Triton Poker SHRS Monte Carlo 2024: Pieter Aerts Defeats Michael Soyza Heads-Up to Win Event #6: $100K NLH 8-Handed For a Jaw-Dropping $2.23 Million (Four-Way Deal)

The Triton Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo is where the poker elite have gathered to battle for astronomical sums, and the action in the luxurious Salle Des Étoiles at the Monte Carlo Sporting has been nothing short of electrifying. Event #6: $100K NLH 8-Handed witnessed Belgian high roller Pieter Aerts (cover image) deliver a masterclass in poker, outlasting a stacked field of 131 entries to claim his second Triton title and a jaw-dropping $2.234 Million payday! This victory marks a significant leap from his previous best live cash of $1.472 million, which he won at Triton Cyprus two years ago.

Aerts, who started the final table third in chips, navigated a field of some of the world’s best players, ultimately snagging the Triton Trident trophy and a life-changing score. This victory marks Aerts’ first recorded win in two years and catapults him past the $5 Million mark in live tournament earnings, pushing him to #4 on Belgium’s all-time money list, just behind Kenny Hallaert.

🇧🇪 @aertspx claims his second Triton title after an intense, drawn-out heads-up battle against @MichaelSoyza in Event #6 $100K NLH, earning $2,234,587. A well-fought victory that solidifies his standing in the high-stakes arena.@wpt_global @GTOWizard @_Jacobandco #BetACR pic.twitter.com/OLgp2r79S5

— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) November 7, 2024

The final showdown saw Aerts go head-to-head with Malaysia’s Michael Soyza, a highly respected poker pro, entrepreneur (and co-owner of the Asian Poker Tour), and Malaysia’s second all-time money winner. Despite Soyza’s incredible performance, he gracefully accepted the runner-up position, walking away with a still-astounding $2.305 Million from a four-way deal – a new career-best for this crusher.

The deal also brought massive payouts for the other two contenders. German poker superstar Fedor Holz pocketed $1.528 Million for a strong third-place finish, while Austrian CoinPoker ambassador Mario Mosböck collected $1.544 Million for fourth place.

“It was a long, tough battle,” said an exhausted but elated Aerts after his victory. “We made a deal four-handed, and then the play changed a lot because we were playing just for that first-place prize… I was down to five big blinds four-handed and four big blinds heads-up, but I managed to come back. That’s how it goes sometimes.”

Even a spirited rail that included Danny Tang, Punnat Punsri, Webster Lim, and Lun Loon couldn’t quite get Soyza over the line. On the other side of the TV set, Pieter’s wife Charlotte cheered him on, thinking of their young daughter who was sleeping soundly nearby.

The baby was the reason Aerts skipped a year of the Triton Series, but he returned in style in this one despite whiffing the first four events here in Monte Carlo in a row.

“Of course, not doing well in the first events is not what you’re looking for, but it’s important to keep your cool, stay calm,” Aerts said after his win. “I didn’t let it affect me too much.”

He added: “Coming here now in this huge event and being able to take it home after this marathon session feels amazing.“

The couple left the tournament room with the trophy in hand, like a new addition to the family.

$100K NLH 8-Handed Highlights

The $100K buy-in Event #6, the first six-figure buy-in of the series, drew a massive field of 131 entries (including 46 re-entries). The mind-blowing $13.10 Million prize pool was divided among 23 players, with even the min-cash of $152,000 representing an over 50% profit for these high rollers.

The field was jam-packed with some of the biggest names in poker, and the payouts list reads like a who’s who of poker royalty, featuring Phil Ivey (11th for $255,000), Orpen Kisacikoglu (12th for $223,000), Luc Greenwood (13th for $223,000), Alex Kulev (14th for $203,000), Artur Martirosian (15th for $203,000), Stephen Chidwick (17th for $183,000), and Nick Petrangelo (23rd for $152,000).

