Daniel Negreanu doubles up against Phil Ivey on the Triton PLO bubble

Daniel Negreanu avoided elimination by doubling up through Phil Ivey on the bubble of the Triton $100,000 PLO tournament and made it into the money at WSOP Paradise 2025.

Canadian pro Daniel Negreanu was on the verge of elimination but managed to survive and secure his first payout at the WSOP Paradise 2025 series. In Event #3: $100,000 Triton PLO Main Event, he doubled up through Phil Ivey, which allowed him to make it past the bubble and keep his bracelet hopes alive. Dramatic Bubble Escape: How Negreanu Survived The situation was critical for Daniel Negreanu: he was all-in against another Poker Hall of Famer, Phil Ivey, at the exact moment when, at a neighboring table, Ben Tollerene was also risking his entire stack. If Negreanu had lost the hand, he would have had to split the minimum payout for 17th place ($161,000) with Tollerene. However, luck was on the Canadian’s side. In the decisive hand on a K♠9♣5♦ board, Negreanu was all-in with Q♥10♥9♠7♥, holding a pair of nines, while Ivey showed Q♠J♣7♣3♣ — just a lower pair and only a 19% chance to win. The turn 3♠ improved Ivey to a pair of threes, but the river 2♥ changed nothing, and Negreanu doubled up, keeping his stack and hopes for a deep run alive. Meanwhile, on the main stage, Tollerene with K♦K♣J♥8♠ was all-in against Nacho Barbero, who held A♦A♠J♦10♦. After Tollerene’s raise and Barbero’s three-bet, Ben called and ended up all-in with his last nine big blinds. On the 10♥7♦3♠5♦5♣ board, Barbero’s pocket aces held up, and Tollerene was eliminated on the bubble. Thus, it was the double-up against Ivey that allowed Negreanu to make the money and secure his sixth cash at the WSOP Paradise series in his career, as well as his first in an event with a buy-in over $25,000. Field Growth Thanks to Late Registration On the first day, the tournament drew 77 entries, but organizers allowed late registration and re-entry until the start of Day 2. This attracted another 26 participants, bringing the total number of entries to 103. The $100,000 buy-in created a massive prize pool. Sam Soverel was the chip leader after Day 1. He confidently controlled the game, knocking out Joao Simao among others. As the field shrank, Soverel lost some chips but then won a big hand against Artur Martirosyan to regain the chip lead. The bubble — the stage when just one elimination remains before the money — lasted nearly an hour and a half after Robert Cowen finished in 18th place. Battling for the minimum payouts were not only Negreanu, but also Phil Ivey and Martin Kabrhel, who was trying to avoid a second consecutive “stone bubble” at Triton after busting in the $75,000 Triton Pot-Limit Omaha. A key double-up by Kabrhel against Richard Greico kept him in the game, while Nacho Barbero had taken the chip lead by this point. At the critical moment, play switched to hand-for-hand (one hand at a time at all tables simultaneously), and organizers paused the tournament when two all-ins happened at once — Negreanu’s and Tollerene’s. Quick Reference: What is WSOP Paradise and the Triton PLO Main Event? WSOP Paradise is a new World Series of Poker festival held in exclusive locations and attracting the world’s best players. Event #3: $100,000 Triton PLO Main Event is one of the most expensive and prestigious events of the series, played in the Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) format. In PLO, players receive four cards and must use exactly two of them, along with three from the board, to make a hand. The high buy-in and elite field make this tournament a true test even for the most experienced professionals. This year, the tournament drew 103 entries, reflecting strong interest from top players. The prize pool and payout structure are designed for deep play and big prizes for the finalists. Results: Who Made the Money and How Much They Won The minimum payout for 17th place was $161,000. By cashing, Daniel Negreanu kept his chances alive for the top prize of $2,594,000, which will go to the tournament winner. At the time of publication, the battle for the final table and the bracelet was still ongoing. Payout table (as of the bubble): 17th place: $161,000 Top prize: $2,594,000 Among those who made the money were well-known pros such as Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Nacho Barbero, Artur Martirosyan, Joao Simao, Ben Tollerene, Lautaro Guerra, and Sam Soverel. Key Hands and the Fight for Survival The battle to make the money was extremely intense. In addition to Negreanu’s dramatic double-up against Ivey, the hand between Tollerene and Barbero stood out. With a short stack, Tollerene tried to double up with pocket kings and two broadways, but Barbero’s aces and straight draw prevailed. That hand proved fatal for Ben — he busted right on the bubble, missing out on a payout. Martin Kabrhel also came close to elimination but doubled up through Richard Greico to keep his hopes of making the money alive. Nacho Barbero, on the other hand, thanks to aggressive play and well-timed three-bets, took the chip lead by the end of the bubble. Daniel Negreanu: Sixth Cash at WSOP Paradise and First in a High Roller This result marked Daniel Negreanu’s sixth cash at the WSOP Paradise series. However, it was his first payout in an event with a buy-in over $25,000. Interestingly, Negreanu spent the morning before this action-packed day on the golf course with Joni Jouhkimainen and Michael Duek, who finished third in the 2022 WSOP Main Event. Now Negreanu continues to fight for the top prize of $2,594,000 and another WSOP gold bracelet, which would be a significant addition to his trophy collection. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players This story clearly shows how important discipline and the ability to stay focused are in critical tournament moments. Even the most experienced pros, like Daniel Negreanu, can find themselves on the brink of elimination, but smart decision-making and a bit of luck can not only keep them alive but also let them continue fighting for big prizes. For PPPoker club players, this is a great example of why you should never give up until your last chip and always look for every chance to double up, especially on the bubble. It’s also worth paying attention to Pot-Limit Omaha strategy, where hand construction is different from the more familiar Texas Hold’em. Being able to count outs, control the pot, and pick the right moments for aggression are key skills for successful PLO play, which can be developed in PPPoker club games. Finally, as the Triton PLO Main Event showed, playing tournaments with late registration and re-entry options can significantly increase your chances of success. PPPoker clubs regularly host tournaments with similar structures, allowing players to practice in conditions as close as possible to professional series.