Chris Moneymaker Ships Triton Super High Roller Series Kickoff Event In Montenegro

Chris Moneymaker’s victory in the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event is known for igniting the poker boom that grew through the next 20 years and resulted in the arrival of prestigious tours like the Triton Super High Roller Series. After over 21 years, Moneymaker has made his way into the headlines again, this time for winning his first Triton title. The 48-year-old pro bested a star-studded field of 163 entries to win the 2024 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $25,000 GG Million$, claiming his first Triton title and a hefty $903,000 in top prize.

This marked his third-largest payday, trailing his $2,500,000 as the 2003 WSOP main event champion and the $2,030,000 he secured for a fifth-place finish in the 2023 $250,000 Triton London Luxon Invitational. He now has more than $7 million in live earnings to his name.

 Winner’s Reaction

“I wasn’t going to lose today. I could have put it in with any hand and I would have won. I ran pure,” he told Triton reporters after coming out on top. “I hit a three-outer, a six outer. I thought to myself, ‘You know what, this is going to be 2003. I’m not going to lose any more hands today.’”

Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $25,000 GG Million$ Live Recap

Running from 12 to 13 May, the $25,000 GG Million$ Live generated an impressive prize pool of $4,075,000 on the back of the strong turnout. The prize pool was shared by the top 27 finishers, with

 Aram Oganyan 923rd), Nick Petrangelo (21st), Patrik Antonius (17th), Phil Ivey (14th), Hossein Ensan (13th), Justin Saliba (12th), and Byron Kaverman (10th) all falling before the coveted final table.

It was Moneymaker who started the final table with the chip lead. Close behind him was Biao Ding, starting second in chips. Isaac Haxton became the first casualty from the final table after running his pocket nines into Ding’s pocket jacks. The next player to fall was Morten Klein whose Qc Jh ran into the Ac 7c of Brian Kim. 

A few hands later, Lewis Spencer three-bet shoved with pocket threes over Moneymaker’s button open. Moneymaker had pocket nines, which held to bust Spencer in seventh place. Later, four-time bracelet winner Adrian Mateos shoved his pocket jacks against the pocket threes of Brian Kim. A three came on the river, giving Kim a set to eliminate Mateos in sixth place.

Just one hand after, Kim had As Qc against the pocket jacks of Danilo Velasevic. An ace on the turn was enough to send Velasevic packing in fifth place. Later, Moneymaker pitted his K-9 suited against the pocket queens of Kim. A King on the river doubled up Moneymaker into the chip lead.

Kim, however, bounced back when his A-K held prevailed against the A-10 suited of Ding, busting the latter in fourth place. Igor Yaroshevskyy then exited in third place. He shoved his remaining four big blinds in with Q-3 facing Moneymaker’s A-8, which held and ended Yaroshevskyy’s run in third place.

Moneymaker began the heads-up with over a 5:3 chip lead and took only three hands to finish off his opponent. On the final hand, Moneymaker opened the action with Ac 10c and Kim shoved with As 8h. Moneymaker made a quick call. The board ran out 10s 9c 3d 8d 4d, giving Moneymaker a top pair to win the title and the $903,000 top prize. Kim had to settle for $609,000 as the runner-up finisher.

Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $25,000 GG Million$ Final Table Payouts