Triton Poker Series Kicks Off 10th Anniversary Season in Montenegro

Triton Poker Series Kicks Off 10th Anniversary Season in Montenegro

The Triton Poker Series, widely regarded as the pinnacle of high-stakes poker, commenced its new season on May 13th at the Maestral Resort & Casino in Montenegro. Triton Montenegro 2026 will run for 16 days until May 28th, featuring a total of 18 events with an estimated prize pool of $40 million. As Triton celebrates its 10th anniversary, this stop is considered the most symbolic of the series.

Montenegro has maintained its identity as a stop exclusively for super high rollers since its debut in 2018. Buy-ins range from $25,000 to $200,000, with the series' highlight being the $200,000 NLH Triton Invitational, held over three days starting May 19th. This event operates with a unique structure, featuring an equal split of wealthy amateurs and top-tier pros invited by Triton.

Team pairings have already become a hot topic. Phil Ivey is teaming up with Triton co-founder Paul Phua, and Alex Foxen is partnering with Alex Foxen, known by his nickname "Rampage." The return of Fedor Holz, who has been on hiatus for the past few months, alongside Austrian pro Jessica Teisl, is also drawing attention.

Two Main Events will run concurrently. The $100,000 NLH Main Event begins on May 21st, and the $100,000 PLO Main Event kicks off on May 24th. Last year, Jesse Lonis took down the NLH portion for $3.44 million, and Ben Tollerene won the PLO portion for $2.39 million. Tollerene also won $3.76 million in the NLH Main Event at the Jeju stop in March, emerging as the hottest player of the early season. On May 23rd, a separate $150,000 buy-in 10th Anniversary Special Event is scheduled.

This series is expected to be a crucial turning point for the Ivan Leow Player of the Year race, which spans the entire season. Triton offers a separate bonus of $200,000 to the season's top finisher. Currently, Ike Haxton leads the race, followed by Stephen Chidwick and Dan Devore. As the Triton Series will take a summer break after this Montenegro leg, the standings formed on May 28th are likely to remain largely unchanged for a significant period.