The final event of the Triton Poker Series in Jeju was a classic. Costing $20,000 to play, the Short Deck tournament saw 42 entries and featured legends of the felt such as Phil Ivey, Isaac Haxton and Stephen Chidwick at the final table. In the end it was the latter who claimed his second title as the British bracelet winner Chidwick took the title and over a quarter of a million dollars after beating Tan Xuan heads up in the South Korean province.

Yapp Trapped as Bubble Bursts

With just seven players being paid, it was Jun Wah Yap who ended up busting for nothing. All-in with , he was ahead of Tan Xuan’s . That didn’t last, however, as a board of gave the latter a straight by the river. With the bubble burst, the final table had arrived and as the cameras flashed, the chip leader was Xuan himself, with 183 antes, Isaac Haxton his nearest challenger with 133 antes. No-one else sat with half of Xuan’s stack.

Phil Ivey was, as ever, a huge threat to others stacks at the final tables of several events this fortnight in Jeju and once again got into the money places. Ivey’s fell to Seth Davies’ , however, and that sent home the 10-time WSOP bracelet winner in seventh place for $44,000, still a good return on his $20,000 buy-in.

Next to go was Davies himself, as the American fell to Xuan in sixth for $54,500. Davies was at his third Short Deck final table but lost with to Xuan’s and watched in horror as three spades fell to give his opponent the flush. Chinese player Xuan was still in command at the final table with a healthy lead.

Haxton Not the Hero This Time

After a period where the chips moved around the table other than away from Xuan’s stack, it was Haxton who stepped off the metaphorical carousel. Chidwick moved all-in with and Haxton called with . A flop of kept Haxton ahead, pairing his jack or good measure but Chidwick was drawing to the world and a turn gave him a straight, which after the river was still the case, sending Haxton home with $71,500 as the American was once again denied a first-ever Triton title, reducing the field to four.

Daniel Dvoress was the next player to leave, the Canadian cashing for $92,000 in fourth place. Dvoress – who has won two Triton events himself – shoved with the superior but was overtaken by his caller Xuan with . With both Xuan and his fellow Chinese player Zhoou Quan up for a second victory in Jeju this month, it was the latter who instead busted to Chidwick to strengthen the British player’s chances of booking a first win of the series and second Triton title overall. Chidwick prevailed with against Quan’s and sent the Chinese player home with $122,000.

Chidwick the Champion

“Coming close a lot of times, you get your hopes up and you get them dashed.”

Heads-up, Chidwick’s elimination of Quan had proven pivotal. It almost levelled the chipcounts, and the opening exchanges even saw the Brit move into a slight lead. Cue the final hand, and Chidwick’s was all-in for the win against the pre-flop favorite belonging to Xuan.

A ten on the flop, as well as a flush draw for Chidwick turned the tables, odds-wise and while Xuan still had out, he prevailed after the Chinese player bricked on turn and river, cashing for $191,000 in second place.

For Chidwick it was yet more success, winning $265,000 and his second Triton trophy.

“It feels amazing,” he told Triton reporters after the final card fell. “I look around all the time when I’m playing, at the banners for the two-time champions, and I didn’t have one… it feels great to get the win. Coming close a lot of times, you get your hopes up and you get them dashed. But that’s the nature of tournament poker.”

Chidwick credited both the quality of his heads-up opponent Xuan and the support of his family for getting him over the line.

“He’s an incredible player. He’s impossible to put him on a hand. I knew I had my work cut out.” Chidwick said of Xuan before speaking of his young family in glowing terms. “My family gives me incredible support. If I have a bad day, good day, they’re there to give me a hug, cheer me up or celebrate with me. It makes a big different to my mood and motivation.”

After another stunning win in his career, Chidwick once again cemented his credentials at the very highest level of the game.

Heartiest congratulations to 🇬🇧 Stephen Chidwick for winning Event #19 $20K Short Deck Ante-Only.

The game might have been short deck but the plays were never short of amazing. Tan Xuan put up a good fight, but ultimately, it was Chidwick's calm fortitude under pressure that… pic.twitter.com/iiYzYjUejo

— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) March 21, 2024

Photographs courtesy of Joe Giron in Jeju for the Triton Poker Series.