Simao and Petrangelo Chop Triton Jeju Final for $2M+

Simao finishes Triton Jeju with another monster payday

Joao Simao arrived in Jeju already carrying the biggest headline of the stop: a $7,250,000 win in the $200,000 Triton Invitational. By the time the final day of Triton Jeju ended, the 37-year-old Brazilian had added one more elite result to an already outrageous series, chopping the $150,000 Triton 10th Anniversary Special with Nick Petrangelo.

That final deal pushed Simao’s total Triton Jeju winnings to $9,874,090, a number that underlines just how dominant a single festival can be when a top pro runs deep in multiple high rollers. In a landscape where many players dream of one six-figure score, Simao left Korea with a haul that reshapes a year — and, in his case, reinforces a career already defined by consistency at the very top.

For players trying to understand what separates a one-off heater from a true championship run, the answer often lies in preparation, table selection, and the ability to keep making high-quality decisions after the first big score. If you want to study that broader ecosystem, our guides to poker rooms and poker clubs are a good place to start.

Inside the $150,000 Triton 10th Anniversary Special

The final multi-day event on the Triton Jeju schedule drew 67 entries at $150,000 apiece, creating a $10,050,000 prize pool. As the second-largest buy-in on the stop, it naturally attracted the same elite field that had spent two weeks battling for massive scores, trophies, and year-end momentum.

Late registration closed at the start of Day 2 on Sept. 16, and from that point the field had to fight its way to the final 11 paid spots. Kiat Lee became the bubble player when he busted in 12th, though the recently crowned four-time Triton champion could at least lean on other strong results from the series.

The final table was packed with talent. Thomas Boivin led the way, Petrangelo was close behind, and Simao sat in the middle of the pack. There were no true micro-stacks in the mix, which made every all-in feel more like a strategic collision than a desperation shove. In that kind of environment, ICM pressure and stack leverage matter as much as raw card strength.

Key final-table hands that shaped the outcome

The first casualty was Dan Dvoress, who finished 9th for $286,000. His pocket queens ran into Miroslav Atanasov’s A♥9♥, which improved to trip aces. It was a tough exit, but Dvoress still remains a major force in the Triton Player of the Year race thanks to a season that already includes five Triton wins.

Seth Davies followed in 8th place for $377,000 after his A♦8♥ failed to improve against Petrangelo’s A♥Q♣. Soon after, Atanasov scored one of the biggest pots of the tournament when his pocket jacks held against Danny Tang’s A♦K♦ on a nine-high runout. Tang, a six-time Triton champion, took 7th place and $483,000.

Adrian Mateos had been relatively quiet for much of the final table, but he surged at the right moment. His red queens were good enough to beat Murly Manokharan’s A♣Q♣, pushing Mateos’ stack upward and sending Manokharan out in 6th for $613,000.

Boivin’s early chip lead did not save him once the deck turned hostile. His A♠J♠ ran into Simao’s pocket aces, and although Boivin later clawed back to about nine big blinds, he eventually lost a race with pocket fours against Mateos’ 7♣6♣. Boivin exited in 5th for $783,000, still searching for his first Trident trophy despite nearly $6 million in Triton earnings.

Simao’s river call and the turning point against Mateos

The tournament’s biggest pot sat in the middle with four players left, and that was where the shape of the final changed. Atanasov lost several large pots to both Simao and Petrangelo, leaving him short by the time his last meaningful hand arrived.

On a board of 10♦8♥3♦K♠4♥, Mateos put maximum pressure on the river with a huge raise. Simao tanked for a long time before making the call and tabled K♦Q♣. Mateos had missed with Q♦J♦, and Atanasov was eliminated in 4th place for $990,000.

Mateos managed one more double-up, but his last chips eventually went Simao’s way when A♠10♠ failed to hold. That sequence was decisive because it shifted the balance of power from a crowded four-handed race into a heads-up confrontation where Simao held the bigger stack and the clearer edge.

Why the Simao-Petrangelo chop matters

The final deal between Simao and Petrangelo gave both players a huge return, but it also reflected the reality of modern high-stakes tournament poker: once the money gets this large, a deal can be the smartest decision in the room.

Petrangelo secured $2,212,910 and the second trident trophy of his career. Simao, listed as the official runner-up after the deal, earned $2,517,090. In practical terms, both players converted deep runs into life-changing scores while avoiding the variance that can still swing a heads-up battle even between two of the world’s best.

Simao’s series total climbed to $9,874,090, while his career earnings reached $30,730,529. That makes him the most successful Brazilian tournament player in poker history and puts his place in the modern high-roller era beyond question. He is also a four-time WSOP bracelet winner, which gives the numbers even more historical weight.

Expert analysis: what this result tells serious players

This final is a good case study in how elite tournament poker actually works at the highest buy-ins. The public often focuses on the trophy, but the real edge comes from surviving the entire series with momentum intact and then maximizing value when the final table becomes an ICM puzzle.

• In ultra-high rollers, a single series can define a year more than dozens of smaller events.
• Stack depth and ICM often matter more than flashy bluffs on final tables.
• Players like Simao and Petrangelo gain EV not just from postflop skill, but from smart deal-making and emotional control.
• Deep runs in elite fields often require a balance of patience, aggression, and discipline after big pots.

If you are building toward this level, the fundamentals still matter. Study resources like our poker school can help sharpen the technical side, while promotions & bonuses may make bankroll management easier for players climbing the ladder.

The 2026 POY race also got more interesting. Petrangelo picked up 720 Card Player Player of the Year points and moved inside the top 100, while Simao added 600 POY points and jumped to 48th. Danny Tang and Dan Dvoress also moved closer to the top, keeping the season-long race alive heading into the Cyprus finale.

Triton Jeju closes with a statement from two superstars

Triton Jeju ended with exactly the kind of story the brand wants: huge money, world-class talent, and a finish that reinforces why these events sit at the top of the poker pyramid. Simao confirmed that his Invitational title was no fluke, and Petrangelo reminded everyone why he remains one of the most feared players in the game.

For the industry, this final is another reminder that high roller poker thrives on personality, elite decision-making, and prize pools large enough to turn one week into a career-defining chapter. For players, the lesson is simple: the best results come when technical skill meets patience, stamina, and the courage to make the right call under the brightest lights.

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