The first major Triton Poker Series vent in Jeju is in the books and once again German high roller legend Fedor Holz proved that he has what it takes to win the biggest tournaments in the poker world. At a superb final table featuring stars of the poker world such as Seth Gottlieb, Nick Petrangelo and Pieter Aerts, Holz was the hero yet again for his fourth Triton title in a record-breaking setting.
Jeju Journey Inspires All
An incredible 269 entries, including re-entries saw the $15,000-entry 8-Max Event #1 fill up a prizepool of over $4 million. It was a stunning turnout, and it meant that 47 players made the money places, with some very big names reaching profit without managing to reach the final table. WSOP Main Event winner Espen Jorstad (46th for $23,000) min-cashes, while Timothy Adams (40th for $23,000), Michael Soyza (37th for $25,800), Seth Davies (34th for $25,800) and Daniel Dvoress (25th for $33,800) all racked up profit.
Others to cash included Aram Zobian (23rd for $37,500), Aleks Ponakovs (17th for $47,000), Stephen Chidwick (12th for $60,000) and 10th-placed Isaac Haxton, who bubbled the final table for $67,800. Heading into the last table of the tournament, Seth Gottlieb had a big lead with 78 big blinds, some way clear of the closest player to him, Dimitar Danchev (40BB).
After Haxton’s elimination sent the last nine to the final table, Pieter Aerts moved in for five big blinds and his 9♠7♥ was beaten by Gottlieb’s A♦T♦ as the American paired his ten on the flop and never looked in danger. Aerts left for a score of $81,000 in ninth place and soon after, he was joined on the rail by Ken Tong, who busted with K♦9♦ to Fedor Holz’ pocket tens for a result worth $98,000.
A World of Eliminations
Australian professional Josh Mccully busted in seventh for $134,000 when his Q♠T♥ matched well with a ten-high flop, only for Nick Petrangelo’s Q♥J♣ to catch a J♦ and overtake Mccully and reduce the field to six. Moments later, it was five. Malaysian player Lun Loon went from chip leader to out in sixth for $182,000 as his pocket eights lost to Petrangelo’s pocket aces and in the next hand, Loon’s A♦J♥ lost to the Bulgarian Danchev’s A♣Q♣.
Lithuanian player Dominykas Mikolaitis busted in fifth place for $240,000 next. His flopped pair of aces lost to Holz’ set of queens on that same flop, as Mikolaitis, now short stacked, lost with K♣8♣ to Gottlieb’s A♦3♥ for what stands as his best-ever tournament poker score.
Gottlieb was on a roll and took out Petrangelo next. ‘Nicky P’ three-bet then called off Gottlieb’s shove with K♥Q♠ and was disappointed to see that Gottlieb had pushed with pocket kings. The cowboys shot down Petrangelo’s hopes in fourth for $303,000.
CrownUp Guy is the King
Three-handed, Danchev was shortest with A♠4♠ and called off his stack wrongly when Holz shoved with A♦T♠ which held with ease. As the Bulgarian left with $375,000, Holz had won a crucial pot to put himself back in contention. The German suddenly had a foothold on the mountain of Gottlieb’s stack and used it to great effect, putting himself in front.
Still there was time for one more hand of huge drama. Gottlieb held pocket aces and managed to get Holz to put it in with the worst hand of 8♦5♠ on a board showing J♥5♣4♦7♦. Holz needed a five, six or eight to win and it duly arrived for him, a 5♥ on the river completing trips for the title.
Here’s the Triton Poker Series montage of the moment Fedor Holz became their latest champion.
“It’s just nice winning tournaments. I always try to focus on just the hand I’m playing,” said Holz after the final hand. “That’s always been my mantra. It’s a really big deal. The best players in the world play these tournaments, [so] it’s the nicest feeling.”
After the event, Holz broke down his victory in a little more detail for Triton fans on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This victory puts Holz onto $41.13 million in live earnings during his illustrious career, good for 12th place on the All-Time Money List on the Hendon Mob.
