John Juanda Wins Triton Poker Montenegro HKD 250K Short Deck Event for $613,600
John Juanda outlasted a field of 84 entrants including 29 reentries to win the Triton Poker Montenegro HKD 250,000 Short Deck Event at the 2019 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro for HKD 4,720,000 ($613,600).
This was the second time the Poker Hall of Fame member has won a Triton Poker event after winning the Triton Poker Macau HKD 1,000,000 Main Event in October 2017 for HKD 22,410,400 ($2,872,299). The victory pushed Juanda past $25 million in live tournament earnings.
Juanda was thrilled about the win, especially considering he has only been playing short-deck poker for nine months.
"It feels great," Juanda told Triton Poker after the victory. "Every time you win a tournament like this, it’s an amazing feeling."
2019 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro HKD 250,000 Short Deck Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (HKD) | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Juanda | Indonesia | HKD 4,720,000 | $613,600 |
| 2 | Daniel Dvoress | Canada | HKD 3,160,000 | $410,800 |
| 3 | Wai Kin Yong | Malaysia | HKD 2,150,000 | $279,500 |
| 4 | Peter Jetten | Canada | HKD 1,620,000 | $210,600 |
| 5 | Sergey Lebedev | Russia | HKD 1,250,000 | $162,500 |
| 6 | Daniel Cates | United States | HKD 980,000 | $127,400 |
| 7 | Michael Soyza | Malaysia | HKD 780,000 | $101,400 |
The final day began with 12 hopefuls battling it out for the title. The tournament was in the money after the eliminations of Jesus Cortes, Winfried Yu, and Danny Tang.
Triton Poker Co-Founder Paul Phua was the first player eliminated in the money for HKD 615,000 ($79,950) after he ran his pocket jacks into the queens held by Daniel Dvoress.
Michael Soyza was the first player to hit the rail at the final table finishing in seventh place for HKD 780,000 ($101,400), followed by Daniel Cates in sixth place for HKD 980,000 ($127,400) when his pocket aces couldn't hold against the jacks held by Wai Kin Yong.
Juanda then incorrect laid down quad sixes on a board also containing three aces thinking Sergei Lebedev had the case ace. Lebedev survived this hand despite only having king-jack. Despite winning this hand, Lebedev was the next out in fifth place for HKD 1,250,000 ($162,500) when his queen-jack couldn't get there against the ace-queen suited held by Peter Jetten.
Jetten was the next to go in fourth place for HKD 1,620,000 ($210,600). He got it all-in with top pair on the turn with queen-ten suited only for Juanda with big slick to hit a better pair on the river.
Juanda then eliminated his second straight opponent. Yong was eliminated in third place for HKD 2,150,000 ($279,500) when his king-queen suited didn't get there against Juanda's kings.
Dvoress and Juanda began heads-up play even in chips. During the final hand, Juanda flopped a flush and an open-ended straight flush draw with queen-jack suited with Dvoress holding pockets aces and the nut flush draw. The board paired on the turn and double paired on the river. Juanda was all-in with his flush and after a few time bank chips Dvoress called to finish runner-up in the tournament for HKD 3,160,000 ($410,800).
Photography by Joe Giron/Poker Photo Archive