From the initial lineup, only 52 advanced to Day 2. Among them were notables like Dan Dvoress, Chris Brewer, Ben Tollerene, and Elton Tsang, as well as recent Triton Monte Carlo champions like $25K WPT Global Ultimate Slam winner Brian Kim and $40K Mystery Bounty 7-Handed winner Roman Hrabec, and even $50K NLH 8-Handed champion Alex Foxen. Unfortunately, none of these top players could replicate their previous success.

As the tournament narrowed to 24 players, the tension peaked on the money bubble. The bubble finally burst when Thomas Mühlöcker pushed all-in with only to get called by Alex Kulev’s . The board ran out dry, leaving Kulev’s ace-high to win the hand and eliminating Mühlöcker just short of the money.

Aerts’ Ascent to Victory

As the tournament progressed, Aerts steadily climbed the leaderboard while notables like Stephen Chidwick, Alex Kulev, and Phil Ivey were eliminated. Approaching the final table, Aerts found himself in a prime position, just ahead of fellow Malaysian Michael Soyza.

The final table was set when Lee’s pocket queens held firm against Alex Theologis‘ , knocking Theologis out in 10th place. This was Theologis’ fourth top-10 finish at this stop, a testament to his incredible consistency so far, although he fell just short of reaching the final table this time.

You can relive the final day’s excitement by watching the replay of the live stream on Triton Poker’s YouTube channel, with featured table coverage all the way until heads-up play.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Kiat Lee – 4,880,000 (61 BBs)
2. Michael Soyza – 3,935,000 (49 BBs)
3. Pieter Aerts – 3,525,000 (44 BBs)
4. Fedor Holz – 3,375,000 (42 BBs)
5. Andy Ni – 3,305,000 (41 BBs)
6. Steve O’Dwyer – 2,860,000 (36 BBs)
7. Mario Mosböck – 2,675,000 (33 BBs)
8. Roland Rokita – 1,175,000 (15 BBs)
9. Christoph Vogelsang – 475,000 (6 BBs)

Final Table Recap

Andy Li started the final table with a middling stack but, surprisingly, was the first to exit. Holding in the small blind with 30 big blinds, he initiated a standard raise only to face a three-bet from Michael Soyza in the big blind. Responding with an all-in shove, Ni put his tournament life on the line. Soyza, who had 40 blinds and pocket tens, called. The board ran without an ace, keeping Soyza’s tens ahead and sending Ni packing in ninth place with $304,000, while the remaining players each moved up $77,000 in the prize structure.

This hand brought a short-lived respite for the short-stacked Christoph Vogelsang, but his tournament journey ended soon after. Holding with just eight big blinds, he raised, and Mario Mosböck called, setting a trap with pocket tens—the same hand that had eliminated Ni just moments earlier. The flop gave both players a straight draw, but Mosböck’s overpair with still best. Vogelsang shoved on the turn when he paired his five, but it wasn’t enough, and he exited in eighth place with $381,000.

Soyza’s hot run continued when he picked up and faced Roland Rokita‘s all-in with . Already holding the stronger hand, Soyza spiked top pair after an ace landed on the river, conclusively ending the hand. Rokita, who had clinched his first Triton title in Jeju earlier in the year, exited his second career final table in seventh place, banking $519,000.

The tension at the table spiked as two Malaysian pros clashed in a dramatic hand. Former chip leader Kiat Lee, holding pocket queens, raised from middle position, and Soyza, with in the big blind, saw a perfect opportunity to defend. The flop came down , hitting Soyza’s straight draw perfectly. He made a crafty check, baiting the trap. Lee, exercising caution, checked back, avoiding potential disaster on such a textured board.

The action escalated when the river card opened . Soyza, confident with his straight, led out for 500K. Lee, now holding a set, had a real hand and made it 1.40 Million. The tension peaked as Soyza re-raised to 4.50 Million, putting Lee on a critical decision. After a lengthy contemplation, Lee called, nearly depleting his stack. Soyza’s straight won him the massive pot. Lee, severely crippled, couldn’t recover. A few hands later, Steve O’Dwyer finished him off with against Lee’s . Lee exited in sixth place for $701,000—a commendable sum, but yet another final table where the title eluded him.

