Champion Mike Watson

There was a lot of excitement and commotion at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Montenegro on Monday night, not limited to — but definitely including — the bustling $30K NLH Turbo event that played out in full.

But in a 20-year career always near the eye of the storm, Mike Watson has learned how to shut out the distractions, focus on the matters at hand, and get things done when it means the most.

And tonight, Watson became a six-time champion on the Triton Poker Series, downing a field of 84 entries to claim a $659,000 first prize. It draws him alongside Punnat Punsri and Matthias Eibinger as the closest challengers to Jason Koon's 12-title record, and Watson still has the hunger to stay in the hunt.

"Any time you get to lift a Triton trophy, it's definitely meaningful," Watson said. "I'm now back in a tie for second in the most Triton trophies, so it's pretty cool."

Commenting on a boisterous cheering section that floated into the tournament room after the bar closed at the party, Watson said: "It's kind of fun having people on the rail cheering. It makes it a little bit more exciting. Feels a bit more like an event. But when I'm playing I'm very focused, it takes a lot to get my head off the game, especially heads up or playing short handed for a title. That's when I'm really locked in the most."

His focus took him past the young Moroccan phenom Mehdi Chaoui, the only player born in the 21st century to win a title on the Triton Poker Series. Chaoui did it in the same event in Jeju in March and was the de facto defending champion of the Triton turbo event. But Watson won the two most significant heads-up pots, first to double into the chip lead, and then to snuff out Chaoui's hopes of a comeback.

It left Chaoui with $450,000 for second, but continued Watson's brilliant three years on the series, during which he has won all six of his titles.

Watson and Mehdi Chaoui heads up for the tt

"Definitely I've just been running a lot better over that period, that's probably the biggest thing," Watson said when asked to explain his recent good fortune after a comparatively fallow start to his Triton career. "But I like to think I've been playing a little bit better too. Obviously playing all the short deck and PLO stuff helps a lot because they're smaller fields, but it's been a good run for me for sure."

And despite a young family and plenty of commitments elsewhere, the 42-year-old Watson has no intention of giving up the hunt for Koon's record. "I'm planning to keep playing as much Triton as I can going forward," Wastson said.

He has still got it; still very much got what it takes.

TOURNAMENT ACTION

The first turbo on the schedule fittingly took place amid a whirlwind of activity in Montenegro. The $50K event was playing to its winner, the Mystery Bounty draw and Players Party was taking place outside, and several players were also due to be drawing seats for the Triton Invitational.

But nonetheless, a field of 84 entries amassed to play out this one, including a great many players who were now double and sometimes triple booked.

Fourteen places paid, with Adrian Mateos landing agonisingly the wrong side of the bubble line. Mehdi Chaoui, a bullying big stack on the bubble, open-jammed his small blind with only Mateos behind him in the big. Mateos called for his last 12 blinds with K10, but Chaoui had it. His A held and Mateos departed.

Other Triton champs including Sebastian Gaehl, Ben Tollerene and Jesse Lonis hit the rail soon after Mateos, each of them at least taking some money. But Lonis' departure set the final table, with Chaoui still at the very top.

FINAL TABLE LINE-UP

Mehdi Chaoui, Morocco - 5,375,000 (54 BBs)

Michael Watson, Canada - 2,800,000 (28 BBs)

Anatoly Zlotnikov - 2,375,000 (24 BBs)

Cong Pham - 1,325,000 (13 BBs)

Samuel Mullur - 1,300,000 (13 BBs)

Tom Fuchs - 1,175,000 (12 BBs)

Maher Nouira - 925,000 (9 BBs)

Patrik Antonius - 900,000 (9 BBs)

Thomas Boivin - 625,000 (6 BBs)

Event 7 final table players (clockwise from back left): Patrik Antonius, Maher Nouira, Mehdi Chaoui, Thomas Boivin, Sam Mullur, Tom Fuchs, Anatoly Zlotnikov, Mike Watson, Cong Pham.

Maher Nouira was the first to take the fall. His nine blinds went to Anatoly Zlotnikov, whose KQ came from behind to beat Nouira's A. Nouira took $66,000 from his second final of the week, but was downed by the same player who denied him a title a couple of nights ago.

Maher Nouira still couldn't get past Anatoly Zlotniko

There were short stacks all over the place, three with fewer than 10 blinds, but it was Cong Pham who was next out, busting to Chaoui after another dominated hand got outdrawn. This time Pham three-bet jammed over Chaoui's button open, with Chaoui calling and taking J10 up against Pham's K.

A jack on the turn was all Chaoui needed to get rid of Pham. The ousted player earned $91,000.

Cong Pham was out in eighth

Patrik Antonius was one of the aforementioned sub-10 blind stacks,and he got his last seven blinds in as a three-bet shove over Anatoly Zlotnikov's open. Zlotnikov called holding KJ and Antonius was in good shape with A. But for the third time in succession, the better hand lost. A king on the flop gave Zlotnikov the win and gave Antonius an early night ahead of the Invitational. Antonius won $118,000 for seventh.

Two final tables in a day for Patrik Antonius

Thomas Boivin had had only five blinds for about an orbit, and he was now in the big blind. Chaoui opened yet another pot, and Boivin got the rest of his chips in with Q2. He was behind Chaoui's K and this time there was no change in the order. Boivin bust in sixth for $151,000.

Thomas Boivin finally surrendered his last five blinds

Sam Mullur was next on the chopping block, and this time he ran into Chaoui's pocket kings to bust. Mullur open-shoved his eight blinds with KQ and Chaoui woke up with the monster on the button and made an obvious call. Mullur won $193,000 for fifth.

Sam Mullur ran into kings

So far, the big stacks had been winning everything with players departing after near enough every all in. But Mike Watson then won a big flip against Zlotnikov, pocket fives holding against A8, and the trend stopped. Not only that, Watson moved into the chip lead.

He extended it further when his QQ beat Tom Fuchs' K to send Fuchs to the rail in fourth. It has been a great trip to Montenegro for Triton's German contingent, but Fuchs couldn't add to the country's dream haul.

Tom Fuchs frozen out in third

The German rail remained in place, with Mustapha Kanit soon coming along to join the boisterousness as well. It was getting rowdy in the secondary tournament room, with Anatoly Zlotinikov conducting proceedings from the table.

But Zlotnikov could not close this one out. He shoved Q10 into Chaoui's kings (again). Chaoui ended with a flush and Zlotnikov was out in third, winning $299,000.

The volume went down after the elimination of Anatoly Zlotinikov in third.

Mike Watson therefore squared off against Mehdi Chaoui for the title. The five-time champion had 38 blinds, while the defending turbo champion from Jeju had 46.

The first major pot went to Watson. And this one was a real cooler. Watson completed from the small blind with 109 and Chaoui checked his option holding 6. The flop fell to give Chaoui trips. They both checked taking them to the turn and a straight draw now for Watson.

Chaoui checked again, Watson bet and Chaoui put in the check-raise. Watson called and realised his equity when the K came on the river. All the remaining chips went in -- a shove from Chaoui and a call from Watson. The straight put Watson into a big lead of 56 blinds to 12.

Mehdi Chaoui sweats the final run

Chaoui doubled back with K5 beating Watson's Q, but Watson still had a lead. And the next time the chips were in, it was all over.

Chaoui committed everything with J8 but Watson had pocket fives and they held. Chaoui will surely get No 2 at some point soon, but tonight it's six for Watson.