Alex Boika won his first Triton Poker title after taking down Event #5 of the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Jeju, a $25,000 NLH 8-Handed tournament with 131 entries.
The Belarusian defeated Philip Sternheimer heads-up to collect the $761,000 first prize from a $3,275,000 prize pool. The result pushed Boika's lifetime tournament earnings past $8.3 million.
Boika Converts Another Deep Run Into His First Triton Win
The 38-year-old entered the event having already recorded two seven-figure Triton scores, including a runner-up finish in Jeju earlier in 2026. He had yet to win a title on the series.
Boika reached the eight-handed final table with 5,060,000 chips, just behind Seth Davies, who led with 5,160,000. Chen Mingcong was third with 4,370,000, followed by Yu Lei, Sternheimer, Vladas Tamasauskas, Manuel Fritz and Nevan Chang.
Boika eliminated Tamasauskas in eighth place after the two players got all the chips in preflop. Tamasauskas held pocket queens against Boika's AQ, but an ace on the turn put Boika ahead. Tamasauskas earned $95,000.
Fritz finished seventh for $130,000 before Sternheimer eliminated Chen in sixth. Chen held AK against Sternheimer's pocket tens, which remained ahead through the board.
Davies was the only former Triton champion left at that point. He first doubled Yu Lei when his pocket eights ran into pocket aces, then lost another pot to Chang before being reduced to two big blinds. Yu later eliminated him, with Davies earning $226,000.
Boika Leads the Final Three
With four players remaining, Boika found pocket queens in the big blind after Sternheimer opened and Chang moved all-in with pocket sixes. Sternheimer folded, and Boika's queens held to eliminate Chang in fourth place for $282,000.
The stacks were close entering three-handed play. Yu had 23 big blinds, Sternheimer had 31 and Boika led with 34.
Yu later moved all-in with J10 against Boika's AQ. Neither player improved on the board, leaving Boika's ace-high hand ahead. Yu finished third for $343,000.
Boika and Sternheimer then entered heads-up play with both seeking their first Triton title. Boika began with 56 big blinds to Sternheimer's 32.
The tournament ended a few hands later.
Sternheimer raised with 97 and Boika called with J6. Both players checked the 583 flop. A jack on the turn gave Boika top pair and Sternheimer a combo draw.
Boika checked, Sternheimer bet and Boika check-raised. Sternheimer moved all-in, and Boika called.
The ace on the river did not improve Sternheimer's hand, leaving Boika's pair of jacks in front. Sternheimer finished runner-up for $516,000.
Boika said afterward that he had initially misread his hand during the final decision.
"I made a mistake in the last hand," Boika said. "I was thinking that I had two pair and I wanted to snap call. I rechecked my hand and it was one pair."
After securing his first Triton title, Boika said the achievement carried personal significance.
"This actually means a lot to me," he said. "I'm very happy."
Reda Achnit Reaches 14th in First Live Tournament
Reda Achnit, a 24-year-old player from Morocco, also reached the money after qualifying for Jeju through a series of online satellites.
The tournament was Achnit's first live event. He survived the money bubble, advanced to Day 2 and eventually finished 14th for $51,000.
Boika's victory earned him $761,000 and his first Triton Poker title, while taking his career tournament earnings beyond $8.3 million.
