It’s #PhuaTriton to Question The High-Stakes Pros!

(Photo: Paulphuapoker.com)

Those of you who have followed my reviews of Paul Phua’s ‘In Conversation with…’ pieces featuring the likes of Phil Ivey, Tom ‘ Durrrr’ Dwan, Dan Colman and Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates will be thrilled to hear that the Master of Macau – Paul Phua – is inviting viewers and followers to prepare their own questions for the biggest names in the game.

And we’re not talking some barely readable Reddit AMA here – Phua and his team at Paul Phua Poker will be filming interviews with top pros at the Triton Super High Roller Series in Montenegro from July 16-20, and although there are no names released as of yet you can be sure that Phua will have access to the very best in poker’s ‘legendary’ player crew.

At the Triton SHR Series Manila in February, the Paul Phua Poker School secured video interviews on poker strategy with Phil Ivey, Dan Colman, Dan Cates, Wai Kin Yong and Rui Cao – and the results were bite-sized chunks of the most informative and interesting gameplay tips and memories you’re ever likely to see.

Here’s the first in his very popular interview series, Tom Dwan sharing his thoughts on ‘trapping’ in poker – a skill he has refined to the highest level over the years.

Tweet your Questions for the pros

This time round Paul will be using Twitter to not only ‘keep up with the action’ of what is certain to be a high-class and hugely entertaining field in Montenegro, but also giving you the opportunity to tweet your questions for the pros.

“Join in with our Twitter chat at #PhuaTriton,” he says, adding, “and to ask questions of the pros, tweet your question with the hashtag #PhuaTriton. We don’t yet know exactly who will be playing, but availability permitting, I’ll make sure some of the best get answered.”

‘Availability permitting’ in Paul Phua’s world is a polite way of saying ‘I have access to everyone’ because Phua himself has grown from being an amateur poker-player businessman to an excellent high-stakes semi-pro himself.

Phil Ivey said of him:

“Paul Phua is probably the best non-pro I’ve ever played poker against. And you can call him a 'non-pro' only because he’s such a successful businessman too. He’s certainly better — maybe much better — than a large percentage of professional players.”

And Phil isn’t noted for false sincerity! 

So, questions for the pros.

(Photo: Paulphuapoker.com)

I have a few to get us up and running, such as:

• ‘How do you take $millions from a friend during a game and still stay friends?’
  
• ‘Who in the high-stakes world deals best with $million bad beats?’
• ‘Who is the scariest player to face in the world of high-stakes poker’?

If you like these, feel free to borrow them and get them out there at #PhuaTriton because there’ll be more chance of getting them answered when the interview filming starts next week!

Paul Phua himself offers a few suggestions (although mine are better of course ;) )

• “Would you ask Phil Ivey about his stone-cold bluffs?”
  
• “Would you ask Tom “Durrrr” Dwan about heads-up strategy?”
• “Or have you a general question about poker strategy to ask the experts?”

The Triton Series

Just looking at the previous winners in the Triton Series shows the class of player expected to appear at the recently revamped Maestral Resort & Casino, on the shores of the Adriatic Sea in Montenegro.

Daniel Colman won the Triton SHR Series Paranaque 6-Max Event in 2017 for $3.6m, after a heads-up battle with Erik Seidel. Colman chats to Phua below about what attracts him to the game of poker.

Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates came third in the Triton SHR Series Paranaque Main Event in 2017 for $1,000,365. Part 2 of Cates’ conversation with Phua is well worth a watch…

Phil Ivey placed fifth in the Triton SHR Series Paranaque $200k NLH in 2016 for $656,000. Here he talks to Phua about the challenges facing top players.

Wai Kin Yong has taken down two titles and a sixth place finish for more than $3m and Phua caught up with the mega-talented youngster to talk about aggression in poker.

Not to be outdone by his high-flying friends, Paul Phua, has himself cashed in three Triton SHR Series tournaments for more than $800,000 and it should be noted that the Triton Series also raises a lot of money for worthy causes. Past beneficiaries have included The Red Cross and Project Pink.

As Paul Phua himself says:

“We know that most poker players can only dream of affording the buy-in for these tournaments. Joining in with the Twitter chat at #PhuaTriton is the next best thing.”