This Week's Big Winner: Koray Aldemir Wins Triton Super High Roller Manila

In February, tournament poker’s top players made their way to the Philippines for the 2017 Triton Super High Roller Series Manila main event. The HKD $1 million buy-in tournament drew a total field of 39 entries, building a prize pool worth more than HKD $37 million, or just under $5 million.

The final three players decided to make a deal that would re-distribute the final payouts. In the end, German poker pro Koray Aldemir emerged victorious, capturing the title and the first-place prize of HKD 10,032,869 ($1,304,273). This was his second-largest score to date, behind his third-place showing in the $111,111 buy-in Big One For One Drop last summer, which paid out $2,154,265. Aldemir now has live tournament earnings in excess of $4.2 million.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Aldemir to the win.

Tournament: Triton Super High Roller Manila
Buy-In: HKD $1 million ($128,800)
No. of Entries: 39
Prize Pool: HKD $37,073,400 ($4,815,570)
1st Place Prize: HKD $10,032,869 ($1,304,273)

The Action

With half of the field already on the rail, Yong limped in from the small blind and Aldemir checked his option. The flop was A Q 3 and Yong bet 14,000. Aldemir called and the turn was the K. Yong bet 50,000 and Aldemir called. The river was the 5 and Yong checked. Aldemir moved all in for 214,000 and Yong went into the tank. Eventually, he made the call, but mucked his cards after Aldemir turned over J 10 for the nuts.

The Action

At one of just two remaining tables, Tang raised to 24,000 and Aldemir called from the big blind. The flop fell 6 3 2 and Aldemir checked. Tang bet 30,000 and Aldemir check-raised to 98,000. Tang called and the turn was the Q. Aldemir checked and Tang bet 150,000. Aldemir then check-raised once again, this time all-in for 560,000. Tang called with K K, but he was drawing dead to Aldemir’s 5 4 for a flopped straight. The river was the 9 and Aldemir scored a huge double up.

The Action

With eight players left, just two spots from making the money, sixth-place stack Aldemir raised to 54,000 in the hijack. Yong decided to three-bet to 144,000 on the button. The blinds folded and Aldemir called. The flop fell 4 4 4 and Aldemir checked. Yong bet 82,000 and Aldemir called. The turn was the 9 and Aldemir checked. Yong bet 230,000 and Aldemir called again. The river was the J and Aldemir checked one final time. Yong asked to see his stack and then bet 600,000. Aldemir, who had only 890,000 total left in his stack then went into the tank. Several minutes passed before Aldemir made the call, and Yong could only tap the table to reveal his A 2 for ace high. Aldemir then showed his A K for a better ace-high, to drag the huge pot.

The Action

With five players remaining, short stack Tang moved all in for 395,000 from the cutoff and was called by Aldemir in the small blind with K Q. Tang was ahead with A J and stayed ahead as the flop fell A J 9, giving him two pair. Aldemir, however, held a royal flush draw, and the 10 gave him a straight. Tang had four outs to make a full house, but the 3 on the river wasn’t what he was looking for. He banked $361,400 for his fifth-place finish.

The Action

With the blinds increasing, Aido was down to less than 15 big binds when he limped in from the small blind. Aldemir asked for a count of his opponent before moving all in and Aido called with K 10. Aldemir held A 2, making him a 60 percent favorite to win the title, according to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator. The flop of Q 9 8 missed Aido, but it gave him a slightly higher chance of doubling up with a straight draw. The 3 of the turn gave him a flush draw as well, but the 5 on the river was a brick, ending Aido’s tournament run in second place. Despite finishing runner-up, Aido went home with the most cash, pocketing $1,349,189 in the three-way deal. Aldemir got the second-biggest payday with $1,304,273, and the trophy as well.

Final Table Results

1. Koray Aldemir — $1,304,273
2. Sergio Aido — $1,349,189
3. Daniel Cates — $1,009,470
4. Bryn Kenney — $506,090
5. Devan Tang — $361,400
6. Wai Yong — $289,120