the Mystery Hand.
After the turn, Tsang checked and Ivey bet $30,000. Tsang had a straight now and check-raised to $85,000. Ivey called.
The river was the , which meant any queen now gave Ivey the same straight as Tsang. And an ace-queen would give him the higher straight. Tsang checked it, but Ivey wanted to represent. He bet $225,000.
Tsang seemed to know this was bad news, but he couldn’t fold the second nuts. Ivey duly turned over the and padded his stack by $672,000 late on.
MILLION BUCKS TO NI AS XUAN’S PROFIT EVAPORATES
Andy Ni has been consistently brilliant at all stages during this cash game invitational, and he found a spectacular call to win a $1.124 million pot from Tan Xuan late on Wednesday’s action.
Xuan raised to $12,000 from the cutoff and Ni called on the button with . That was just the start of a pot that got big quick. The flop came and Xuan bet $19,000. Ni called with middle pair.
Ni’s hand improved to two pair after the turn. Xuan checked, Ni bet $46,000, but Ni found one of his familiar check-raises. He made it $175,000 to go. Ni made the call again.
The river was potentially devastating for Ni. All the main draws got there. Xuan wanted to represent precisely that. He bet $350,000. But Ni, once again, made precisely the right play. Having made big river laydowns in situations like this, he called this time. Xuan was forced to show his and Ni picked it up.
DAY 4 PROFIT/LOSS
UP
Elton Tsang: +$1,345,000
Andy Ni: +$1,131,000
Phil Ivey: +$628,000
Paul Phua: $195,000
Ferdinand: $48,000
DOWN
Handz: -$187,000
Elizabeth Chen: -$395,000
Tan Xuan: -$639,000
Adrian Mateos: -$776.000
Tony G: -$1,350,000
Photography by Drew Amato