Invitees Shine in $250,000 Triton Invitational; Soverel Bags Fourth Bracelet
Table Of Contents
The 2025 WSOP Paradise schedule delivered another day of colossal action, with a bracelet claimed in the seven-figure $100,000 PLO Main Event and the biggest buy-in tournament of the festival kicking off.
The opening day of the $250,000 Triton Invitational saw the amateur "Invitees" storm the chip counts, leaving the poker world’s elite Pros with work to do on Day 2. Meanwhile, Sam Soverel wasted no time dispatching Andras Nemeth for a massive $2.59 million payday in the Triton $100,000 PLO Main Event
Triton Invitational Day 1: Invitees Take Control
It was the biggest buy-in event of the 2025 WSOP Paradise festival, and the $250,000 Triton Invitational didn't disappoint. By the end of Day 1, the event had attracted a field of 126 players, making it the second-largest in Triton Invitational history, with re-entry open until the start of Day 2.
At the end of ten levels, Invitees dominated the chip counts, occupying eight of the top ten spots. Ye Wang finished as the chip leader with 1,643,000, narrowly edging out Pro Kayhan Mokri, who sat second with 1,522,000.
Charles Hook, also an Invitee, finished 3rd with 1,453,000 and told PokerNews he ran well and played "super aggressively" over the course of the opening day.
"I don't really get to play many tournaments," said Hook "I like the Invitational, and Triton does a great job. The Bahamas is a two-hour flight from my house, so it's perfect."
The caution of the Pros was evident, with only four players from that side of the draw firing both their bullets on Day 1. They will look to make inroads when the Pro and Invitee fields merge for the first time on Day 2.
The remaining 71 players will return at 12 p.m. on Monday, December 8.
Triton $250,000 Invitational Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ye Wang | China | 1,643,000 |
| 2 | Kayhan Mokri | Norway | 1,522,000 |
| 3 | Charles Hook | United States | 1,453,000 |
| 4 | Dejan Kaladjurdjević | Montenegro | 1,375,000 |
| 5 | Vinny Lingham | United States | 1,250,000 |
| 6 | Sameh Elamawy | Egypt | 1,205,000 |
| 7 | Joseph Oren | United States | 1,190,000 |
| 8 | Tom Heung | Hong Kong | 1,077,000 |
| 9 | Talal Shakerchi | United Kingdom | 952,000 |
| 10 | Jean-Noel Thorel | France | 855,000 |
Soverel Seals $100K PLO Main Event Title
The heads-up battle for the $100,000 Triton PLO Main Event was short-lived, as Sam Soverel took just 15 minutes to conclude the final day.
Soverel and runner-up Andras Nemeth returned to an unscheduled Day 3, with Soverel holding a commanding chip lead. It did not take long for him to secure his fourth career WSOP title and his first Triton victory, claiming the massive $2,594,000 top prize. Nemeth earned a career-best score of $1,751,000 for his runner-up finish, capping a tournament that attracted 103 entries.
"I'm happy I came down here now!" Soverel said after his win, which came in only his second-ever Triton event.
Triton $100,00 PLO Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sam Soverel | United States | $2,594,000 |
| 2nd | Andras Nemeth | Hungary | $1,751,000 |
| 3rd | Dan Dvoress | Canada | $1,135,000 |
| 4th | Richard Gryko | United Kingdom | $941,000 |
| 5th | Philip Sternheimer | United Kingdom | $760,000 |
| 6th | Ben Lamb | United States | $598,000 |
| 7th | Joni Jouhkimainen | Finland | $457,500 |
| 8th | Nacho Barbero | Argentina | $345,000 |