However, in an unfortunate series of hands, the tide swiftly turned for Steve O’Dwyer. The big blow came when he confidently opened the button for 325,000, holding , only to be met by Pieter Aerts, who went all-in with for 26 big blinds. O’Dwyer made an easy call but was stunned as the flop rolled out , gifting Aerts a straight and decimating O’Dwyer’s stack. The subsequent hand dealt the final nail in his coffin. It was again O’Dwyer’s that fell short, this time against Aerts’ . O’Dwyer finally picked up his first cash for the trip worth a commendable $904,000 but was undoubtedly tinged with the disappointment of what could have been.

With everyone now locked into a minimum payout of $1.127 Million, discussions for a deal started. Michael Soyza, wielding a formidable stack of 109 big blinds, dwarfed his closest competitors: Pieter Aerts with 54 big blinds, Mario Mosböck with 24, and Fedor Holz with 23. They agreed to an ICM chop, flattening the massive pay jumps. Soyza locked up $2.305 Million, Aerts secured $1.857 Million, Holz got $1.528 Million, and Mosböck was guaranteed $1.544 Million. With the money settled, they left $377,000 and the trophy to play for.

The dynamics at the table shifted quickly when Fedor Holz managed a crucial double-up through Pieter Aerts, flipping the fortunes of both players. As a result, Aerts and Mario Mosböck found themselves under increasing pressure as the shortest stacks. In a twist of fate that intensified the drama, Mosböck crashed out first. In a poignant turn of events, his friend and training partner, Holz, eliminated him, effectively ending Mosböck’s run in a contest where both were striving to survive the mounting pressures of the final stages.

As the tournament wore on, Pieter Aerts, initially the short stack, miraculously doubled through Michael Soyza with against pocket fours, clinching the chip lead. The structure tightened as the levels advanced, reducing the total chips in play to about 50 big blinds three-handed.

Fedor Holz managed a brief comeback with a double-up, but his resurgence was short-lived. He found himself all in with but was drawing very thin against Soyza’s . Aerts wisely folded, leaving Holz to face Soyza’s formidable hand. A four on the flop was little consolation as Holz couldn’t improve further and was eliminated in third place, walking away with $1,528,097 he negotiated in the deal.

The tournament now steered towards a head-to-head showdown between Aerts and Soyza, with the Belgian’s earlier perseverance clearly paying dividends. Soyza entered this final duel holding a slight chip lead, 50 to 38 big blinds.

“Let’s go, Soyza!” the Malaysian rail, led by the Hong Kong/Brit Danny Tang, cheered enthusiastically.

The first big pot of the heads-up saw Tang advising Soyza to “regroup” after a crucial double-up by Aerts, holding against Soyza’s [11]. The chips flew in post-flop on ; both players felt strong about their hands, but Aerts’s straight trumped Soyza’s two pair.

As the duel continued, Aerts took over the lead with 39 big blinds to Soyza’s 27.

The head-to-head was a grind—an understatement for a duel that stretched longer than anticipated. The lead switched back and forth: players surged ahead, got pegged back, pushed all-in, doubled up, and the cycle repeated. As the tournament structure began to consume the blinds rapidly, the game intensified even when just 33 big blinds remained in play.

Aerts, at one point down to a mere four blinds, managed to double up twice in quick succession, regaining the lead. The battle culminated in another all-in, Aerts with against Soyza’s . This time, Aerts’s hand held firm, getting him the Triton trophy and an extra $377,000 on top of the $1.857 Million from the deal.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Pieter Aerts – $2,234,587*
2. Michael Soyza – $2,305,000*
3. Fedor Holz – $1,528,097*
4. Mario Mosböck – $1,544,316*
5. Steve O’Dwyer – $904,000
6. Kiat Lee – $701,000
7. Roland Rokita – $519,000
8. Christoph Vogelsang – $381,000
9. Andy Ni – $304,000

*denotes a four-way deal

Content & Images Courtesy: Triton Poker

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