Triton Poker Series Jeju 2025: Punnat Punsri`s Prophecy Fulfilled in NLH Finale; Wins Third Triton Trophy in Event #12: $125K NLH 7-Handed ($2.60 Million)

The final No-Limit Hold’em event, Event #12: $125,000 NLH 7-Handed, of the record-breaking Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju 2025 delivered an electrifying conclusion at Landing Casino. While the series is still underway, the NLH chapter closed in dramatic fashion. And when the dust finally settled—at a little past 2 AM local time on Monday morning—it was Thailand’s all-time money leader, Punnat Punsri (cover image), standing tall, once again demonstrating why he remains one of the most formidable forces on the Triton circuit.

As if preordained by the poker gods themselves, Punsri’s victory felt almost destined. An unusual glitch on the LED screens inside the tournament room had been displaying him as a three-time Triton champion—except, at that point, he had only won two titles. This digital hiccup, however, proved to be strangely prophetic. By the time the final card hit the felt, reality had mirrored the premature announcement. Punsri cemented his place in Triton history, claiming a well-earned $2,594,555 payday (his third-best career score) and his third coveted Triton trophy. He had last won Event #8: $50K NLH 7-Handed in Jeju a year ago, and he repeated the feat in what has become the tour’s busiest stop ever.

🏆 Punnat Punsri claims his third Triton Poker Series title! 🏆

🇹🇭 Punnat Punsri has done it again, securing his third Triton Poker Series title in Event #12 $125K NLH at 🔱 Triton Poker Series SHRS Jeju 2025.

After a heads-up deal with 🇩🇪 Christoph Vogelsang, where Punnat… pic.twitter.com/ro3GFEMiCv

— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) March 9, 2025

The High-Stakes Clash: Punsri vs. Vogelsang

The heads-up battle saw Punsri and Germany’s Christoph Vogelsang negotiate an ICM deal, locking up over $2.45 Million for each and leaving the extra $90,000 and the trophy in play.

Vogelsang, who had maintained a chip lead for most of the final day, experienced a temporary setback but rebounded impressively with a stunning double elimination when only four players remained. In a single, game-changing hand, he sent five-time Triton champion Mikita Badziakouski and two-time winner Chris Brewer to the rail, drastically altering the dynamics of the final table. Yet, when the chips were down, Punsri proved his mettle, outmanoeuvring his final opponent to grab the title. The 2017 Super High Roller Bowl champion, Vogelsang, took home that $2,456,445 from the deal for his runner-up finish – his fourth-best all-time career score.

Event Highlights

The final day kicked off after the tournament organizers’ strategic decision to extend the late registration period because the record-breaking Event #11: $100,000 NLH Main Event was running concurrently. This created a flow of players between the two events, leading to a late surge of entries for Event #12. The final tally reached a remarkable 93 entries (60 unique players, with many opting to re-enter), generating a prize pool exceeding $11.60 Million!

As the field narrowed, poker stalwarts like Brian Kim, Leon Sturm, and the legendary Phil Ivey found themselves battling for survival.

The money bubble burst in dramatic fashion when Tan Xuan`s big slick fell victim to Ben Tollerene’s pocket jacks, which improved to quads. Tan was eliminated in 16th place, leaving with nothing to show for his efforts. Phil Ivey, one of the most decorated players in poker history, was the first to cash, finishing 15th for $198,000.

The eliminations continued, each one ratcheting up the drama. Michael Soyza (10th for $244,000), Daniel Dvoress (11th for $244,000), Brian Kim (12th for $215,000), Danny Tang (13th for $215,000) and Fedor Holz (14th for $198,000) – all highly respected and accomplished players – made deep runs, but their journeys ended before the final table.

After a gruelling 90-minute grind, Masashi Oya was eliminated in ninth place ($302,000), setting up the official eight-handed final table.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Christoph Vogelsang – 5,075,000 (51 BBs)
2. Punnat Punsri – 3,090,000 (31 BBs)
3. Ben Tollerene – 2,970,000 (30 BBs)
4. Chris Brewer – 2,640,000 (26 BBs)
5. Mikita Badziakouski – 1,850,000 (19 BBs)
6. Joao Vieira – 1,820,000 (18 BBs)
7. Dan Smith – 585,000 (6 BBs)
8. Kiat Lee – 525,000 (5 BBs)

Final Table Recap

The final table was a long and intense battle, despite half the field falling below the 20-big blind mark. Among the shorter stacks, Dan Smith and Kiat Lee were in particularly precarious positions. Soon, Smith picked up , a good enough hand to commit his remaining six big blinds, but he, unfortunately, ran directly into Chris Brewer’s pocket queens. No ace appeared to rescue him, and Smith became the first casualty of the final table, exiting in eighth place.

