So far, so good for Phil Ivey at the latest Triton Super High Roller Series in London.
Through the first six events in the series, Ivey has booked a pair of big-time six-figure scores including a runner-up finish in the $40,000 Mystery Bounty (Event #3) for $434,900 and a final table finish in the $60,000 NLHE 7-Handed (Event #6) for another $363,000. His nearly $800,000 haul thus far has him just shy of $40,000,000 in career earnings and roughly $15,000 behind Fedor Holz for re-entry into the Hendon Mob All-Time Money List Top-10.
So, things are going well for the WPT Ambassador. Case in point, take this blind vs. blind hand Ivey played in Event #6 against up-and-coming German high-roller savant Leon Sturm in which Ivey, holding “the dirty diaper” (aka three-deuce off-suit), cracked pocket aces to send the young pro to the rail.
With the blinds at 40k/80k (80k bb ante), Sturm picked up 
in the small blind. When action folded to him, Sturm opted to complete the small blind, likely looking to get max value. For a moment it seemed unlikely as Ivey looked down at the 
.
“Ivey, just with the diaper in the big blind, occasionally, bottom of range, likes to pop it,” said Ali Nejad as he called the action.
Ivey did just that, making it 215,000 to go. Sturm, with just 500,000 behind, opted to slow play and simply made the call leaving himself with 365K behind.
The flop came 
, giving Ivey bottom pair, but still just 17% to win the hand. With his overpair, Sturm led out for the minimum (80,000), and Ivey made the call.
The turn was the 
, bringing in a front door flush. Sturm, holding the ace of hearts, checked it over to Ivey, who quickly checked back.
Then it happened. The dealer ripped off the 
on the river and it was official – those aces were done. Dirty.
“This is less than optimal,” Ali Nejad said on the commentary. “The most innocent looking of river cards, the deuce of spades…”
Sturm, leaving himself one chip behind, essentially moved all in. Ivey obliged by literally moving all in. With nothing left for Sturm to do, he put the final chip in, knowing full well that Ivey got there.
The dealer stood and counted down Sturm’s stack and promptly shouted across the room: “Seat open.”
Aside from that result, Sturm is also enjoying a pair of results at Triton London. He hit the rail in 10th place after this hand for $128,000 just one day after a sixth-place finish in the $50,000 NLHE 8-Handed (Event #5) for $313,000.