Jason Koon Defeats “Greatest Of All Time” to Win 11th Triton Title

Jason Koon’s legend continues to develop.

Earlier this week, he informed PokerNews about “taking part in with intention”, and the Triton Poker and PokerStars ambassador has put phrases into motion.

He claimed a record-extending eleventh Triton Tremendous Excessive Curler Sequence title in Montenegro, the identical venue the place he earned his first Triton trophy.

“I simply needed to beat the best poker participant of all time,” Koon stated after a heads-up victory within the $150K NLH occasion over his longtime good friend and mentor Ben Tollerene.

The 2 agreed to an ICM chop earlier than taking part in on, with Koon taking dwelling $3.39 million, the second-largest rating of his profession, and Tollerene banking $3.43 million.

Triton Montenegro $150,000 NLHE Last Desk Outcomes

Winner’s Response

For Koon, the title meant greater than the cash.

“After I first noticed what elite poker appeared like, it was by Ben.

“I received heads-up with my finest pal and mentor,” he stated. “Twelve years in the past, after I first noticed what elite poker appeared like, it was by Ben.

“And actually, I by no means thought I might be the one standing right here with 11 titles.”

Last Desk Recap

The ultimate 9 was stacked with heavyweights, however by the midpoint, it was clear the title would come right down to Koon and Tollerene.

Tollerene struck first, eliminating Isaac Haxton and Christoph Vogelsang in back-to-back palms.

Koon responded by knocking out Wiktor Malinowski, with Finnish PLO specialist Eelis Parssinen’s kings cracked to fall in sixth.

Matthias Eibinger’s run led to fifth after a cooler towards Tollerene’s pocket kings, earlier than Koon completed off Phil Ivey with pocket sevens that improved to a full home.

Wayne Heung impressed with a career-best $1.79 million for third. His exit cleared the way in which for the long-anticipated Koon-Tollerene heads-up battle, a conflict between two gamers intensely aware of each other.

Although the 2 share deep mutual respect and years of friendship, the ultimate battle was fierce. “It is paradoxical,” Koon stated. “You like the man, however you play as arduous as you possibly can. That is how we respect one another.”

And when the mud settled, Koon stood alone, once more.

“I’ve labored my ass off for over a decade,” Koon stated. “Right here we’re, 11 wins later, successful one of many greatest ones of my profession.”

Primarily based in the UK, Will began working for PokerNews as a contract stay reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time workers in 2019. He now works as Managing Editor.

He graduated from the College of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He additionally holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports activities Journalism.