For most of the tournament, Christoph Vogelsang had been the unshakeable chip leader, but Ben Tollerene had other intentions. In a massive pot that dramatically shifted the power dynamic, Tollerene wrestled the chip lead away from Vogelsang, relegating the German to third place. Vogelsang, holding , called Tollerene pre-flop and on every subsequent street as the board ran out . When hit the river, Tollerene fired a near all-in barrel, forcing Vogelsang to fold. If the German had been suspicious, he would have been right—Tollerene pulled off a masterful bluff with , soaring to the top of the chip counts.

With $2.5 MILLION 💰 still in play, Benjamin Tollerene shrugs off pay-jump pressure as he tries to steal the chip lead from Christoph Vogelsang! 💸😮 pic.twitter.com/dG2f6zmJBU

— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) March 9, 2025

Meanwhile, Kiat Lee, holding onto a minuscule stack, hoped that the ICM pressure would claim another victim before him. He doubled up, increasing his stack from two to four big blinds, but still needed a significant turn of fortune. He nearly found it when Brewer shoved from the small blind, and Mikita Badziakouski called all-in from the big blind. However, Brewer’s failed to outrun Badziakouski’s , keeping the Belarusian alive and leaving Lee once again as the most vulnerable player. The inevitable unfolded soon—Lee’s proved no match for Joao Vieira’s , sending Lee packing in seventh place, who added another Triton cash to his impressive resume (32 in total), but is still yearning for that elusive first title.

At this stage, the remaining players were short-stacked, but no one was doing down without a fight. That’s what made Ben Tollerene’s earlier bluff all the more audacious. Ironically, when he finally picked up genuinely strong hands—ace-king, in consecutive hands—he found himself on the receiving end of two devastating blows.

First, his fell to Punnat Punsri’s pocket queens, with Punsri doubling up his 23 big blind stack and leaving Tollerene crippled with only 10 big blinds. On the very next hand, Tollerene’s ran into Vieira’s pocket Jacks, resulting in Tollerene’s elimination in sixth place.

Now, it was Punsri’s turn to seize control. With the largest stack and the cards seemingly in his favour, he struck again moments later. Holding pocket jacks, he eliminated the Event #9: $150K NLH 8-Handed champion, Joao Vieira, in a pre-flop four-bet confrontation. Vieira, holding , jammed all-in, but a jack on the turn left him drawing dead, sending him to the payout desk in fifth place.

Punsri was comfortably positioned with 63 big blinds as the players took a tournament break. Vogelsang trailed with 15, Badziakouski had 11, and Brewer was barely hanging on with 5. The positive side for each remaining player was they were all guaranteed a seven-figure payday.

With Punsri steamrolling the table, it looked like an easy cruise to victory. But Vogelsang had his own plans. He doubled up with a dominating ace through Punsri. Badziakouski also found a double-up, ensuring that all four remaining players still had a fighting chance.

And then, in a single, explosive hand, the table was cleaved in half.

Chris Brewer, now with eight blinds, raised his button holding . Mikita Badziakouski, in the small blind, called with . But then Vogelsang, waking up with , saw the perfect squeeze opportunity and shoved, covering both players. They both called for their tournament lives. Vogelsang was way ahead, and when an ace landed on the turn, it was over—Brewer was out in fourth, Badziakouski in third.

This left the final two: Christoph Vogelsang with 42 big blinds and Punnat Punsri with 51. With over $5 Million in prize money remaining to be divided, tournament director Luca Vivaldi was called upon to facilitate an ICM chop. The deal locked up $2,504,555 for Punsri and $2,456,445 for Vogelsang, leaving $90,000 on the table for the eventual winner, along with the trophy!

It all came down to one hand.

Punsri limped from the small blind with , and Vogelsang checked with . The flop rolled out , and the action heated up fast. Vogelsang checked; Punsri bet with his small pair and a flush draw, and Vogelsang check-raised. Punsri responded with a three-bet, and Vogelsang called. The on the turn brought no further action, but the on the river gave Punsri two pair. Vogelsang, perhaps sensing an opportunity, fired a large bet, nearly his entire stack. However, Punsri wasn’t going anywhere—he snapped him off, dragging in the massive pot.

With less than a single big blind remaining, Vogelsang’s fate was sealed on the next hand. Punsri completed the victory, claiming the title, the trophy, and the final portion of the prize money in a commanding performance. Each of his three Triton wins now exceeds $2 Million.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Punnat Punsri – $2,594,555*
2. Christoph Vogelsang – $2,456,445*
3. Mikita Badziakouski – $1,348,000
4. Chris Brewer – $1,093,000
5. Joao Vieira – $878,000
6. Ben Tollerene – $686,000
7. Kiat Lee – $540,000
8. Dan Smith – $413,000

*denotes a heads-up deal

Content & Images Courtesy: Triton Poker

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