Koray Aldemir earned his first career main event win by topping an elite 39 player field. (WSOP photo)

The Triton Super High Roller Series wrapped up another exciting festival filled with high rollers populated by the best players in the world. Capping off the series was the HKD$ 1,000,000 Main Event. Poker’s best and brightest were in the 39-player field with Phil Ivey among them.

No stranger to high rollers himself, 2016 One Drop final tablist Koray Aldemir walked out of the six-handed final table victorious after defeating the star-studded field.

Among the final tablists were Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates, Bryn Kenney, and defending Triton Main Event Champion, Wai Kin Yong, who was also the first player eliminated.

Yong was crippled by Kenney in one of the first hands at the final table and was sent to the rail one hand later. Kenney opened for 110,000 and Yong shoved all in from the small blind. Kenney called with KcKd and was a huge favorite to double through Wong’s AcJh. The AhKh8h flop gave Yong hope with a flush draw but the ensuing turn 3c and river 8c ensured there would be a new main event champion. Yong was crippled after the hand and Sergio Aido finished him off.

Only a few more hands would go by before Devan Tang was eliminated by Aldemir. Tang moved all in for eight big blinds from the cutoff with AcJd and Aldemir called from the small blind with KhQh. The AhJh9d flop provided plenty of action as Tang flopped two pair and Aldemir picked up a flush draw and a straight draw. The [10d] turn filled Aldemir’s straight and Tang failed to fill up on the 3c river.

Down to his last 15 big blinds at the start of the new level, Kenney moved all in from the small blind with Kd6s and was dominated by Cates AdKc in the big blind. With only three immediate outs, Kenney missed on the Ks8h3hJc4c board. With his finish, Kenney earned yet another high roller score in 2017 and he is now over $1,800,000 in earnings for the year.

Shortly after the elimination of Kenney, the remaining trio agreed to a deal that gave Aido the most money but still left HKD$ 400,000 to play for along with the main event trophy.

Cates was knocked out soon after the deal was made as the third place finisher. With the blinds at 30,000/60,000, Aido raised to 150,000 on the button and Cates jammed for about 1,400,000 out of the small blind. Aido called with KsQs and had the KhJs of Cates one step out the door. The 9h9c2s flop put a few chop outs in play but the turn and river both bricked to seal Cates’s fate.

Aido brought a 3:2 chip lead into heads up play but was soon overtaken by Aldemir. Aldemir took a sizable portion of Aido’s stack a level into their match and took down the title not long after.

Aldemir raised to 190,000 and Aido defended his big blind to see a KdJh8c flop. Both players checked and Aido bet 275,000 on the Js turn. Aldemir called and the Ad hit the river. Aido bet 930,000 and Aldemir called with QhTc for a rivered straight to beat the trip jacks of Aido Jd4d.

The blinds moved up to 50,000/100,000 and Aido was down to less than 15 big blinds. Aido limped in with KsTc and Aldemir pushed with Ah2h to put Aido at risk. Aido called and was live to extend his heads up match. The Qs9s8d flop gave Aido plenty of help by putting a straight draw in place and he improved to a flush draw on the 3s turn. Despite his smorgasbord of outs, Aido missed on the 5d river and Aldemir sealed the win.

The second place finish was the second final table for Aido in the Triton Super High Roller Series after finishing fourth in the Six Max event. Aldemir officially locked up his first career main event victory and should be a familiar face for future high roller events.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Koray Aldemir – HKD$ 10,032,869* ($1,292,653)
  2. Sergio Aido – HKD$ 10,378,375* ($1,337,186)
  3. Daniel Cates – HKD$ 7,765,156* ($1,000,490)
  4. Bryn Kenney – HKD$ 3,893,000 ($506,090)
  5. Devan Tang – HKD$ 2,780,000 ($361,400)
  6. Wai Kin Yong – HKD$ 2,224,000 ($289,120)

* – reflects three-handed deal