Romania's Alin Ivan, 26, won the $3,000 no-limit hold'em QQPK Genesis, the first event of the Triton One North Cyprus series at Merit Crystal Cove Hotel, and collected $450,000. According to Card Player, the field was 912 entries and the prize pool reached $2,443,248.

It is the largest live result of his career. His previous best was $80,000 for 113th place in the 2025 WSOP Paradise super main event. His lifetime earnings now stand above $673,000, and the win carried 1,368 Card Player Player of the Year points.

The tournament was due to finish on Saturday, Nov. 7, but needed an extra session. The top 146 players were paid. Xuan Liu, winner of the Triton Montenegro WPT Global Slam, reached the final table and went out in seventh for $59,048 when her A-4 of diamonds ran into the kings of Viktor Kudinov.

The key hand came with four players left. Ivan held Q-2 of clubs on a flop of Q♦ 8♦ 5♣, followed by the 4♣ turn and K♥ river. The board was unpaired. Kudinov moved all-in into Ivan's remaining 43,600,000, and after a long think Ivan called with second pair to take the chip lead.

Ruslan Kasper finished third for $191,000. Heads-up, Ivan won the last hand with A-Q against Kudinov's A-4 on a K-K-Q-7-4 board, making two pair. Kudinov, from Russia, earned $272,000 as runner-up, the biggest score of his career.

Source: Card Player

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