Punnat Punsri Wins $30,000 NLH/PLO Mix in Jeju for Sixth Triton Title

Punnat Punsri claimed his sixth Triton Poker title on Saturday, taking down the $30,000 NLH/PLO Mixed event at the Triton Super High Roller Series in Jeju and collecting $504,000. He now stands second only to Jason Koon in all-time Triton titles, ahead of Phil Ivey, Bryn Kenney, and Mikita Badziakouski.

"I guess I've just been lucky right from the start of the Triton journey three and a half years ago to now," Punsri said. "This event was particularly special because it's both disciplines that I played since my university days. I used to play hold'em and Omaha, alternating every week. To be able to win an event like this, I'm super, super proud."

The $30,000 buy-in drew 60 entries, with 10 spots paid. Punsri entered the final table third in chips with 2,135,000 behind chip leader Zhou Quan (2,955,000) and Daniel Rezaei (2,175,000). He was the first to act on day two, dispatching Dan Dvoress when his AKQ4 made a straight on the river to beat Dvoress' AA97. He then busted Laszlo Bujtas in a hold'em hand, calling Bujtas' 23-blind shove holding A10 against KJ.

Matthias Eibinger went next in a three-way pot involving Rezaei and Zhou Quan. Already down to four blinds after an earlier skirmish, Eibinger committed from the big blind and could not beat Rezaei's KKA7 on a board of 865Q5. He earned $144,000. Matthew Wantman fell in fourth when Zhou Quan flopped a four to beat his A10 with A4, earning Wantman $183,000.

Three-handed play ran long, with the chip lead changing hands repeatedly. Punsri was all-in more than once, including a K5 shove against Rezaei's QJ that held, and later a double with AK against Zhou's A10 to retake the top spot. Rezaei found three consecutive doubles to stay alive, at one point moving back into the lead when his J1055 boated against Punsri's KQ103 in PLO. Punsri put Rezaei to the rail shortly after, rivering a flush with QJ to beat Rezaei's pocket nines all-in pre-flop in a hold'em hand. Rezaei earned $240,000.

Heads-up, Punsri led 40 blinds to eight against Zhou Quan. Zhou mounted several comebacks before Punsri closed it out: chips went in pre-flop with Zhou's AJ ahead on the 2KA flop, but a four on the turn gave Punsri a straight and left Zhou drawing dead. Zhou earned $356,000 as runner-up.

"When you play with opponents of this level, it forces you to improve every stop," Punsri said. "I think this realisation of self improvement is really helpful not just in life at the tables, but life beyond the tables. I think I've become much more mature and a better person through poker and Triton."

Punsri has been a regular Triton final table presence since his debut at the Cyprus stop in 2022. He won the $25,000 PLO at last year's Montenegro stop, and described the NLH/PLO mix as a format built for his game. He also spoke about his push to have poker recognized as a mind sport and legalized in Thailand.

"Over the past three years, the most proud thing I've done is pushing the movement towards potentially legalising poker tournaments in Thailand," Punsri said. "As of now, we are already acknowledging that it's a mind sport back home, so that's a huge thing. I'm always very proud to represent Thailand against elite opponents on an elite stage like this."

Triton Ambassador Mario Mosbock had a difficult day across both events. He stone-bubbled the $150,000 10th Anniversary Event, then finished 11th in this one, one spot off the money. Making his PLO debut in the $30,000 mix, Mosbock got his last chips in with J7 against Laszlo Bujtas' K6, flopped a jack, but lost when the board gave Bujtas a straight.

Final Results — Event 13, $30,000 NLH/PLO Mix, Triton Super High Roller Series Jeju