How Did Bryn Kenney Win the Most Money But Not the Tournament?
Table Of Contents
In 2019, 27 amateurs and 27 of the world’s best pros competed in the biggest buy-in event in history. Now, the Triton Million - A Helping Hand for Charity poker tournament is being released as a 10-episode series on Triton Poker's YouTube Channel.
A total of 54 players stumped up the seven-figure entry fee with £50,000 of each buy-in going to benefit 15 different charities. As a result, this saw £2.7 million going to a plethora of good causes as well as generating a staggering £54 million ($73,993,800) pound prize pool.
After the last episode, which saw two players hit the rail, just six remained in contention. Here's how things stacked up at the start of the final episode.
Final Table Chip Counts
| Player | Count |
|---|---|
| Stephen Chidwick | 13,975,000 |
| Vivek Rajkumar | 13,400,000 |
| Bryn Kenney | 10,025,000 |
| Dan Smith | 7,765,000 |
| Aaron Zang | 6,525,000 |
| Bill Perkins | 2,300,000 |
Here's a look at five of either the biggest or most interesting hands from the tenth and final episode, which can be viewed in full below.
Hand #1: Zang Doubles Through Kenney
There were four players left at this point in the tournament after Bill Perkins and Vivek Rajkumar bowed out in sixth and fifth place respectively. Aaron Zang was playing the short stack as he had most of the final table.
With blinds at 150,000/300,000/300,000, the chip leader, Bryn Kenney, found the A♦J♦ in the cutoff and raised it to 600,000. Zang defended from the big blind with the J♠7♦ and 14 big blinds.
The flop of J♥9♠7♣ hit both players hard, and Zang led for 800,000. After confirming the count with the dealer, Kenney moved all in with his top pair, and Zang called off with his two-pair hand. The 10♥ turn and 6♦ river completed the action, and Zang doubled up.
Hand #2: Zang Becomes the Chip Leader
With blinds at 150,000/300,000/300,000, Zang raised to 700,000 from a stack of 10,600,000 holding the A♦K♦, Kenney called from the button off a stack of 16,300,000 holding the A♣J♣, and Dan Smith, who had both players covered, moved all in from the big blind holding the 8♥8♣. Kenney folded, but Zang called off.
The board ran out K♠J♠J♥7♣J♦, and Zang became the new chip leader after making a full house!
“Wow! I got super lucky,” Said Zang after Kenney told him he would have hit quads.
Hand #3: Zang Draws First Blood, Heads-Up
Kenney eliminated Stephen Chidwick and Smith in fourth and third place respectively to take a 5:1 chip lead into heads-up play against Zang. However, Zang cut that lead down to size immediately.
With blinds at 250,000/500,000/500,000, Kenney raised to 1,000,000 holding the K♠Q♦, Zang moved all in for 8,500,000 with pocket sixes, and Kenney called.
The board ran out 10♠7♣3♦2♦7♠ to give Zang the pot, and the chip lead had reduced to 2:1.
Hand #4: Ill Timed Bluff For Kenney
With blinds at 250,000/500,000/500,000, Kenney raised to 1,200,000 holding the 9♣2♣ and 35,000,000 in chips. Zang, who sat on a stack of 17,300,000, made the call holding the K♦7♦.
The flop of K♥K♣5♦ gave Zang trips, and he must have been delighted to see Kenney bet 825,000 once checked too.
Zang called, and the 10♣ on the turn gave Kenney a flush draw. Zang led for 1,500,000, Kenney raised to 4,100,000, and Zang called.
The 7♥ missed Kenney, Zang checked, Kenney bet 4,850,000, Zang moved all in, and Kenney’s hand moved into the muck, making Zang the chip leader for the first time during heads-up play.
Hand #5: Zang Wins the Triton Million
With blinds at 250,000/500,000/500,000, Zang raised to 1,000,000 holding the 8♦5♦, and Kenney called with the A♠6♠.
The flop of 8♠4♠3♣ gave Zang top pair and Kenney the nut flush draw. Kenney checked, Zang bet 2,000,000, and Kenney bumped it up to 5,775,000. Zang moved all in with the covering stack and Kenney called off.
The 9♣ hit the turn followed by the K♦ on the river.
Zang, a cash game specialist from Asia, had overturned a 5:1 chip lead against one of tournament poker’s all-time greats to win the biggest poker tournament in the history of the game.
However, prior to the final hand and the chip lead exchange, Zang and Kenney had struck a deal that saw Kenney lock up more money despite not winning the tournament.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Zang | £13,779.491* |
| 2 | Bryn Kenney | £16,890.509* |
| 3 | Dan Smith | £7,200,000 |
| 4 | Stephen Chidwick | £4,410,000 |
| 5 | Vivek Rajkumar | £3,000,000 |
| 6 | Bill Perkins | £2,200,000 |
| 7 | Alfred DeCarolis | £1,720,000 |
| 8 | Timothy Adams - £1,400,000 |
*Agreed a heads-up deal
Coverage of the £50,000 Triton Million Charity event continues at - million.triton-series.com.
You can stay up to date with the latest content from Triton Poker by visiting their YouTube Channel. Don't forget to recap all of the action in our 2019 Triton Super High Roller Series London hub.
*Images courtesy of Triton Poker/Joe Giron
