Danny Tang Wins 8-Max Triton Monte Carlo Event for $1.5 million

Another big winner celebrated on the Triton Poker Series tour last night as Danny Tang took down the $50,000-entry No Limit Hold’em Event #8 for $1.58 million. Conquering a final table that featured online phenom Pedro Garagnani, legendary American high roller Chris Brewer and perhaps the most successful player in 2023, Isaac Haxton, Tang’s victory was not only his fifth Triton title but the fifth he has claimed in the past eight months.

Antonius the Bubble Boy

A total of 136 entrants contributed to a prizepool of $6.8 million and with over $1.5 million up top, some of the best poker professionals in the world lay in the field. Only 23 players would make a profit on their five-figure $50,000 entry fee and it turned out to be a poker legend who was bubble boy, just missing out on the payouts. Finnish player Patrik Antonius was all-in with but that was no good against the belonging to Elton Tsang.

Everyone else was guaranteed at least $79,000, but everyone had their eyes on a lot more. Those to miss out on a final table berth included legends Adrian Mateos (22^nd for $79,000), Nick Petrangelo (17^th for $95,000), Elton Tsang (14^th for $105,000) and Jason Koon, who bubbled the final table in 10^th place for a score of $133,000.

Once the final nine were reached, Chris Brewer held the lead with 55 big blinds, a good chunk clear of Garagnani with 35 big blinds. There was no question who the shortest stack was, with Daniel Rezaei holding only one big blind. He actually found a strong hand with which to commit that single blind, pocket sixes, but lost to Brewer’s two pair and cashed for $158,200 in ninth place.

Brazilians Busted

Eight players remained but that situation changed rapidly. Ole Schemion was under the gun in chip terms and the German’s seemed good enough to go with. It lost to Isaac Haxton’s pocket jacks to send Schemion home with $198,000. He was swiftly followed from the felt by Rodrigo Selouan, who doubled up his compatriot Garagnani before then four-bet shoving with pocket jacks. They were ahead of his caller, Isaac Haxton, with but an ace on the river sent Selouan to the rail with $270,000.

Next to go was Thomas Muehloecker, as the Austrian moved all-in with on a flop showing . Danny Tang called with but although he only had ace-high, that hand held up and Muehloecker cashed for $363,000. Play was extremely shallow, with the new chip leader Isaac Haxton on 36 big blinds but comparatively close to the lowest chip stack of just 18 big blinds.

Next to go was the second of two Brazilians at the final table. Pedro Garagnani moved all-in with but having suited cards counted for nothing when he saw his caller Chris Brewer’s hand . The American held and managed to take out a dangerous opponent in the Brazilian.

Tang Takes the Title

“I’m the lucky one… I beat the great Ike!” ~ Danny Tang, five-time Triton champion.

Four remained with Brewer the next to leave. He got unlucky to be busted too, as his lost to Tang’s on a board of . ‘Texas Dolly’ worked wonders for Tang in that hand where Brewer was ahead, but when the situation was reversed, Brewer’s hand of [ unable to hold against Tang’s . Brewer caught a cash of $585,000 in fourth place as he missed the podium.

Down to three, Bulgaria’s finest player on current form, Fahredin Mustafov, busted to Danny Tang as the eventual winner began his sprint for the finishing line. All-in with , he lost to Tang’s and cashed for $715,000, the last six-figure prize of the event. That pot gave Tang a 2:1 heads-up lead but standing – or rather sitting – in his way was perhaps the most successful player of 2023, Isaac Haxton.

It was a limp-call that won Tang the title, as his slow-played took down the final pot with Haxton’s unable to overcome the better hand. Haxton, ever the gentleman, congratulated his opponent, an emotional Danny Tang. Nine months ago, Tang hadn’t won a Triton title. Over the course of the past eight months, however, Danny Tang has conquered Triton Poker Series events all over the world and prior to this event, had won over $3.3 million in them in 2023 alone. Now you can call it $4.8 million in winnings.

“I treat a lot of these guys like my brothers,” he said after the performance, referencing the late Ivan Leow, so sadly died such a short time ago. “I feel like he’s looking after all of us, not just me. I’m just the lucky one… I beat the great Ike!”

After the past year on the Triton Poker Series, Danny Tang is looking as formidable as Jason Koon in recent events.