ShareThe first weekend of the Triton Poker North Cyprus SHR series got off to a cracking start, with Indian amateur Santosh Suvarna bagging the opening event for $700,000, and Triton ambassador Jason Koon taking down his 6th Triton title.
Suvarna, a 43-year-old realtor and amateur poker enthusiast from Bangalore in southern India, declared after his big win that he learned how to battle with the “big, big pros” by watching Triton videos.
Event #1 at the Merit Casino and Resort was the $25k buy-in GG Super Million$, pulling in 158 entries and a $3,950,000 prizepool for the opener to the fortnight of highstakes action in North Cyprus, with 23 players set to cash.
By the time they reached the final table, Sam Greenwood was the big name pro left but had to be content with 5th spot and a $272,500 payday.
Suvarna, a 43-year-old realtor and amateur poker enthusiast from Bangalore in southern India, had a huge chip lead 3-handed, and wanted the title so much he offered Nicolas Chouity and Salahaddin Bedir a deal they couldn’t refuse.
All three pocketed $600k+ and played for the remaining $70k, with Suvarna’s flush ending the tournament in style.
“I’m so happy. Finally, I won this tournament,” said Suvarna afterwards, adding: “Triton is the best.”
Final results
| 1 | Santhosh Suvarna | $700,000 |
| 2 | Nicolas Chouity | $636,000 |
| 3 | Salahaddin Bedir | $620,000 |
| 4 | Igor Yaroshevskyy | $339,500 |
| 5 | Sam Greenwood | $272,500 |
| 6 | Robert Heidorn | $211,300 |
| 7 | Tobias Schwecht | $156,400 |
| 8 | Alex Boika | $115,000 |
| 9 | Christopher Putz | $91,600 |
Jason Koon set a record at the Triton Vietnam festival in March, adding Triton title number 5 to his resume, and now he has title 6 to celebrate after winning event #2 in North Cyprus.
The $20k buy-in NLH tournament drew 138 entries, the top 20 finishers sharing in the $2,760,000 prizepool. Poker legends Tom Dwan and Patrik Antonius were among those who made it to the paid spots, as did Ike Haxton, but none of this illustrious trio made it as far as the final table.
Not that it was short of star names, Koon joined by the likes of Stephen Chidwick, Artur Martirosian, and Adrian Mateos and Sean Winter.
Martirosian’s deep run was ended in a huge cooler...
... and when Chidwick fell in 3rd spot it was local hero Kanan Taherkani who was left standing between Koon and yet another Triton trophy. The final hand came down to a river that Taherkani couldn’t resist shoving...
Koon: 6♣ 5♣
Taherkani: Qâ™ 4â™
Flop: 4♥ K♠8♣
Turn: 7♣
River: Q♦
Final results
| 1 | Jason Koon | $663,000 |
| 2 | Kanan Taherkhani | $451,200 |
| 3 | Stephen Chidwick | $298,000 |
| 4 | Eduard Barsegian | $245,500 |
| 5 | Adrian Mateos | $197,300 |
| 6 | Artur Martirosian | $154,400 |
| 7 | Ian Bradley | $115,900 |
| 8 | Sean Winter | $85,500 |
| 9 | Viacheslav Buldygin | $66,200 |
“I ran really well, man,” Koon told interviewer Ali Najd afterwards, adding: “I love it, man ... I absolutely love the game…I just really, really love poker and I love the atmosphere here.
I don’t travel for poker anymore unless it’s a Triton really. So these are all my friends. It’s fun to come compete. I just love it here.”
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Events #3 and #5 on the Triton North Cyprus schedule (there is never an event #4 due to Far East superstition!) saw new faces break through to the winner’s circle, China’s Biao Ding taking down the $30,000 Mystery Bounty title...
