Joao Simao Wins Triton Jeju Invitational

Joao Simao won the 2026 Triton Jeju Invitational $200,000 no-limit hold’em event for $7,250,000. This victory more than doubled the $3,067,000 he earned as the champion of the $150,000 Triton event at last year’s World Series of Poker Paradise.

The four-time bracelet winner and two-time Triton champion now has more than $28.2 million in career cashes, putting him over $12 million ahead of second-ranked Yuri Dzivielevski in the Brazilian earnings race.

The event drew a record field of 173 entries to Les A Casino in South Korea, the largest showing ever for the nosebleed-stakes affair. The unprecedented turnout made for a prize pool of $34,600,000, with the top 31 finishers earning a share. The $305,000 money bubble burst with the elimination of Semi Sun, who ran a bluff into the sevens full of aces of Wang Yang. The last nine were decided on day 3, with seven-time Triton champion Matthias Eibinger eliminated on the final-table bubble. Simao was out in front when the final table began. Eric Tsai (9th – $749,000) was the second shortest-stack, but the first to be eliminated. Thomas Boivin then ran A♦J♦ into the A♠K♦ of Seth Davies to finish eighth for $905,000. Hannes Jeschka was the first to walk away with over a million. He got his last few blinds in with K♦7♠ and lost to the K♠10♠ of Winfred Yu to finish seventh ($1,237,000). Yu was the next to head to the payout desk. He ran A-7 into the pocket tens of Simao for his last half dozen blinds to finish sixth ($1,693,000). Emilien Pitavy got the last of his chips in with K♣J♠ in fair shape against A♣8♥ for Ding. Pitavy was unable to connect in any meaningful way, though, and was eliminated in fifth place ($2,245,000). Wang got all-in with 5♦5♣ racing against A♦10♦ for Simao. The J♥9♠4♦K♥Q♦ runout saw Simao make a straight on the river to narrow the field to three. Ding turned the tables thanks to a big pot early, calling down a multi-street bluff attempt by Simao with top pair. Simao remained resilient, though, and began to climb back into the match. He soon got value with Q♠10♥ on a 10♣9♥9♣3♥3♣ board, drawing another hero call from Ding (with K♦6♥) on the end to al.