Jason Koon Wins Record-Extending Ninth Triton Poker Title

Jason Koon quite simply cannot be stopped in Triton Poker events in 2023. He entered this year in a tie for the most titles on the tour, with both he and Mikita Badsiakouski having captured four trophies to that point. Since then, Koon has emerged victorious five times in Triton events, bringing his title total to nine for sole possession of the record.

To put Koon’s incredible run in perspective, he has earned as many Triton titles this year as any other player has in the 7.5-year history of the tour. In fact, Phil Ivey won his fifth title on the same day that Koon took down this event to become the only other player besides Koon with more than four Triton victories.

This latest win saw Koon defeat a field of 46 entries in the 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London $60,000 short deck main event. The 37-year-old poker pro earned $828,000 after coming out on top, increasing his lifetime tournament earnings to nearly $50.8 million. He became just the fifth player in history to surpass $50 million, leapfrogging Daniel Negreanu ($50,296,291) to claim the fourth-place spot on poker’s all-time money list.

Nearly half of Koon’s total winnings have come in Triton events. He has accumulated $25,483,985 across 38 in-the-money finishes on the tour. Only Bryn Kenney ($37.8 million) has cashed for more in Triton tournaments.

This win also saw Koon earn 510 Card Player Player of the Year points. This was his fifth title and 12th final-table finish of the year. With more than $8.3 million in to-date POY earnings, he has now moved into seventh place in the 2023 POY rankings presented by Global Poker.

This latest win was Koon’s fourth short deck win on the tour.

“There was a three or four-year span when I was off the grid playing the biggest short deck games in the world,” Koon told Triton poker reporters after coming out on top. “I don’t think that it’s just pure luck I’ve won four short-deck titles.”

Only the top eight finishers made the money in this event and secured a piece of the $2,760,000 prize pool. Isaac Haxton was knocked out on the bubble, ensuring at least a $111,000 return for the remaining contenders.

Bracelet winner Daniel Dvoress was then sent home in eighth place to set the official seven-handed final table. At that point, Koon was in second chip position behind two-time Triton champion and two-time bracelet winner Chris Brewer.

Masashi Oya hit the rail in seventh place ($140,700) when his flopped trips ran into the turned full house of Tan Xuan. Four-time Triton champion Wai Kin Yong soon followed, with his A-Q suited unable to overcome the pocket kings of Koon. Yong earned $176,700 for his sixth-place showing.

Brewer’s run came to an end when his last chips went in with K-Q facing the A-J of Koon. The latter hand won out and Brewer was sent home with $226,300 for his 19th final-table finish of the year. With five titles and more than $10.8 million in POY earnings, he is now the fourth-ranked player in the POY standings.

A wild hand resulted in the next elimination. Xuan got all-in on the turn with top set of kings leading Koon’s set of nines. Koon only had one out: the 9. It appeared on the river, giving him quads to knock out Xuan in fourth place. The Triton champion was awarded $292,500 for his efforts.

Lun Loon got all-in with A-J dominated by the A-K of Kiat Lee. Loon was unable to come from behind and was eliminated in third place, earning $386,800 for his second final-table finish of the series.

With that, Koon entered heads-up play with roughly a 4:3 chip advantage over Lee. Koon had pulled even further ahead by the time the final hand arose. Lee open-shoved with AQ and Koon made the call with KJ. The board ran out 1096Q8 and Koon turned a king-high straight to lock up the title. Lee cashed for $598,000 as the runner-up.

Here is a look at the payouts awarded a the final table:

Photo credits: Triton Poker / Nick Pope.

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