Zhao Wenjie Tops 1,230 Entries in Record-Breaking Triton ONE 2026 Main Event

Zhao Wenjie delivered the biggest victory of his career in Jeju, South Korea , overcoming a record-breaking field of 1,230 entries to win the Triton ONE 2026 Main Event title, with a total prize pool of $8,945,790.

Vallinas held a commanding chip lead throughout the late stages of the event and appeared firmly in control as the field narrowed. However, after the two finalists agreed to a heads-up deal for the largest payouts, the momentum shifted dramatically. Zhao seized control of the match and never looked back, eventually claiming the trophy.

Zhao earned $1,160,000 for the victory, while Vallinas secured the larger payout of $1,337,000 following the deal. The runner-up finish still marked a new career-best score for the Spanish pro, who has now reached six Triton final tables, all of them in Jeju. For Zhao, the win was an incredible breakout moment. Playing his first Triton Poker Series , he entered three events at Triton ONE and cashed in all of them, culminating with the biggest title of the festival.

#10 Triton One - Main Event - USD 8,000 ($8,000)

Total Prize

$8,945,790

Entries

1,230

ITM

199

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	$1,160,000	WZ Wenjie Zhao China	6,795.01
2	$1,337,000	JV Jon Vallinas Spain	4,804.80
3	$641,000	SN Shota Nakanishi Japan	3,923.10
4	$475,000	XL Xiaohu Liu China	3,397.51
5	$371,000	KY Kai Yang United States of America	3,038.82
6	$279,000	IM Issey Maeda Japan	2,774.05
7	$213,000	QZ Quan Zhou China	2,568.27
8	$151,000	TE Takumi Eguchi Japan	2,402.40
9	$116,990	JG Jimmy Guerrero France	2,265.00

Check the 199 Payouts & Results ...

Ander Vallinas Starts Final Day With Huge Lead

The final day began with six players remaining, and Vallinas firmly in control with 147 big blinds, nearly triple the average stack. Zhao followed with 94 big blinds, while the remaining players were all below the average stack. Despite Vallinas’ commanding lead, the final day quickly produced early all-in confrontations.

Early Bustouts Narrow The Field

One of the first key hands featured a three-way all-in. Short stack Issey Maeda moved all-in with pocket fours for about four big blinds. Liu Xiaohu reshoved with pocket jacks, and Kai Yang called with ace-jack.

The flop delivered a set for Liu, leaving Maeda drawing dead. Yang improved to two pair but could not overcome Liu’s set. Liu doubled up while Maeda was eliminated in 6th place for $279,000, marking the Japanese player’s best live cash in his Triton debut.

Shortly afterward, Yang was the next player to fall. Down to eight big blinds, he shoved with king-three suited and was called by Zhao. The board offered Yang no help, sending him to the rail in 5th place for $371,000. The result capped a strong Triton debut for Yang, who cashed a total of $388,800 during the series.

Vallinas Continues To Dominate

With the field reduced to four players, Vallinas continued to extend his lead. His stack surpassed 190 million chips, eventually crossing the 200 million mark after eliminating Liu.

Liu moved all-in from the button with ace-nine, but Vallinas woke up with ace-king in the big blind and made the snap call. The board provided no help for Liu, who exited in 4th place for $475,000. The result was a strong comeback for Liu, who had previously played the Triton ONE 2025 Main Event but failed to cash.

 Zhao Eliminates Nakanishi To Reach Heads-Up

Three-handed play lasted roughly 40 minutes before Shota Nakanishi found himself all-in for around 10 big blinds with jack-four suited. Zhao called with ace-queen, and Nakanishi failed to connect with the board. The Japanese pro was eliminated in 3rd place for $641,000, securing the biggest live score of his career.

Nakanishi had previously appeared at Triton events in Vietnam last 2023 but failed to cash. His deep run in Jeju marked a successful return to the series.

Heads-Up Deal Sets Stage For Final Battle

Heads-up play began with Vallinas holding 105 big blinds to Zhao’s 88 big blinds. Before continuing, the two players agreed to an ICM deal. Vallinas, as the chip leader, secured $1,337,000, while Zhao locked up $1,080,000. An additional $80,000 and the trophy remained in play for the eventual champion.

Zhao’s Comeback Secures The Title

After the deal, Zhao began to chip away at Vallinas’ lead with several key hands. In one crucial moment that shifted the chip lead, Zhao successfully bluffed Vallinas on the river, forcing the Spaniard to fold top pair. Another hand appeared headed for a chop on a straight board, but Zhao applied pressure with a river raise, forcing Vallinas to fold and claiming all the chips.

These aggressive plays allowed Zhao to seize control and build a three-to-one chip lead. Zhao continued grinding down Vallinas until the Spanish pro was left with just six big blinds. The final hand saw Zhao move all-in with seven-four of spades, while Vallinas called with jack-nine of diamonds. The flop immediately delivered a flush for Zhao, sealing the victory and crowning him the Triton ONE 2026 Main Event Champion.

About Triton ONE & Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju

The Triton Poker Series returned to Jeju, South Korea, in March for the second-ever Triton ONE festival, followed by a stop on the Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju S5 2026 .

Triton ONE ran from March 5-15, 2026, with the Super High Roller Series taking place from March 14-April 1. Both events were held at the luxurious Les A Casino at Jeju Shinhwa World, previously known as the Landing Casino & Resort.

All quotes, images, and figures courtesy of Triton Poker Series.