Wai Kin Yong Banks Wins Triton London for £2.59 million

The Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London festival continues to create some massive prizes with another four players getting their hands on more than £1 million in the £100,000 buy-in Main Event.

Malaysia’s Wai Kin Yong, son of prominent Asian businessman and poker player Richard Yong, was the last man standing in the £100,000 buy-in event that attracted 78 unique players who made 52 re-entries between them. The top 17 finishers won a slice of the £12,220,000 ($14,871,608) prize pool created.

Triton Poker £100,000 London Main Event Final Table

 

Place	Player	Country	Prize (GBP)	Prize (USD)
1	Wai Kin Yong	Malaysia	£2,591,695*	$3,148,391*
2	Paul Phua	Malaysia	£2,558,305*	$3,107,828*
3	Ben Heath	United Kingdom	£1,350,000	$1,644,718
4	Michael Soyza	Malaysia	£1,120,000	$1,364,507
5	Sam Greenwood	Canada	£902,000	$1,098,915
6	Michael Chi Zhang	United Kingdom	£711,000	$866,218
7	Stephen Chidwick	United Kingdom	£544,000	$622,760
8	Daniel Cates	United States	£410,000	$499,507
9	Wai Leong Chan	Malaysia	£305,000	$371,584

Some of those who cashed in this event are well-known on the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series. Timothy Adams has enjoyed himself in London, cashing twice for £1,707,000. The Canadian added another £192,000 ($233,662) to that sum by finishing in 16th place.

Justin Bonomo collected £201,600 ($245,345) for his 15th place finish as he attempts to claw his way back to the top of the all-time money listings, while partypoker sponsored pro Isaac Haxton saw his 12th place exit net him £220,000 ($267,738).

Main Event Final Table Reached

Each of the nine finalists locked up £305,000 ($371,182). This is the sum Wai Leong Chan got his hands on when he became the first player to fall at the star-studded final table. Chan busted on only the third hand of the day and was joined later by Daniel “Jungleman” Cates and Stephen Chidwick who were eliminated during the same hand.

That hand took place at the 80,000/160,000/160,000a level. Cates moved all in from the cutoff for 1,650,000 with ace-three, Chidwick three-bet jammed for 2,300,000 with ace-seven, and Michael Soyza called from the big blind with ace-queen of diamonds. Soyza’s hand held and Cates hit the rail in eighth place for £410,000 ($499,507) with Chidwick securing seventh-place and £544,000 ($622,760).

Michael Chi Zhang of the United Kingdom was the next player scrambling to the cashier’s desk after an ill-timed move against Triton Poker co-founder Paul Phua. Phua opened to 425,000 from the hijack during the 100,000/200,000/200,000a level and instantly called when Zhang three-bet all in for 25 big blinds with what turned out to be a pair of black nines. Phua held pocket queen, which flopped a set and turned quads to end Zhang’s run. Zhang netted £711,000 ($866,218) for his impressive run.

Everyone Here Becomes a Millionaire!

Fifth-place and £902,000 ($1,098,915) went to Canada’s Sam Greenwood who was short stack by the time he committed his last 1,675,000 chips with the lowly ten-eight from the small blind. Wai Kin Yong called from the big blind with jack-three and no help arrived for Greenwood.

Almost immediately after, the action folded to Soyza in the small blind and he moved all-in for around 11 big blinds with pocket eights. Yong called from the big blind with queen-deuce of hearts and went on to flop a flush. Soyza headed into the London evening having won £1,120,000 ($1,364,507) while Yong soared to the top of the chip counts.

Recent World Series of Poker bracelet winner Ben Heath then saw his tournament end in third-place at the hands on Phua in what was a cooler of a hand. Heath completed his small blind, Phua raised to 925,000, Heath responded with a 2,500,000 bet of his own before snap-calling when Phua went all in.

It was pocket kings for Heath and ace-king for Phua. The flop came down queen-jack-ten to gift Phua a Broadway straight and neither the turn nor river came to Heath’s rescue. While bitterly disappointed not to win another major live poker title, Heath could console himself with the £1,350,000 ($1,644,718) he was awarded.

A Done Deal

Yong and Phua took a brief 15-minute break during which time they struck a deal to flatten the payouts. First Phua pulled away before Yong took the lead and it was Yong who was in the driving seat when the final hand took place.

Phua moved all in for 4,250,000, a shade over 10 big blinds, with queen-six of clubs and Yong looked him up with the king-jack. Two clubs appeared on the nine-seven-seven flop to give Phua plenty of outs. The six of diamonds turn was not one of them, neither was the jack f spade river, meaning Phua crashed out in second-place for £2,558,305 ($3,107,828) and Yong lifted the winner’s trophy before collecting £2,591,695 ($3,148,391) for his superb victory.

Speaking of the rapidly growing Triton Poker Super High Roller Series, champion Yong said, “The brand is growing stop after stop, and we are very lucky to have many friends and professional players who support us. We try to make the event as fun and comfortable as it can be. Players want to come back because of that, and I’ve seen a lot of new faces, maybe 30 percent are new players in London. I’m very, very happy.”

Photo credit: Joe Giron of Poker Photo Archive

Matthew Pitt

If it’s something you can play online for real money, chances are Matthew knows a bit about it. He’s been writing about slots, craps and poker for the better part of the last decade. He’s written for PokerNews, PartyPoker and many other respected online gambling websites during the last nine years.

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