Wiktor Malinowski Wins Triton Montenegro $200,000 Event For $4.8 Million

Wiktor Malinowski has solely 38 recorded poker match scores to his title. The skilled participant from Poland is a fixture within the largest money video games on the earth, however solely intermittently exhibits as much as conflict within the MTT streets. Despite his restricted appearances on the circuit, the 29-year-old identified to many by his on-line display screen title ‘limitless’ has accrued greater than $12.7 million in profession match earnings, leading to a median money of $334,000. The largest chunk of that complete got here when Malinowski took down the 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $200,000 buy-in no-limit maintain’em eight-max event- for a career-best rating of $4,789,000.

“It’s the best feeling. There are so many moments in poker when it’s not so good, so when you win it feels very special,” Malinowski informed Triton reporters after popping out on high.

Malinowski bested a discipline of 93 entries that turned out to the Maestral Resort & Casino to safe his second multi-million-dollar payday on the circuit. His first got here when he took down the 2021 Super High Roller Bowl Europe principal occasion for $3.7 million.

This win additionally conveyed 1,080 Card Player Player of the Year factors upon Malinowski. This was his first POY-qualified rating of 2024.

The robust turnout for this occasion resulted in a prize pool of $18,600,000 that was paid out among the many high 15 finishers. Santhosh Suvarna was knocked out on the bubble, making certain that the remaining gamers all cashed for not less than $317,000. Paul Phua (fifteenth), Patrik Antonius (14th), Biao Ding (thirteenth), Bryn Kenney (twelfth), Christoph Vogelsang (eleventh), and Stephen Chidwick (tenth) all busted inside the cash late on day 2.

The third and last day of motion started with Malinowski within the lead and 9 gamers remaining. Matas Cimbolas (ninth – $483,000) was the primary to fall, along with his A-Ok being outrun by the Ok-Q suited of Michael Watson. The World Poker Tour champion now has almost $6.8 million in recorded scores to his title.

Two-time bracelet winner Nick Petrangelo quickly received his final eight massive blinds in preflop with A-10 main the A-7 suited of Malinowski. A seven on the flop turned the tables, and Malinowski held from there to slim the sphere to seven. Petrangelo walked away with $661,000 for his eighth-place displaying, rising his lifetime haul to greater than $45.5 million within the course of.

A dominated Ok-Q suited as soon as once more managed to upset a superior preflop holding in an elimination showdown. This time round, it was WPT champion Jonathan Jaffe who was forward with A-Q. Adrian Mateos flopped a king and held from there to knock Jaffe out in seventh place ($865,000).

All-time Triton Poker title chief Jason Koon fell a handful of spots wanting yet one more massive win on tour. The ten-time champion in the end bowed out in sixth place when his A-5 (shoved from the cutoff for 7.5 massive blinds was unable to come back from behind towards the A-J of Malinowski, who known as from the large blind. Malinowski flopped high pair of jacks and held by means of the river. Koon was awarded for his $1,098,000 for his forty ninth Triton money. More than $28.3 million of his $57.4 million complete match earnings have come from his success on this high-stakes-centric tour.

Five-time Triton winner Mikita Badziakouski’s run concluded in fifth place. The Belarusian crusher dedicated the vast majority of his stack preflop with A-7 from the hijack and bumped into pocket queens for Adrian Mateos. Badziakouski’s last few blinds went in after the flop, with him needing an ace or flush or straight playing cards to stay within the match. The flip and river have been no assist, although, and he was eradicated in fifth place ($1,405,000). Badziakouski now has greater than $57 million in profession earnings after this newest deep run.

Recent $30,000 eight-max occasion champion of this sequence Michael Watson misplaced a giant conflict with Mateos to search out himself with only a couple massive blinds left in his stack. The WPT principal occasion winner and two-time European Poker Tour champion was quickly all-in and in danger with Ok-7 main the J-5 of Mateos, who known as from the large blind. Mateos drilled a jack on the flip to take the lead within the hand and pale a king on the river to knock Watson out in fourth place ($1,748,000). This was the second-largest rating of the Canadian professional’s profession. Watson has received three titles and made ten POY-qualified last tables up to now this 12 months. As a end result, he moved into second place within the standings with 4,585 factors and greater than $6.3 million in to-date POY earnings.

Steve O’Dwyer eked into the ultimate three with just some massive blinds in his stack. His case chips ultimately discovered their approach into the center with 9-4 suited from the large blind. He was up towards A-3 for Malinowski. Neither participant linked with the board and ace excessive was sufficient to ship O’Dwyer house in third place ($2,157,000). This was the biggest rating but for the completed American-born professional, who’s now primarily based out of Ireland. His profession earnings now sit at $44.6 million.

Heads-up play started with Malinowski holding a 3:1 chip lead over Mateos. The Spaniard steadily chipped away at that benefit, although, and was quickly out in entrance. Mateos added to his lead with an enormous triple-barrel bluff that concluded with a river shove. The transfer ended up forcing Malinowski off of his flopped high two pair, giving Mateos virtually a 2:1 lead of his personal. Malinowski then received a preflop elevating battle with A-Q, forcing Mateos off of A-6 with a four-bet shove to edge his approach in entrance. Malinowski then pulled away once more because of a giant win with fives filled with queens towards the flopped high pair and flush draw of Mateos.

In the ultimate hand, Malinowski limped in from the button with 83 and Mateos checked his choice within the massive blind with 86. The flop got here down 843 and Mateos checked with high pair. Malinowski wager a single massive blind of 300,000 with high and backside pairs and Mateos known as. The 7 flip drew one other verify from Mateos. Malinowski wager 1,000,000 and Mateos check-raised all-in for 3,575,000. Malinowski known as and the river introduced the ten to convey the occasion to an finish. Mateos earned a career-best payday of $3,292,000 because the runner-up, narrowly topping the $3,265,362 he secured because the champion of the 2021 World Series of Poker $250,000 buy-in match. This newest multi-million-dollar payday elevated Mateos’ profession earnings to almost $47.9 million.

This was Mateos’ tenth final-table end of the 12 months, with two titles received up to now. With 5,765 factors and greater than $7.6 million in POY earnings accrued in 2024, Mateos has overtaken the lead within the general standings offered by Global Poker.

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

Photo credit: Triton Poker / Joe Giron.