The 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise, which is taking place on Paradise Island in The Bahamas, got off to a big start with the $500,000 buy-in Triton Million, which marked the WSOP's first partnership with Triton Poker.
It was a unique tournament that paired an invitee with a poker pro – each putting up a $500,000 buy-in – and then competing in respective fields on Day 1 before combining on Day 2. The tournament, which was being live reported by PokerNews, featured 74 players (37 pairs) and much to our surprise saw two players get their chips all in on the very first hand of the tournament.
It was a big hand, but just one captured by the PokerNews Live Reporting Team. Here is a look at five other either big or game-changing hands from the Triton Million.
Pablo Silva moved all in from the small blind, and Michael Malm nodded at his girlfriend on the rail to let her know he was going to make the call before tossing a chip across the line to call off his stack of about 2,000,000.
Michael Malm: J♣J♥
Pablo Silva: A♠3♥
Malm was in great shape for a double but the 4♦3♣3♠ flop gave Silva trip threes to take the lead. Malm couldn't find one of the last jacks in the deck as the K♣ landed on the turn, and the Q♣ on the river.
Benjamin Miner got his stack of 1.85 million all in preflop and found himself in a great spot against Matthew Belcher.
Benjamin Miner: A♥K♦
Matthew Belcher: A♦4♦
Miner had the superior ace but the 8♥3♠2♣ flop did give Belcher a wheel draw. The Q♥ turn was of no consequence but the 5♥ river was, as Belcher spiked the straight to send a shellshocked Miner to the rail in fourth place.
Matthew Belcher raised to 300,000 from the button and Matas Cikinas, who had grown extremely short, moved all in for just 40,000 more from the big blind. Belcher called and the hands were turned up.
Matas Cikinas: A♣8♥
Matthew Belcher: A♥Q♦
Cinkinas was dominated but the 5♣6♠7♥ flop gave him plenty of outs with an up-and-down straight draw. Unfortunately for him, both the 10♣ turn and 3♣ river were bricks and he was dispatched from the tournament in third place for $71,900.
What is a player to do when they love tournament poker, their mind allows them to compete against the best of the best, but their body doesn’t want to cooperate? That’s a question “Texas” Mike Moncek, who suffers from a heart condition, asked himself Wednesday night after playing in the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) ParadiseEvent #7: $100,000 Triton Main Event.
The tournament, which is being live reported by PokerNews, attracted 182 entrants and offered up an $18,200,000 prize pool. On Day 2, a little over 40 players remained when Texas Mike, in his own words, “punted.”
Pablo Silva limped from the small blind and Matthew Belcher moved all in for just over 3,000,000. Silva quickly made the call.
Matthew Belcher: A♣8♦
Pablo Silva: A♦J♠
"I need an eight," Belcher said, letting his rail know.
The 7♠5♥5♦ flop gave Belcher some extra outs to chop and the 9♥ turn gave him a straight draw as well but the 2♥ river was a brick, eliminating him in second place for $116,200.
On Thursday, Day 2 of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise Event #14: Super Saver $1,000,000 Invitational played out. The freezeout tournament – which invited either bracelet holders who participated in the Super Main Event, $100K Package Early Bird purchasers, or GGPoker Package winners to participate – started with 487 players, but the last player standing was Brazilian poker pro Pablo Silva.
Silva, who has been playing poker professionally for 14 years after initially learning the game online, had more than $3.4 million in lifetime earnings according to The Hendon Mob. That included a $1,000,000 score for winning the 2020 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS South America. He also had eight other six-figure scores including $168,471 for winning an EPT Prague €10,200 NLH event one year prior. He's also won several high-profile online events including the GGPoker Super MILLION$.
"I feel great. It's an honor to win this kind of event. Both the money and the bracelet are important," said the 35-year-old Silva, who was supported by his girlfriend and some Brazilian friends on the rail.
Event #14 Final Table Results
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
Pablo Silva
Brazil
$200,000
2
Matthew Belcher
United Kingdom
$116,200
3
Matas Cikinas
Lithuania
$71,900
4
Benjamin Miner
United States
$58,200
5
Michael Malm
Canada
$48,500
6
Jovan Kenjic
Serbia
$38,800
7
Christoph Vogelsang
Germany
$29,100
8
Michele Lawson
United States
$19,400
9
Neil Warren
United States
$16,400
Day 2 resumed with 24 players returning to action, and it took less than five fours to play to a winner. Among those to cash but fall short of the final table were Walid Mubarak (10th - $13,000), Timothy Adams (13th - $9,700), Day 1 chip leader Felipe Ketzer (17th - $7,700), Chris “Big Huni” Hunichen (20th - $6,400), and Gleb Tremzin (24th - $6,400).
As for Silva, he caught fire at the final table first picking up queens to eliminate Neil Warren, who had ace-ten, and then dispatching Michele Lawson, one of two WSOP bracelet winners at the final table, in eighth place when she jammed an ace-high flop with pocket tens. Unfortunately for her, Silva had an ace and scored the knockout.
Michele Lawson was one of only two bracelet winners at the final table.
With five players remaining, Silva got lucky with ace-trey to crack the pocket jacks of Michael Malm. Two treys on the flop were what it took to eliminate the last bracelet winner in the field. Matthew Belcher knocked out the next two players to set up a heads-up match against Silva, but it didn’t take long for things to come to a head.
In the final hand of the tournament, Silva limped and then called when Belcher moved all in from the big blind. The former held ace-jack and held against the latter’s ace-eight to seal the deal.
Congratulations to Pablo Silva on becoming a first-time bracelet winner on the last day of the 2024 WSOP Paradise. For more from the series, check out the PokerNews hub here.
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