Phil Ivey was the unfortunate bubble boy at the monster $200k buy-in Triton Invitational in Montenegro tonight. The poker legend missed out on a $311k min. cash.
The nosebleed stakes MTT saw the biggest names in the game separated into pro and amateurs for day one, yesterday’s survivors merging for day two and the inevitable money bubble.
Already fallen by the wayside were the likes of Ike Haxton, Alex Foxen, Fedor Holz and Bryn Kenney from the pro side, with David Einhorn, Vladimir Korzinin, Jena Noel Thorel, and Alfred DeCarolis from the rich amateur side.
Of the 133 entries, only 23 would walk off with a payday, and at stake was a £311,000 min. cash, with the thought of a potential $6,180,000 up top. A huge sum for all but the richest of the rich.
Bubble Battles
While the big stacks were taking advantage of the situation, the smaller stacks were hoping to survive. Eric Wasserson, was one of the latter and couldn’t refuse the offer of a fight when he picked up cowboys…
Wasserson: K♦ K♠
Von Kriegenbergh: J♠ J♥
All-in pre, Wasserson would have a nervy wait while play concluded on other tables, play now hand-for-hand. When it resumed, he survived the sweat…
Flop: Q♠ 10♥ 9♠
Turn: 3♥
River: 5♦
Next up on the potential chopping block was Ivey, all-in and at risk with big slick against Maher Nouira’s fishhooks…
Ivey: A♥ K♣
Nouira: J♦ J♠
Flop: 7♣ 5♣ 4♥
Turn: 8♦
River: 8♠
..and with that the bubble had burst, Ivey leaving empty-handed and 23 players picking up a $300k plus change cash.
Snaps of the bubble at the Event #8 – $200K NLH Triton Invitational pic.twitter.com/kf29MEmEYx
— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) May 20, 2025
Pocket 10s No Good Times Three
Once the dam was bust the players flooded out en route to the final table, Triton co-founder Paul Phua falling in 18th spot and Linus Loeliger one of three players in a row (Wang Ye and Artur Martirosian the others) to lose with the same hand…
Loeliger: 10♠ 10♦
Pavisevic: A♣ A♥
Flop: 8♥ 7♣ 2♥
Play went check, bet 300k, jam, instacall and Loeliger received the bad news.
Turn: 2♦
River: Q♣
The Swiss player — known online as “LlinusLlove” — was out in 16th place for $372,000. Ye and Martirosian pocketed $412,000 apiece.
Chasing $6million
By the end of play, we had also lost Stanley Tang and the remaining eleven bagged, to come back tomorrow for a shot at the $6,180,000 top prize.
Top of the chip counts, Azerbaijani Javid Ismayilov, with a mix of rich recs and pro crushers in his wake. Blinds when they return will be 50k/125k/125k antes.
Remaining Chip Counts
| 1 | Javid Ismayilov | Azerbaijan | 8,525,000 |
| 2 | Aleksa Pavicevic | Montenegro | 7,325,000 |
| 3 | Eric Wasserson | USA | 5,400,000 |
| 4 | Taylor Von Kriegenbergh | USA | 4,600,000 |
| 5 | Maher Nouira | Tunisia | 3,430,000 |
| 6 | Joseph Oren | USA | 2,785,000 |
| 7 | Dejan Kaladjurdjevic | Montenegro | 2,180,000 |
| 8 | Joni Jouhkimainen | Finland | 2,035,000 |
| 9 | Ramin Hajiyev | Azerbaijan | 1,545,000 |
| 10 | Thomas Santerne | France | 1,210,000 |
| 11 | Seth Davies | USA | 805,000 |
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