Straight Flush on the River Against Aces: Triton Cyprus Sensation

At the opening of Triton One Cyprus, Ren Lin with pocket aces lost the pot to a straight flush held by Bakbergen Absadyk. This spectacular hand became the highlight of the tournament.

The opening of the Triton One Cyprus festival was marked by one of the most talked-about hands of the series: WPT Global ambassador Ren Lin suffered a bad beat with pocket aces, losing the pot to Kazakhstan’s Bakbergen Absadyk, who hit a straight flush on the river. This incredible hand took place during the first event of the series — the $3,000 QQPK Genesis tournament — and has already become a highlight of the prestigious festival’s start. Spectacular Hand: How Ren Lin’s Pocket Aces Lost to a Straight Flush The action unfolded during the third starting day (Day 1c) of the $3,000 QQPK Genesis tournament, which drew attention as the opening event of Triton One Cyprus. The blinds were 10,000/25,000 with a big blind ante of 25,000. Ren Lin, in early position, opened with a raise to 60,000 holding pocket aces ( A♠A♦ ). On the big blind, Bakbergen Absadyk defended with A♥3♥ , and after calling, he was left with 155,000 chips. The flop came 5♠ J♦ 2♥ . Absadyk picked up a gutshot straight draw and a potential flush draw if the right cards came on the turn or river. Lin still had the top overpair, making him a clear favorite at this stage of the hand. Absadyk immediately moved all-in for his remaining 155,000. Lin quickly called, and the pot grew to 465,000 chips. The turn — 4♥ — gave Absadyk a straight, and now Lin’s only hope was to chop if a card came on the river that would complete a straight for both players. However, the river was decisive: 5♥ not only improved the straight but also gave Absadyk a straight flush (A♥3♥ with 2♥4♥5♥ on the board). As a result of this hand, Ren Lin lost part of his stack but still had a solid 2,600,000 chips. By the end of the day, he bagged 2,100,000, allowing him to continue the fight on Day 2. Absadyk, despite winning the pot, did not advance further and was eliminated among the last players in this flight. Structure and Results of the Starting Days: Who Advances to Day 2 The $3,000 QQPK Genesis tournament featured four starting flights, which helped build an impressive field of 912 entries. The prize pool reached $2,443,248. After all starting days, 146 players advanced to Day 2, each guaranteed a payout. The largest flight was the third (Day 1c), with 382 entries and 61 players advancing. This flight also determined the overall chip leader — Imad Derwiche, who bagged 6,425,000 chips. His closest competitor, Alessio Isaia, finished the day with 5,315,000. In the fourth flight (Day 1d), which had 143 entries and sent 23 players to the next stage, the most successful was Ole Schemion — a well-known pro who finished the day with 4,485,000. He was followed by Chen Peng with 3,445,000 and Yiannis Liperis with 3,300,000. The first flight (Day 1a) had 239 entries, with 38 players advancing, while the second (Day 1b) had 148 entries and 24 advancing. All players who made it through the starting days will return to the tables on November 7 at 12:00 local time to continue the battle for the title and a share of the prize pool. Top 10 Chip Counts After the Starting Days: Tournament Leaders Place Player Chips 1 Imad Derwiche 6,425,000 2 Alessio Isaia 5,315,000 3 Aleksandr Kropotov 4,545,000 4 Ole Schemion 4,485,000 5 Erik Eisen 4,305,000 6 Milos Petakovic 4,175,000 7 Mitchell Hynam 4,100,000 8 Aliaksei Miliutkin 3,950,000 9 Chen Peng 3,445,000 10 Yiannis Liperis 3,300,000 The top ten chip counts feature players from various countries and poker backgrounds, highlighting the high level of competition at Triton One Cyprus. In addition to the players already mentioned, the top 10 includes Aleksandr Kropotov, Erik Eisen, Milos Petakovic, Mitchell Hynam, Aliaksei Miliutkin, Chen Peng, and Yiannis Liperis. What’s Next at Triton One Cyprus: What Players and Fans Can Expect The Triton One Cyprus festival is just getting started, with many major tournaments still ahead. On November 7, the $5,000 NLH 8-Handed Mystery Bounty kicks off — a format where players receive random cash prizes for knocking out opponents, adding extra intrigue to every all-in. The series’ Main Event, the $8,000 Main Event, begins on November 10 and will bring together the strongest players from the international poker community. You can follow the action not only on-site but also online: PokerNews provides live text updates for key tournaments, and the official Triton Poker YouTube channel streams final tables and the most exciting hands. About the Series and Venue: Triton One Cyprus and Merit Poker Triton One Cyprus is part of the prestigious Triton Poker series, which traditionally brings together the world’s best players and is held at one of the most popular poker venues — Merit Poker in Northern Cyprus. Triton tournaments are known for their high buy-ins, substantial prize pools, and unique atmosphere, combining a professional approach with a friendly environment for players of all levels. In this series, alongside Ren Lin, well-known players such as Ole Schemion, Aleksandr Kropotov, Alessio Isaia, Erik Eisen, Milos Petakovic, Mitchell Hynam, Aliaksei Miliutkin, Chen Peng, Yiannis Liperis, and Ruslan Zhmak are also participating. This confirms the high status of the events and their appeal to both professionals and enthusiasts. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, news from Triton One Cyprus is a great reason to reflect on their own approach to the game and development. First, even at the highest levels, incredible bad beats can happen, as in the hand between Ren Lin and Bakbergen Absadyk. This is a reminder of the importance of discipline and mental resilience: even after losing a big pot, you can stay in the game and keep fighting if you manage your stack wisely. Second, the structure of Triton tournaments — with multiple starting days and re-entry options — allows players to choose the optimal entry strategy and plan their participation. This format is also common in PPPoker club tournaments, where not only skill but also the ability to pace yourself over the long run is crucial. Finally, Triton One Cyprus shows how a variety of formats — from classic NLH to Mystery Bounty — makes poker more interesting and dynamic. PPPoker club players should try different disciplines to broaden their poker experience and be ready for any surprises at the table.