Dan Smith Wins Triton Monte Carlo $200,000 Invitational For $3.9 Million

Dan Smith has added one other monumental title to his already expansive record of event poker victories. The 34-year-old American poker professional defeated a subject of 73 entries within the 2023 Triton Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo $200,000 buy-in no-limit maintain’em invitational occasion to safe the large high prize of $3,870,000.

“This is very special,” Smith advised Triton reporters. “I’ve had a few bigger scores in my career…but it’s different when you win a tournament with 70 players like this. It’s one of the biggest events of the year and only so many guys get to win them.”

This was the fifth multi-million-dollar rating of Smith’s profession, with one other 5 scores falling between one and two million. This newest seven-figure windfall elevated Smith’s lifetime earnings to extra $49,625,381. As a outcome, he has climbed into sixth place on poker’s all-time cash record.

While Smith already had World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, and quite a few excessive curler titles beneath his belt, marked the primary time that Smith got here out on high in a Triton Poker occasion. He had 13 prior in-the-money finishes on the tour, together with putting third within the 2019 Triton London £1,050,000 buy-in charity invitational for a career-best payday of $8,784,000, however had but to get his fingers on a Triton trophy earlier than this breakthrough.

In addition to the title and the cash, Smith was additionally awarded 840 Card Player Player of the Year factors for the win. This was his second title and eleventh final-table end of the 12 months. With 4,720 whole factors and practically $9.2 million in to-date POY earnings, he has climbed into fifteenth place within the total POY standings offered by Global Poker.

This event kicked off the newest Triton pageant, which is happening contained in the Salle des Etoiles at Monte-Carlo Sporting alongside the French Riviera. The occasion ran over three days from Oct. 24-26, with a novel twist. The leisure gamers within the subject have been every required to ask one skilled to enter the occasion. The execs have been cut up off from the newbie gamers for day 1, with the 2 separate halves of the sphere first combining on day 2 after which taking part in on as per an ordinary event.

The high 13 finishers made the cash, with a min-cash being value $300,000. Several massive names survived the bubble, solely to bust earlier than the official closing desk, together with David Yan (thirteenth), Isaac Haxton (eleventh), and Paul Phua (tenth).

The closing day started with 9 contenders remaining and Elton Tsang within the lead. Smith was second in chips to begin. Haralabos Voulgaris was the primary to fall, shedding a basic preflop race to Tsang to complete ninth for $406,000 for his first money on the tour. Another preflop flip spelled the top of Ilkin Garibli’s run in eighth place ($540,000).

The subsequent knockout was the results of yet one more normal preflop showdown, with two-time bracelet winner Fedor Holz’s pocket nines going through the A-Q suited of fellow poker professional Mario Mosbock. The latter backed into the nut flush on the river to ship Holz packing in seventh place ($694,000). The money elevated Holz’s profession earnings to $41.8 million.

Bracelet winner and four-time Triton champion Danny Tang obtained the final of his quick stack in with Ok-9 towards the A-Q of Jean-Noel Thorel, who made jacks stuffed with aces by the river to slender the sphere to 5. Tang secured $875,000 for his efforts, crossing $20 million in lifetime cashes within the course of.

Russian businessman Alexander Shelukhin obtained the final of his quick stack in with 8-7 suited towards the J-9 suited of Mosbock. Shelukhin flopped a straight draw whereas Mosbock hit a pair. Shelukhin was unable to enhance any additional and was knocked out in fifth place ($1,125,000).

Thorel finally completed fourth for $1,390,000. This rating elevated his profession earnings to $15,288,164, sufficient to see him surpass Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier ($14,742,921) for the highest spot on the French all-time cash record. His closing hand noticed his A-4 within the massive blind fall to a pair on the river for Mosbock, who had shoved preflop with J-9 from the small blind.

Mosbock was effectively out in entrance when three-handed play started. Tsang slid to the underside of the counts after doubling up a short-stacked Smith. He quickly obtained all-in with 10-8 trailing Smith’s J-10. Neither participant improved and Tsand was eradicated in third place, incomes $1,780,000. The 2016 Big One For One Drop champion now has greater than $17.3 million in profession earnings to his title.

Heads-up play started with Mosbock holding 14,325,000 to Smith’s 7,550,000. Smith closed the hole within the early going and managed to maneuver forward in time for the decisive hand of the match. Smith raised on the button with A8 and Mosbock defended his massive blind with Ok8.

The flop got here out A96 and Mosbock checked. Smith made a continuation guess together with his high pair solely to be met with a Mosbock examine increase. Smith made the decision and the flip introduced the Ok to offer Mosbock a pair of kings. He checked and referred to as Smith’s guess of 1,350,000. The river introduced the 8 to offer each gamers two pair. The pot had surged to 7,400,000, whereas Mosbock had simply 4,500,000 remaining in his stack. Mosbock checked and Smith moved all in. Mosbock referred to as and was eradicated in second place. The $2,690,000 payday was the biggest but for Mosbock.

Here is a take a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the closing desk:

Photo credit: Triton Poker / Joe Giron.