If you predicted a Belarusian winner of the Triton Poker Main Event, you’d have got plenty of nods in support. If you said it wouldn’t be Mikita Badziakouski, you’d likely get some seriously odd looks.
But tonight, in Montenegro, businessman Mikalai Vaskaboinikau followed his famous countryman into the Triton winner’s circle, seeing off a stacked final table that included Bryn Kenney and Phil Ivey, to bag the $4,737,000 top prize.
Vaskaboinikau was one of several non-pros in the $125,000 buy-in flagship tournament lineup, sharing a stage with the likes of Patrik Antonius, Dan Smith, Hossein Ensan and Chris Brewer to name just a few of those who made the money.
Today was all about the final table, however, and whether anyone could prevent the people’s hero, Ivey, from adding to his five Triton trophies.
Cold deck for Ivey
It looked unlikely as the legend sauntered his way through the day while everyone else seemed to be caught at some point by what the commentators described as “a very sadistic deck." Then it hit Ivey.
First, Vaskaboinikau produced a better runner-runner flush, with Ivey already sitting on a pair. His look after the hand said it all. Then, when Ivey shoved A-8, he woke up with A-K, to send Ivey crashing out, along with his hopes of catching Danny Tang in the Ivan Leow Player of the Year race. For now, at least.
As Ivey’s dream faded, Vaskaboinikau’s was just getting started. The 37-year-old Belarusian player, who described the $4.7 million up top as “not life-changing,” later revealed he “had a good feeling about this [tournament] a few months ago. I put this thought in my mind in a dream.”
Royal flush vs. top set
Curiously, the most memorable hand of the final table didn’t involve him, but it had him staring in shock when it was over. It started when Montenegrin online star Dejan Kaladjurdjevic limped in with aces off 10BBs blind-on-blind. Aleks Ponakovs, with a little over 20 bigs, just checked.
Kaladjurdjevic: 
Ponakovs: 
Flop: 
The smallest bet possible was also met with just a call.
Turn: 
”The Kalahari of turn cards” was how the commentary booth described the dry turn, and Ponakovs called again to a smallish turn bet.
River: 
How do you make money off a Royal Flush on a four-flush, four-straight board against top set? Answers on a virtual postcard, please. It went check-check, and Vaskaboinikau was incredulous when both players tabled their hands.
The denouement was less fascinating, and when Vaskaboinkau ousted first Ponakovs, then a short-stacked Kaladjurdjevic, a well-deserved victory was his.
“It’s a really amazing feeling,” Vaskaboinikau said after his biggest-ever win by far.
“Poker tournaments are always second, second, second for me," he added. "Now, finally, it is my time. For sure, it will be one of the brightest moments in my life.”
$125,000 Triton Montenegro Main Event
| Place | Player | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mikalai Vaskaboinikau | $4,737,000 |
| 2nd | Dejan Kaladjurdjevic | $3,196,000 |
| 3rd | Aleks Ponakovs | $2,200,000 |
| 4th | Phil Ivey | $1,795,000 |
| 5th | Igor Yaroshevskyy | $1,430,000 |
| 6th | Samuel Ju | $1,098,000 |
| 7th | Wai Kin Yong | $800,000 |
| 8th | Bryn Kenney | $580,000 |
| 9th | Elizabeth Chen | $478,000 |
Images courtesy of Triton Poker/Joe Giron
