Adrian Mateos sets new high score with $6.4M Triton Invitational win

Mateos takes control

Zlotnikov increased his chip lead further with the elimination of Isaac Haxton. Alexey Lozuyk initiated the action with a limp from up front with and both Zlotnikov and Eelis Parssinen followed suit with and respectively. When the action reached Haxton in the big blind, he looked down at and moved all-in for his ten big blinds. 

Lozuyk fled the scene and Zlotnikov made the call to force Parssinen out behind him. It was a good spot for Haxton, but the runout improved his opponent to a higher pair and ended his run. 

Parssinen and Kiat Lee collided not long after in a blind versus blind confrontation that sent the Finn to the payout desk. With a little more than three big blinds, Parssinen committed his stack with from the small blind and Lee called it off with . The runout left Parssinen drawing dead on the turn. 

With seven players remaining, the pot of the tournament arrived. 

Zlotnikov sent the majority of his stack into the middle with . Lee found on the button and moved all-in over the top for just a little more. Mateos then looked down at in the small blind, took a moment to compose himself, and sent his stack into the middle as well. Zlotnikov called as the covering stack to take a swing at a double knockout – and it almost came through, check out the video below. 

SPECIAL OFFERS

• 
• 
• 
• 

'El Conquistador' closes it out

With Lee dispatched and Zlotnikov on fumes, Mateos took a sizable chip lead with six players remaining. Maher Nouira hit the rail next, moving all-in in a blind versus blind spot with . Mateos found in the big blind and called it off. The runout offered hope to the Tunisian as he turned a three-outer, but the river was a dagger that improved Mateos to a better pair and ended his run. 

Mateos notched a third elimination when he called with against an all-in from Zlotnikov. The Russian was drawing live with , but the runout kept Mateos best to bring play to four-handed. 

Norway's Andre Berg fell next, running into Benjamin Heath's . The runout improved only Heath and Berg had to settle for a fourth-place finish. 

Mateos and Heath clashed not long after in a blind versus blind battle. Heath, with a little more than 10 big blinds, moved all-in from the small blind with and Mateos called it off with . The runout kept Mateos pair ahead and Heath's day was done. 

Adrian Mateos Triton Montenegro Invitational

When heads-up play began, Lozuyk held a slim chip lead – but Mateos quickly took control after flopping a straight against his opponent's top pair in the very first hand dealt. 

Mateos had a chance to end it early when his connected with two pair on a flop. Lozuyk had and called it off when Mateos moved all-in against his turn barrel. With one card to come, Mateos was a big favorite to close it out, but the river improved Lozuyk to a superior two pair and the fight raged on. 

Eventually, the two clashed in an ace-high versus ace-high all-in confrontation – and it was Mateos' turn to get lucky as he smashed the flop to make two pair and held up through the river. 

In a post-victory interview with Triton reporters, Mateos paid homage to his parents – both of whom were there watching on from the rail. 

"They are the reason why I am here," Mateos said. "They always trust me in everything I do in life and I really love them a lot. They try to help me, I try to help them. I'm happy to have amazing parents."

^{Images courtesy of Triton Poker Series.}