Nikolai Kanunikov Wins Triton ONE $6K PLO in North Cyprus for $178,000

Nikolai Kanunikov won $178,000 on his Triton ONE debut, defeating Artur Teshaev heads-up in Event #13, the $6,000 PLO 6-Handed tournament in North Cyprus.

The event recorded 138 entries, including 54 re-entries, and a $766,590 prize pool. Kanunikov secured the title after eliminating Zhou Quan and Julien Sitbon in the same hand, then defeating Teshaev with a full house in the final pot.

Zhou Quan Leads the Seven-Player Final Table

Zhou entered the final table with 7,850,000 chips (63 BBs), ahead of Kanunikov's 6,700,000 (54 BBs).

Danny Tang missed the final table after his double-suited aces lost to Zhou. He finished eighth for $22,500.

Zhou eliminated Said Butba on the first hand of the final table, sending him out in seventh for $30,500. Artur Teshaev then knocked out Nacho Barbero in sixth for $41,000 and Tommi Lankinen in fifth for $53,000.

With four players left, Julien Sitbon doubled through Zhou in an unlikely showdown between pocket kings and pocket aces.

Sitbon held K-K-10-4 against Zhou's A-A-3-5. Both players flopped sets on a K-A-4 board, but Zhou's set of aces was ahead. The turn brought a 2, leaving Sitbon needing the only remaining king.

That king arrived on the river. Sitbon made four of a kind, doubled up and briefly moved into the chip lead.

Zhou recovered some chips before the dinner break. He led with 22 BBs, followed by Sitbon with 19, Kanunikov with 17 and Teshaev with 12.

Kanunikov Eliminates Zhou and Sitbon Together

Kanunikov doubled through Zhou shortly after play resumed. Both players held pocket aces, with Kanunikov's A-A-6-3 facing Zhou's A-A-K-2.

They got their chips in preflop, and the board ran K-7-3-7-3. Kanunikov made trip threes to win the pot.

Zhou found aces again soon afterward, but this time he was eliminated alongside Sitbon.

Kanunikov limped the button with 8-7-6-6. Sitbon three-bet from the small blind with K-9-3-10, and Zhou moved all-in preflop holding A-A-K-5.

The flop came K-Q-6, and Sitbon committed his remaining chips. Kanunikov had flopped a set of sixes, which remained the best hand through the turn and river.

Zhou finished fourth for $66,090, while Sitbon collected $80,500 for third.

Kanunikov entered heads-up play with approximately 60 BBs against Teshaev's nine.

Kanunikov Cracks Aces Again to Win the Title

Teshaev's final hand ended with another pair of aces losing.

He held A-A-6-5 against Kanunikov's K-10-7-6. The flop came 8-7-K, giving Kanunikov two pair, and both players committed their remaining chips.

The turn brought another king, completing Kanunikov's full house. A queen on the river left the result unchanged, securing his $178,000 victory.

Teshaev earned $120,000 as runner-up. He had previously played three Triton ONE events in Jeju earlier in 2026 without cashing, making this his first recorded Triton Poker Series payout.

Triton ONE North Cyprus $6K PLO Final Table Results