Event 1: $25K NLH GG Million$ Live

Chris Moneymaker Comes Back from One big Blind to win Triton Event #1

Hot on the heels of his recent online endeavors in ACR Poker’s The Venom, Chris Moneymaker has made headlines once again. Chris came back from one big blind to take down Event #1 of the 2024 Triton Montenegro Festival.

Moneymaker took to X (Formally Twitter) to express his dismay at “pulling a stupid move” on the money bubble with 28 players remaining, it left him with just one Big Blind. Luckily Chris managed to spin it up to 13bb allowing him to make the money.

Isaac Haxton Is The First Player on the Final Table Eliminated

Still looking to pick up his maiden Triton Trophy, Isaac Haxton is going to have to wait a little longer, after running his Pocket Nines 99 into Biao Ding’s Jacks JJ.

MoneyMaker (10.6M) opened the action from the +2 to 400k with pocket fives 55 with the blinds at 100k/200k/200k. Ding (4.3m) on the button cautiously flatted the raise with his pocket Jacks against the chip-leader. In the Small blind was Haxton (2.075M) with just 10 big blinds remaining he moved “All in”. MoneyMaker mucked his small pocket pair, with the action now back on Ding, he made the call and Haxton was in for his tournament Life.

After a runout of A82,K,7, Haxtons elusive wait for a Triton trophy goes on.

Biao Ding Eliminated in 4th

Two-time Triton Trophy champion Biao Ding picked the wrong time to shove his weaker Ace all in pre-flop. With four players remaining and the blinds set at 200k/400k/400k Brian Kim (10.4M) min raised it to 800k from the cut-off with AK. The raise was instantly met by an all-in from Ding on the button, for his remaining 5.1M. After both the blinds folded, Kim made the call, and Ding saw the bad news, that his A10 was badly dominated.

Biao had a glimmer of hope after the board ran out 8J5,9, after the nine on the turn Ding had now picked up an open-ended straight draw. The river unfortunately for Ding was a brick 2, however, there was consolation in receiving $341,000 for his 4th-place effort.

Chris Moneymaker Battled Brian Kim For The $25k Triton Trophy

After Picking off Igor’s Yaroshevskyy less than two big blind Jam “All in”, Chris Moneymakers Ace-eight held up allowing him to battle Brian Kim for the trophy.

This time around it was Brian Kim who was on the receiving end of having an inferior Ace. Moneymaker (24M) in the small blind raised it up to 1.2M with A10, the blinds were now at 250k/500k. Kim (14.55M) looked down at A8 liking what he saw he jammed “all in” with his 28BB stack. Chris made the call and just like that the triton trophy was on the line.

Kim’s hopes were all but dashed after the flop came out 1039 giving Chris top pair. However after an eight 8 on the turn Kim had picked up some equity albeit not much. There was no Miracle Eight on the river, and the 2003 WSOP main event champion added his first Triton Trophy to his illustrious career.