Webster Lim is the latest champion to be decided during the 2022 Triton Series Madrid high-stakes tournament festival. The Malaysian high roller outlasted a field of 57 total entries in the €50,000 buy-in short deck event to win his first Triton trophy and the top prize of €855,000 ($897,750 USD).
This was the fourth-largest score of Lim’s career, with his biggest payday being the $2.4 million he earned as the champion of the 2019 World Series of Poker Europe €100,000 buy-in high roller. He now has more than $10.1 million in lifetime tournament earnings to his name.
In addition to the money and the hardware, Lim also secured 510 Card Player Player of the Year points for the win in this event. This was his second final-table finish of the series, having placed fifth in the €20,000 short deck event just days earlier. With these two scores, he now sits within reach of the top 300 in the 2022 POY race, which is sponsored by Global Poker.
The second and final day of this event began with 21 players remaining and only eight set to make the money. Lim was in the middle of the pack, entering the day in 13th chip position. By the time he knocked out Sam Greenwood on the bubble, he had battled his way towards the top of the leaderboard. Lim then busted Rene Van Krevelen in eighth place ($119,700 USD) to move into the outright lead heading into the final seven.
Ryan Yum was the next to fall, with his pocket jacks losing a preflop race to the A-K of Wai Kin Yong. Yum earned $152,670 USD for his seventh-place showing.
Ten-time bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Famer Phil Ivey’s run in this event came to an end when he called Lim’s shove with A-K. Lim had ripped it with K-J, which improved to quads by the river to narrow the field to five. Ivey secured $191,520 and 170 POY points for his sixth final-table finish of the year. With two titles, more than $3 million in year-to-date earnings, and 2,134 total points, Ivey now sits in 15th place in the 2022 POY standings.
Wai Kin Yong called off the last of his stack with K
Q and made two pair by the river on a 976QK runout. He was up against A8 for Li, which made the sneaky A-6-7-8-9 straight that is possible in short deck thanks to the ace being able to play as both the highest and lowest card. Yong settled for $245,385 USD as the fifth-place finisher.
2016 Big One For One Drop Invitational event winner Elton Tsang got his case chips in with A-Q leading Lim’s A-10, but the board gave Lim the Broadway straight on the end to see him earn yet another knockout. Tsang earned $317,100 USD for his deep run.
Winfred Yu was looking for his second Triton short deck title of the year, having won a $75,000 buy-in event in Cyprus last month for a seven-figure payday. He fell a couple of spots short, though, when his pocket jacks failed to beat out the A-10 of Lim, who made another straight to take down the pot. The $418,950 USD payout for third place saw Yu increase his career earnings to more than $6.6 million.
Headsup play began with Lim holding 114 antes to Bjorn Li’s 99. Lim extended his advantage a bit further before the final hand of the event was dealt. Li called with K9 and Lim checked with J7. The flop came down K98 to give Li top two pair. He checked and Lim bet 300,000 with his gutshot. Li check-raised to 1,000,000. Lim called and the 10 hit the turn, giving him the jack-high straight with a diamond flush redraw. Li moved all-in for 5,900,000 into the pot of 2,400,000. Lim quickly called and the 7 on the river locked up the pot and the title for him. Li earned $649,425 as the runner-up finsiher.
Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:
| Place | Player | Earnings (USD) | POY Points |
| 1 | Webster Lim | $897,750 | 510 |
| 2 | Bjorn Li | $649,425 | 425 |
| 3 | Winfred Yu | $418,950 | 340 |
| 4 | Elton Tsang | $317,100 | 255 |
| 5 | Wai Kin Yong | $245,385 | 213 |
| 6 | Phil Ivey | $191,520 | 170 |
| 7 | Ryan Mingho Yum | $152,670 | 128 |
Photo credit: Joe Giron / Triton Poker.
