Straight Flush and Poker Stars at the Start of Triton Poker Jeju II 2026

The Triton Poker Jeju II 2026 series has kicked off in South Korea. On the very first day, a player hit a straight flush, and Phil Ivey appeared at the tables.

The second Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju II of the year has kicked off in South Korea—one of the most anticipated events on the 2026 poker calendar. The Les A Casino venue on Jeju Island has once again brought together the world’s top players to compete for millions of dollars in prize money. On the very first day of the festival, spectators witnessed several spectacular moments, including a rare straight flush and the appearance of the legendary Phil Ivey at the Triton tables. Thrilling Start: Nevan Chang Hits a Straight Flush The opening of the Triton Jeju II series was marked by a dramatic hand in the $15,000 NLH 8-Handed tournament. As reported live by Eliot Thomas and the Triton team, Nevan Chang found himself in the spotlight after making one of the rarest and strongest hands in poker—a straight flush. In one of the first hands of the day, Chang raised to 4,500 from the cutoff holding 7♥5♥. His only opponent was Lee Yimin, who defended the big blind with K♥Q♣. The flop came 6♥8♥9♥—a board that gave Chang a straight flush and Yimin a king-high flush draw. Yimin started with a check, and Chang, disguising the strength of his hand, checked back. The turn brought the 2♥, completing Yimin’s flush. Now the big blind checked again, and Chang bet 6,500, which Yimin called. The river was the 6♠, and Yimin decided to take the initiative, betting 9,000. Chang responded with a massive overbet—66,000. Yimin quickly called, only to see Chang’s straight flush. After this hand, Yimin could only smile and admit he’d fallen into a trap. Such hands are called “coolers”—situations where a strong hand loses to an even stronger one, making it nearly impossible to avoid losing chips. This hand set the tone for the entire day, showing that Triton Jeju II would be full of unexpected twists for the players. Other Highlights from Day One On the same day, another dramatic hand took place involving Triton champion Aleksejs Ponakovs. On the flop, he made two pair against Wang Yang, who hit a nut straight on the turn. However, the river paired the board, improving Ponakovs to a full house, allowing him not only to avoid elimination but also to double his stack early in the tournament. Phil Ivey Returns to Triton Tournaments in Jeju Among the star guests of the series is Phil Ivey, holder of 11 WSOP bracelets and one of the most recognizable players in poker history. In recent weeks, top professionals have often appeared in major poker broadcasts: Daniel Negreanu made his debut on Hustler Casino Live, and the largest pot in the history of High Stakes Poker was played. Now it’s Ivey’s turn to shine again in tournament play. Since 2016, when he first played Triton in the Philippines, Phil has become a regular at the series: he already has 5 Triton titles and 46 cashes—one of the best records in tour history. However, the start of this campaign was tough for Ivey. In one pot, he lost a significant portion of his stack to Artur Martirosyan, who caught the legend bluffing with a pair of threes. Despite trying to recover, Ivey busted just before the money, unable to survive the bubble. The Battle for the First Title and $642,000 in Prizes The opening event of the series—the $15,000 NLH 8-Handed—drew 204 entries, creating a prize pool of $3,090,000. Twenty-eight players advanced to the final day, which will take place on Saturday. The money bubble burst after Allisson Pekazevich was eliminated: he went all-in with top pair but lost to Alex Theologis’s two pair. After that, all remaining players were guaranteed at least $25,500, while the winner will take home an impressive $642,000. At the end of Day 1, Wai Kiat Lee led with 3,500,000 chips. Close behind were Punnat Punsri (3,465,000) and Alex Theologis (3,215,000). The top five also included Bernhard Binder (2,785,000) and Adrian Mateos (2,225,000). Other well-known players still in contention for the title include Nick Petrangelo, Jesse Lonis, Daniel Dvoress, and Xuan Liu. Play will resume at 1:00 PM local time and continue until a champion is crowned. Tournament Format and Glossary NLH (No-Limit Hold'em) — The most popular form of poker, where there is no limit on bet size and a player can go all-in at any time. 8-Handed — A format where eight players are seated at each table, making the game more dynamic compared to full-ring tables (9-10 players). Buy-in $15,000 — The amount a player pays to enter the tournament. Prize pool $3,090,000 — The total amount collected from all entries and distributed among the top finishers. Bubble — The stage of the tournament when only one elimination remains before the money; the player who finishes just outside the money is called the “bubble boy.” Straight flush — A hand consisting of five consecutive cards of the same suit, one of the rarest and strongest in poker. Full house — A hand made up of three cards of one rank and two of another (for example, three tens and two sevens). Overbet — A bet that exceeds the size of the current pot, often used to put pressure on an opponent. Chip Counts and Payouts in the $15K NLH 8-Handed Below are the current chip counts of the leaders and the payout structure for the $15,000 NLH 8-Handed tournament after Day 1: Chip Counts (Top 5): Wai Kiat Lee — 3,500,000 Punnat Punsri — 3,465,000 Alex Theologis — 3,215,000 Bernhard Binder — 2,785,000 Adrian Mateos — 2,225,000 Other players still in the running include Nick Petrangelo, Jesse Lonis, Daniel Dvoress, Xuan Liu, and others. Payouts in the $15K NLH 8-Handed: 1st place: $642,000 Minimum payout: $25,500 (guaranteed to everyone who made the bubble) Total prize pool: $3,090,000 Total entries: 204 Paid places: 28 players Exact payouts by place will be announced at the end of the tournament. Triton Poker Series Jeju II 2026 Schedule The Triton Jeju II festival features several prestigious tournaments with large buy-ins and a world-class field. The series schedule highlights the following events: $200,000 Triton Invitational — September 12-14 $100,000 NLH Main Event — September 14-16 $150,000 10th Anniversary Special — the anniversary tournament celebrating Triton’s tenth year, September 16-17 Throughout the series, PokerNews will run a daily blog with key moments, notable hands, results, and player stories. There will also be a live broadcast from Triton Poker and a free Triton Fantasy game for fans. Who Covers Triton Jeju II: The Reporting Team The action is being covered by experienced journalists and editors. Among them is Calum, who has worked at PokerNews since 2021 and has covered major events including the WSOP. Eliot Thomas, PokerNews editor, specializes in poker and casino reporting and is currently in Barcelona at the European Poker Tour, having previously worked at the WSOP and Triton Super High Roller Series. Detailed reports, interviews, and hand analysis are available on PokerNews and the official Triton Poker social media channels. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, news from Triton Jeju II is not just a reason to follow the pros, but also a valuable learning opportunity. First, reviewing hands played by top players like Nevan Chang or Phil Ivey helps to better understand high-stakes strategy and psychology. For example, knowing how to disguise the strength of your hand, as Chang did, or using overbets to maximize profit—these are skills that can be applied in online clubs as well. Second, such events show that even the world’s poker stars face challenges: losing pots on the bubble, running into coolers, making bluffs. This reminds PPPoker players that poker is a game of variance and long-term results, where it’s important to stay calm and adapt to the situation. Finally, Triton Jeju II is a great example of how modern poker is evolving: new formats, huge prize pools, professional coverage, and the ability to follow tournaments in real time. For PPPoker club members, this is motivation to improve their game, participate in club tournaments, and perhaps one day make it to the international stage.