Matthew Wantman secured his first Triton title and a $836,721 payday in Jeju, beating close friend Nick Schulman heads-up in the $50,000 NLH 7-Handed event. Ben Tollerene finished third, giving the United States all three of the top spots.
The tournament attracted 70 entries from 49 unique players and generated a $3.5 million prize pool. Schulman earned $810,279 as runner-up, while Tollerene collected $448,000 for third.
Wantman, 38, described himself during the event as a “mid-stakes grinder” who occasionally tests himself in higher buy-in competition.
Wantman and Schulman Agree to Heads-Up Deal
Wantman and Schulman reached heads-up with almost identical stacks after Tollerene's elimination. Schulman held 47 big blinds, one more than Wantman.
They agreed to a deal immediately. Schulman locked up $810,279 and Wantman secured $806,721, with another $30,000 and the title still to be decided.
Most of the chips went in pre-flop soon afterward, with Wantman's J8 beating Schulman's 86. Schulman doubled his remaining stack on the next hand, but the tournament ended one hand later when Wantman's AJ held against Q7.
The additional $30,000 took Wantman's final payout to $836,721.
Tollerene's Exit Secures an American 1-2-3
Schulman entered three-handed play with a commanding lead, holding 99 big blinds against Tollerene's 21 and Wantman's 20.
Wantman began closing the gap while Tollerene fell to four big blinds. Tollerene doubled twice before moving all-in from the small blind for six big blinds with 94. Wantman called from the big blind with AJ and held, sending Tollerene out in third for $448,000.
That left Wantman and Schulman heads-up and confirmed an all-American top three.
Dvoress Falls in Fourth
Dan Dvoress was the last non-American player remaining.
After losing roughly a third of his stack to a Schulman river shove, Dvoress picked up A9 in the small blind on the following hand. Schulman opened under the gun, Dvoress moved all-in for 14 big blinds, and Schulman called with pocket jacks.
The board stayed ten-high, eliminating Dvoress in fourth for $344,000.
Danilo Velasevic had gone out shortly before him. Velasevic moved all-in with pocket tens after Wantman three-bet from the big blind, but Wantman held pocket kings. Velasevic was left with four big blinds and was eliminated soon afterward when Schulman's A10 beat his K9. He earned $273,000 for fifth.
Danny Tang finished sixth for $213,000. Tang, who had ended Day 1 as the chip leader, moved all-in from the small blind with KQ. Dvoress called from the big blind with AJ and stayed ahead.
Shylko Survives the Bubble but Exits Seventh
Aliaksandr Shylko reached the seven-handed final table with the shortest stack at five big blinds.
He managed one double-up before exiting five hands later. Tollerene opened from the small blind, Shylko three-bet all-in from the big blind with K10, and Tollerene called with A3. Shylko finished seventh for $168,000.
Christoph Vogelsang had been eliminated on the money bubble earlier in the day. With little more than one big blind remaining, he committed his stack with pocket sevens against Velasevic's A6 and Shylko's A9.
An ace came on the flop and a six on the river gave Velasevic the pot, putting the remaining players in the money.
For Wantman, the tournament ended with the Triton breakthrough he had been chasing when choosing to test himself in these fields.
