The first of multiple seven-figure scores have been handed out at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Montenegro, and it has gone to a man who almost didn’t turn up because the ‘buy-ins weren’t high enough.’
Speaking in a short interview, the day before Event #2: HK$500,000 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed, Kenney said he came to the event out of respect to the co-founders Richard Yong and Paul Phua, but was disappointed that there were no HK$2,000,000 buy-in events, and wasn’t sure he was going to compete.
Then he smelt the felt, heard the riffle of chips, and saw his hotel bathrobe and slippers and everything changed.
Kenney, defeated Daniel Dvoress, heads-up, to win the HK$11,230,000 (US$1,431,264) first prize, his third big win of the year after taking down the Aussie Millions Main Event, and a $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em event at the US Poker Open in Las Vegas.
It’s also a sweet moment for Kenney after the punch in the gut he received in Jeju, finishing second to Timothy Adams in the HK$2,000,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event.
The victory also means that Kenney has won more money playing live tournaments in 2019 than any of the other 7.5 billion souls that call this planet home, accruing $6,402,574, with six months of the year still to go (Kenney topped the 2017 Money List earning $8.5m).
The event attracted 79 entrants (inc. 34 re-entries), and at the end of Day 1, Short-Deck expert, Xuan Tan, finished on top of a pile of 24 people who had made it through to the final day.
The man situated in the 24th position was Daniel Dvoress, so it was an incredible performance for the Canadian to reach heads-up. Not that we should expect anything less from a man who finished 4th in the €100k and 8th in the €25k at the European Poker Tour (EPT) in Monte Carlo, recently.
By the time the final six parachuted onto the final table, Dvoress wasn’t the only player who had experienced a decent time in Monte Carlo. Sergio Aido, who won the €100k in that series, also made the cut. Joining him was Christoph Vogelsang (who finished 18th in the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event), and two Triton Titans in Jason Koon and Ivan Leow who have 16 Triton final tables between them.
The first person to hit the rail was Christoph Vogelsang. The former Super High Roller Bowl winner, moved all-in for eight big blinds, holding pocket fours, and Jason Koon called and won in the big blind holding pocket sixes.
Koon may have taken the first scalp, but he couldn’t prevent Kenney taking his in a five-handed cooler that saw the winningest player in Triton Poker history get it in with pocket jacks versus the pocket kings of Kenney to kill his dream of a third title.
Aido exited in third when playing 60k/120k/120k he moved all-in for 1.44m holding Ah3c, and Dvoress called and won in the big blind holding Kd5c. We reached heads-up after Ivan Leow moved all-in on the button for 1.06m and JhTs, only for Dvoress to cut him up with pocket queens.
When heads-up play began, Dvoress enjoyed an almost 2:1 chip lead over Kenney, but the Aussie Millions Champ doubled-up to take a leave he never relinquished. The final hand saw Kenney come from behind to river a flush, to win the 19th live tournament of his career.
“I made a lot of really good value bets, really good bluffs, played really ferocious, feel real strong,” Kenney said after his win. “When you get in such a zone for a while, you can only really think about cards. I feel great, just because I only really care about how I play.”
ITM Finishes
Bryn Kenney, USA – HK$11,230,000 (US$1,431,264)
Daniel Dvoress, Canada – $7,430,000 (US$946,954)
Ivan Leow, Malaysia – HK$5,070,000 (US$646,172)
Sergio Aido, Spain – HK$3,820,000 (US$486,859)
Jason Koon, USA – HK$2,970,000 (US$378,527)
Christoph Vogelsang, Germany, HK$2,300,000 (US$293,135)
Richard Yong, Malaysia, HK$1,820,000 (US$231,959)
Danny Tang, Hong Kong, HK$1,410,000 (US$179,705)
Cheong Cheok Ieng, Macau – HK$1,080,000 (US$137,646)
Here are the remaining events:
#3 Tue May 7 – HK$100k – Short-Deck Ante-Only (Two-Day Event)*
#4 Wed May 8 – HK$1m Triton Montenegro No-Limit Hold’em Main Event (Three-Day Event)**
#5 Fri May 10 – HK$250k Short-Deck Ante-Only (Two-Day Event)*
#6 Sat May 11 – HK$200k Short-Deck Ante-Only Turbo (Two-Day Event)*
#7 Sun May 12 – HK$250k Pot-Limit Omaha (Two-Day Event )*
#8 Mon May 13 – HK$500k Short-Deck Ante-Only (Two-Day Event)*
#9 Tue May 14 – HK$750k Short-Deck Ante-Only (Two-Day Event)*
#10 Wed May 15 – HK$1m Triton Montenegro Short-Deck Ante-Only Main Event (Three-Day Event)*
* Indicates a 3:00 pm start
** Indicates a noon start
Day 2/3 Resumptions begin at noon.