Malaysian Poker Pro Wins Triton High Roller for $1.7 million After Epic Heads-Up
The latest Triton Poker Series event had an insanely stacked final table line-up. After the dust had settled, Mikita Badziakouski had banked another seven-figure score as runner-up and Malaysian high roller Michael Soyza was the champion, banking an amazing $1.7 million as the winner. With so much poker talk centering around the 54th annual World Series of Poker that starts in just 11 days’ time, is the Malaysian player the most in-form hopeful heading to Las Vegas?
Final Table in Cyprus Produces Drama to the Last
With only 13 players of the 87 entries cashing in the Triton Poker Series event at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel in North Cyprus, Soyza’s triumph came at the conclusion of a dramatic few days. Making it to the final eight in strong form, he went on a heater, taking out almost all of the seven men who stood in his way. All that was after Denmark’s Henrik Hecklen was the final player to bust without making money in 14th place.
As it happened, the final table was reached and Artur Martirosian busted in eighth place for $241,500 in the very same hand. That was because Michael Soyza eliminated two players in one fell swoop as his final table got going in a serious way. Mikalai Vaisaboinikau had ace-jack, Martirosian had pocket queens, but Soyza held A♦A♣ and they held to reduce the field to seven.
After Michael Addamo took out Dylan Linde in seventh for $310,000, Matthias Eibinger was unable to derail the Soyza runaway train. The Austrian’s A♥K♥ couldn’t hold against the Russian player Viacheslav Bulygin’s pocket tens. The Russian was the next man to drop, as Soyza’s own pocket tens were too good for Buldygin’s A♠J♣ and Soya surged into a huge lead.
That’s where he stay until heads-up, as Dan Smith and Michael Addamo both feel to leave Mikita Badziakouski between Soyza and glory. As we explored only last week, the Belarussian has quietly become one of the game’s all-time greats but even he couldn’t prevent Soyza sweeping the board, as – after two double-ups – Badziakouski fell too, claiming the runner-up spot.
| 2023 Triton Poker Series $75,000 NLHE 8-Max High Roller | ||||
| Place | Player | Country | Prize | |
| 1st | Michael Soyza | Malaysia | $1,735,000 | |
| 2nd | Mikita Badziakouski | Belarus | $1,200,000 | |
| 3rd | Michael Addamo | Australia | $796,000 | |
| 4th | Dan Smith | U.S.A. | $623,000 | |
| 5th | Viacheslav Buldygin | Russia | $502,500 | |
| 6th | Matthias Eibinger | Austria | $391,500 | |
| 7th | Dylan Linde | U.S.A. | $310,000 | |
| 8th | Artur Martirosian | Russia | $241,500 | |
Soyza’s Record Speaks for Itself
Soyza is cleatly a go-to choice for fans of the Malaysian when it comes to choosing a player for the $25,000 Fantasy Draft in Las Vegas which is run annually by Daniel ‘Kid Poker’ Negreanu. To many, however, investing in Soyza personally will be far more important. Soyza has already sold his action on Poker Stake and is sure to do so again over the summer. Having handsomely rewarded his investors previously, he’s going to be hot property on the site from the WSOP’s kick off on May 31st.
Soyza is ultra-reliable in high rollers, as evidenced by his ability to mix it with the absolute best when the buy-in would make most players’ eyes water. Soyza has the perfect temperament for the rarified air of a high roller tournament and looks at home swapping three-bets and river bluffs with the likes of Badziakouski and Addamo. Many great players might have found themselves daunted by the prospect of taking on those two, but not the Malaysian.
The uncompromisingly aggressive style of Soyza means he’s always in there scrapping for big wins. His record of cashing is remarkably consistent and he does the business at the top end of tournaments. With just 13 cashes in the WSOP and no bracelet, he’ll be desperate to put that record right this summer.
This article originally appeared on PokerStake.com
