Triton SHRS Montenegro: Chris Nguyen Scores Debut Title, Mike Watson Secures His Sixth

Christopher Nguyen’s Rapid Rise

Event number six, with a $50,000 buy-in, achieved the largest prize pool in the series so far. With 132 entries, the pot swelled to $6,600,000. The spotlight was on 26-year-old German pro Christopher Nguyen, who marched to his first Triton triumph.

Nguyen, a former online cash games specialist who recently transitioned to the tournament scene, displayed a masterclass of composure under pressure, impressing commentators and onlookers alike.

Starting with a mid-sized stack at the final table, Nguyen wasted no time taking control. He became the “executioner” of three poker icons: first, eliminating Joao Simao (9th place), then sending Jason Koon to the rail (8th place), and swiftly crushing the hopes of Finnish legend Patrik Antonius (7th place) in the very next hand.

He further cemented his dominance in the final heads-up against the day's initial chipleader, Kristen Foxen. Despite Foxen's fight for her first title and impressive performance, Nguyen's relentless pace was unstoppable.

In the tournament’s final hand, Nguyen went all-in with 9 c 7 h. Foxen called with K d 9 d, hoping for a twist of fate, but the board 8 c 9 s 6 d 6 s 5 h completed a winning straight for Nguyen. The German player bagged his fifth seven-figure victory in the past 18 months, pushing his career earnings over the $10 million mark.

Final Table Results for Event #6: $50K NLH 8-Handed

Mike Watson: Second Best in History

While the main hall witnessed Nguyen’s crowning, the adjacent tournament room buzzed with excitement during the $30K NLH Turbo. Phenomenal Mike Watson dominated the event with 84 entries, once again showing his remarkable ability to tune out distractions and focus solely on the game. 

In the final duel, Watson faced off against young Moroccan talent Mehdi Chaoui, the defending champion from a Jeju turbo event. The heads-up climaxed when Chaoui, holding 6 s 4 s, hit trips on a board of J h 6 d 6 c Q c K h, but ran into Watson’s straight with T c 9 s. Watson secured a massive lead and eventually clinched the tournament victory.

This triumph marked Watson’s sixth Triton series title, tying him for second place in the historical rankings alongside Matthias Eibinger and Punnat Punsri. Only Jason Koon remains ahead with twelve titles. Watson remarked after his win: “Whenever you can raise a Triton trophy, it’s incredibly special. It’s great to be back tied for second place in titles.”

Final Table Results for Event #7: $30K NLH Turbo

Sources: Triton Poker, X