Triton SHRS Jeju: Dan Dvoress, Aren Bezhanyan, and Kiat Lee Claim Titles at Festival's Opening

Dvoress Stops Koon to Complete the Hattrick

In the festival's most expensive Short Deck event with a $100,000 buy-in, two giants went head-to-head. Canadian professional Dan Dvoress triumphed over 12-time champion Jason Koon in the heads-up, denying him a record 13th title.

Dvoress pocketed $1,380,000 from a $4,600,000 prizepool for his victory in a field of 46 entries. This became his third Triton title, placing him among the elite with 65 top finishes in series history.

The road to the title was a nail-biter for Dvoress. At one point, he was a single card from elimination but miraculously stayed in the game thanks to a runner-runner straight.

The star-studded heads-up concluded with nearly equal stacks. Both players went all-in pre-flop, with Dvoress holding A d J h against Koon’s Q c Q d. The board 9 s K d A h 8 h 8 c decided in favor of Dvoress, with Koon finishing just below the top for the second time in a few days.

After the tournament, Dvoress confessed he doesn't see himself as an expert in Short Deck and often feels "uncomfortable," but in Jeju, his intuition was flawless.

Aren Bezhanyan Makes Armenian History

The opening Hold'em event of the series, a $20K NLH 8-Handed, saw a massive turnout of 247 entries and a victory for a player who exemplifies the success of the "Triton Pathway" concept – from smaller tournaments to the pinnacle of the poker world.

Aren Bezhanyan rode the momentum from the previous Triton ONE festival where he clinched winnings in six out of nine tournaments, carrying his form into the global elite. In the final heads-up, he defeated Latvia's top player, Aleksejs Ponakovs, securing his first Triton trophy and a $990,000 payday.

With this triumph, Bezhanyan etched his name in history as Armenia's first Triton champion. Despite entering the final table with a smaller stack, he skillfully navigated his way to the top, eliminating formidable opponents like Luka Bojovic (4th place) and Kayhan Mokri (3rd place).

In the final heads-up, Ponakovs survived two close calls with fortunate river cards, but the third chance eluded him. In the decisive hand, Bezhanyan's A c 3 c triumphed over Ponakovs's J d 8 d on a board of A s 4 h 2 c J s K s.

Elated, the winner couldn't hide his emotions after the tournament. "I dreamed of winning a tournament like this for a long time. I was close many times, but I finally did it," he stated after his victory.

Malaysian Finale in $50K Short Deck

The $50,000 buy-in Short Deck tournament turned into a celebration of Malaysian poker. The winner, Wai Kiat Lee, dominated the field of 60 entries, triumphing over his close friend and series founder, Paul Phua, in the final showdown.

Lee not only claimed $840,000 but also scored a symbolic victory against the man he regards as his poker "father" and main career inspiration.

The final table was dominated by Asian players, but the tournament's end felt more like a friendly home game, as the podium was exclusively occupied by Malaysians – Lee, Phua, and Lun Loon.

For Kiat Lee, this win is particularly precious as it marks his third Triton title, all achieved within precisely a year and a day.

Sources: Triton Poker Series