Ramin Hajiyev emerged as the champion of the 2023 Triton Super High Roller Series North Cyprus $200,000 Luxon Invitational. Defeating a field of 86 entries, he secured his first live poker tournament title, earning a staggering $4,122,554. With this win, Hajiyev’s total recorded earnings now exceed $7.8 million.
In an interview with Triton reporters, Hajiyev shared that this was his tenth participation in high-stakes events hosted by the tour. Previous attempts had not yielded much success, making this victory even more significant. Reflecting on his win, he remarked, “If you’re going to brick nine events and then ship a tenth, it’d better be this one, right?”
The Luxon Invitational featured a unique format where each recreational player had to invite a poker professional to enter the event. The recreational and pro fields were segregated on the first day, and later combined on day 2 and beyond at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa in North Cyprus.
On the final day, nine players remained, including five pros and four recreational representatives. Sean Winter, a regular in high-stakes tournaments, held the chip lead at the start, with Hajiyev closely trailing.
The action intensified as Ben Heath fell first, followed by a three-way all-in clash that saw Tobias Duthweiler triple up. Sosia Jiang exited in seventh place, and Kiat Lee was eliminated in sixth place when Hajiyev hit a flush on the river.
Punnat Punsri’s tournament journey ended in fifth place when his ace-king couldn’t overcome Hajiyev’s pocket tens. Winter finished in fourth place, and Patrik Antonius was eliminated in third place with a straight draw that failed to materialize.
Heads-up play began with Hajiyev holding a substantial lead over Duthweiler. The two players reached an agreement on prize distribution, with Hajiyev securing $3,992,554 and Duthweiler guaranteeing himself $3,606,446. They battled for the remaining prize pool and the title, with Hajiyev ultimately prevailing.
In the final hand, Hajiyev’s ace-king faced off against Duthweiler’s pocket eights. The board ran out, and Duthweiler finished in second place, securing the negotiated amount of $3.6 million. This marked the largest cash prize of Duthweiler’s tournament career.
Overall, Ramin Hajiyev’s remarkable performance in the Luxon Invitational solidifies his position as a rising star in the world of high-stakes poker.
Event #9 – $200,000 NLH Luxon Invitational
Dates: May 18-20, 2023
Entries: 86 (inc. 24 re-entries)
Prize pool: $17,200,000
1 – Ramin Hajiyev, Azerbaijan – $4,122,554*
2 – Tobias Duthweiler, Germany – $3,606,446*
3 – Patrik Antonius, Finland – $2,100,000
4 – Sean Winter, USA – $1,640,000
5 – Punnat Punsri, Thailand – $1,325,000
6 – Kiat Lee, Malaysia – $1,030,000
7 – Sosia Jiang, New Zealand – $820,000
8 – Wai Kin Yong, Malaysia – $636,000
9 – Ben Heath, UK – $481,000
