Jason Koon has solidified his position as the leading title-holder in the high-stakes Triton Poker tour by securing his record-extending sixth victory. With this win, he now holds a two-win advantage over his closest competitor, Mikita Badziakouski, who is a four-time Triton champion.
Koon’s latest triumph took place at the 2023 Triton Super High Roller Series Cyprus festival, where he outplayed a field of 138 entries in the $20,000 buy-in seven-max no-limit hold’em event. The 37-year-old American professional poker player earned a prize of $663,000 for his achievement, bringing his total career earnings to just under $44 million. As a result, he currently ranks seventh on the all-time money list in the poker world, with less than $45,000 separating him from the sixth-ranked player, Erik Seidel.
Reflecting on his impressive performance during the Triton Poker event, Koon attributed his success to both favorable outcomes and his extensive experience. He mentioned having played against the same pool of competitors for many years, which allowed him to gather valuable insights and make informed decisions.
As the champion of the event, Koon received 792 Card Player Player of the Year points, adding to his remarkable year, which includes two titles and five final-table finishes. With a total of 1,835 points and earnings exceeding $2 million, Koon has climbed into the top 50 in the 2023 Player of the Year race standings presented by Global Poker.
The tournament took place at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa in North Cyprus and lasted two days, with 28 contenders advancing to day 2 and only 20 players making it into the money. Koon began day 2 in fourth position in chip count and gradually worked his way up to third place by the time the field was reduced to the official final table of seven.
During the final table action, several players were eliminated. Ian Bradley, who entered the table with the shortest stack, finished in seventh place after losing a coin flip with Q-J against Artur Martirosian’s pocket fives, earning $115,900. Martirosian himself was subsequently knocked out in sixth place when his pocket queens couldn’t hold up against Koon’s pocket kings, resulting in a double-paired board. Martirosian received $154,400 for his sixth-place finish, and his strong performance in the event propelled him to eighth place in the Player of the Year rankings, with one title and nearly $2.8 million in earnings so far in 2023.
Adrian Mateos, a four-time bracelet winner, ended up as the shortest stack following Martirosian’s elimination. Mateos was eliminated in fifth place after going all-in with Q-6 suited and splitting the pot with two opponents who had top pair and low kickers. He earned $197,300 for his deep run and currently sits in 11th place on the Player of the Year leaderboard, having accumulated nearly $3.4 million in earnings and achieving nine final-table finishes this year.
Eduard Barsegian’s journey in the tournament concluded when his flopped jack-high flush draw failed to beat Kanan Taherkhani’s ace high and gutshot broadway draw. Barsegian finished in fourth place, receiving $245,500.
