Christoph Vogelsang Wins Triton Monte Carlo Event #6 for $2.6 million

German super high roller legend Christoph Vogelsang has cashed for millions in recent years. In 2023, he had already won over $1.4 million before he sat down in the Triton Poker Series Monte Carlo to play their $100,000-entry No Limit Hold’em 8-Max Event #6. With a turnout of 78 total entries including some of the best players in the world, Vogelsang won his first live poker event in six years to claim the $2.6 million top prize in Monte Carlo.

Early Levels and Bubble Boys

No-one wanted to mis out on the money in the event, but while many did, someone had to bubble and it was a excruciating one. Lewis Spencer was all-in with the best hand, holding AsTs, Spencer couldn’t hold against Punsri’s KsQc, a Qd on the river dooming Spencer in the most painful way possible.

Dan ‘Cowboy’ Smith shot his way to a min-cash in 20th place for $156,000, and he was followed by Steve Dwyer (18th for $56,000 also), Artur Martirosian (13th for $210,000) and Elton Tsang, who bubbled the final table in 10th place for $240,000. When the final table began, Argentinian professional Nacho Barbero was in control, holding 113 big blinds and a massive chip lead, with Punnat Punsri his nearest challenger on 52 big blinds.

The final table’s first victim was Francisco Benitez. Hailing from Uruguay, Benitez has put in some stellar performances in the last year alone but was unable to avoid being the first casualty among the nine finalists. All-in with pocket queens, Benitez was unlucky to lose to Daniel Dvoress’ AsQs as the Canadian made a flush to eliminate his rival and consolidate his position in the final eight. Benitez, meanwhile, headed to the cash desk to claim his ninth-place prize of $288,000.

Ivey Dominated, Dvoress Defeated

With eight players left, the most luminous of their number left the action. Ivey, a 10-time WSOP bracelet winner, was taken out mid-massage when he shoved with KdQc from the button only to lose against the dominating hand of AsQs that belonged to Punnat Punsri, as the Thai player boosted his own chances of glory in the process. Ivey’s score of $372,000 was scant consolation to the Poker Hall of Famer.

Out next was Jonathan Jaffe, who cashed for $504,000 in seventh place. His own AhQs was no good, as he moved all-in but ran into British player Ben Heath’s pocket aces. The rockets shot down Jaffe’s hopes and in doing so boosted Heath’s own chances of survival.

German player Christoph Vogelsang is often pilloried for his tendency to take a long time to make crucial decisions in final tables of this magnitude. In all fairness to Vogelsang, the decisions he makes are worth millions and he is one of the very best in the business. The next one he made was simple, however, as he took out a dangerous opponent in Dvoress. The Canadian shoved with Qc9c, Vogelsang snapped with aces and sent Dvoress to the rail for $672,000 in sixth.

Barbero the Bridesmaid

“I’m a Christian, and seven is a biblical number.” ~ Christoph Vogelsang.

With four men remaining in with a chance of victory, Barbero was still in the lead. Ben Heath and Vogelsang duelled for the second-biggest stack, and it was the German who got the better of his British opponent. Heath shoved pre-flop with QcJh but he was called by Vogelsang with Ad9h and when he paired the flop, Heath was left with just one big blind. That went when Vogelsang’s pocket fives won the following hand and Heath departed $858,000 richer in fifth place.

Barbero wasn’t about to relinquish the title by losing his control of the table and took out Punsri in fourth place for $1,068,000. The Thailand player open-shoved with Kd7d but lost to Barbero’s Jc8s as the Argentinian took a crucial pot. Danny Tang was some way behind the top two and paid for it by leaving in third place for $1,296,000. Tang’s AcKs lost to Barbero’s dominated Ah7s when a seven landed on the river.

What goes around in poker always comes around but rarely as quickly as it did for Barbero. After early exchanges left Barbero marginally ahead of Vogelsang, a board of Jd6s3s5s7c left Barbero calling his stack off for the win on the river with 6c5c. He’d been unlucky, however, as the seven that had won him a seat heads-up now damned him, Vogelsang having hit one to make a set of sevens at the death. Soon after, Vogelsang’s KcTd held with ease against Barbero’s Qd8d to end matters in the German’s favor.

“I think you can tell, it feels pretty surreal,” he told reporters afterwards before winding it back to being down to a single big blind before the money bubble. “I was kind of out of the tournament. I was all in so many times. I’m a Christian, and seven is a biblical number. It felt very beautiful.”

With both heads-up opponents claiming over $2 million, no-one left the final duel unhappy, but Vogelsang’s victory was sweetest as he claimed his first major title in six years. It’s unlikely that the 38-year-old will have to wait so long again.

Triton Poker Series 2023 Monte Carlo $100,000 Event #6 Results:
Place Player Country Prize
1st Christoph Vogelsang Germany $2,644,000
2nd Nacho Barbero Argentina $2,190,000
3rd Danny Tang Hong Kong $1,296,000
4th Punnat Punsri Thailand $1,068,000
5th Ben Heath United Kingdom $858,000
6th Dan Dvoress Canada $672,000
7th Jonathan Jaffe United States $504,000
8th Phil Ivey United States $372,000
9th Francisco Benitez Uruguay $288,000

 

 

LATEST ARTICLES

GGPoker’s $24M End Of Year Giveaway To Begin December 1

December 1 through 31 – GGPoker to say #Thanks2024 with ticket drops, daily rewards and more GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, is excited to...

Halfway to Paradise: Pokerstake Covering Unsold Action to the WSOP Paradise Super Main Event

PokerStake has a huge promotion coming to poker players taking part in the forthcoming WSOP Paradise Super Main Event Day 1A. With a massive $50...

Grab Huge Discounts On Your Favorite Tournaments During Black Friday Week

November 25 – December 2, 2024 – A Week of Unmatched Poker Value GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, is excited to announce Black Friday...

Join GGPoker’s Halloween Party To Snag Your Share Of $1M!

GGPoker Unveils $1M Halloween Party Promotion: Collect Candies, Win Up to $1,000! Join the Trick-or-Treat fun from October 25 to October 31 and grab your...

Discover