Klemens Roiter Ends Years of Near Misses With First Triton Trophy

Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Jeju II S5 is turning into the season of first Triton trophies.

Just one event after Alexandros Theologis claimed his first Triton title , Klemens Roiter has finally done the same. The Austrian defeated Alejandro Lococo heads-up to win Event #2: $20,000 NLH at LES A Casino , Jeju, South Korea , earning $771,000 and his first trophy on the prestigious series.

Klemens Roiter Wins Triton Jeju 20K NLH

Roiter had been knocking on the door for years. Over the past two-and-a-half years, he had recorded 17 Triton cashes and 12 final tables, including four Main Event final tables where he finished seventh, fifth, third and second. This time, however, he finally got the result he had been chasing.

“I’m still shaking, my entire body,” Roiter said in his post-game interview. “I’m so happy. I couldn’t be more proud.”

The tournament drew 174 entries to create a $3,480,000 prize pool, with 25 players returning for Day 2. Roiter began the final day with only 17 big blinds and at one point dropped as low as seven, but managed to navigate his way through a loaded final table.

“I don’t expect anything,” Roiter said. “I think this was one of the best pieces of advice I ever got. Just don’t expect anything and then good things will happen, and you’re not disappointed when nothing happens. If I’d have got ninth, I would have taken it. I started relatively short today, 17 big blinds, and I was down to seven at one point, with 14 left. I just learnt to take everything how it comes and finally getting rewarded feels very good.”

Event #2: $20,000 NLH Final Table Results

Final Table Action

Biao Ding was the first casualty of the nine-handed final table. The three-time Triton champion moved in for 12 big blinds with ace-ten from the big blind after Lococo shoved from the small blind. Lococo held pocket deuces, which stayed ahead to send Ding out in ninth for $78,000.

Jesse Lonis was next. The four-time Triton champion picked up pocket jacks and got involved with Lococo, but the Argentinian flopped a seven with jack-seven. Another seven on the turn gave Lococo trips, and Lonis could not find his out on the river. He finished eighth for $94,000.

The overnight chip leader Yu Zhang then saw his tournament come to an end in seventh. Down to just four big blinds, Zhang moved in with king-eight, only to run into Justin Saliba’s pocket aces. There was no help on the board, sending Zhang out for $130,000.

Chin Wei Lim , who had started the final table second in chips, couldn’t convert his strong position into a win. He eventually found ace-king with around 10 big blinds and shoved, only for Mehdi Chaoui to call with queen-jack. A queen on the flop and a jack on the turn left Lim drawing thin, and he finished sixth for $179,000.

Lococo continued to be the main force at the table, eliminating Chi Jen Chu in fifth. Chu committed his final six big blinds with pocket eights, but Lococo’s ace-three connected with an ace on the flop and a three on the river. Chu collected $233,000 for his second career Triton final table.

The next pot produced two eliminations. Justin Saliba shoved for 11 big blinds with queen-jack, while Chaoui called with pocket nines. Lococo woke up in the big blind with ace-ten and called, eventually making a flush on the board. Chaoui was eliminated in fourth for $292,000, while Saliba took third and $358,000.

That left Roiter and Lococo heads-up, with Lococo holding a sizeable 51-big-blind stack against Roiter’s 19.

Roiter Completes the Comeback

Lococo had the early advantage, but Roiter gradually chipped away at the lead. The turning point came when Roiter completed with seven-deuce and flopped a pair of sevens. After calling bets on the flop and turn, the river paired the board and Roiter moved all in with a full house.

Lococo took his time before making the call, but Roiter had him covered and took down the massive pot. Lococo was left with less than one big blind.

He managed to double once, but there was no way back. In the final hand, Roiter’s ten-eight paired an eight against Lococo’s ace-nine, bringing the tournament to an end.

After years of deep runs and near misses, Klemens Roiter is finally a Triton champion.

The $771,000 score may not be the biggest cash of his career, but after 17 previous cashes and 12 final tables, this one clearly means something different: the first Triton trophy is finally his.

Photos and quotes courtesy of Triton Poker Series.

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