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China’s Quan Zhou added another prestigious title to his poker career after winning the $5,000 NLH 8-Handed Mystery Bounty at Triton ONE North Cyprus 2026, hosted at Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa.
The Triton ONE North Cyprus 2026 festival celebrated another champion as Quan Zhou emerged victorious from a competitive field of 607 entries, claiming the championship trophy and $293,000 in regular prize money.
The tournament generated a regular prize pool of $1,545,422, with 103 players finishing in the money. An additional day of competition was required to determine the winner, with Zhou ultimately defeating Belarusian player Ihar Soika in heads-up play after just over four hours of final-day action.
Soika secured $179,000 for his runner-up finish, while Taiwan’s Eric Tsai, who entered the final day as chip leader, finished third for $128,000.
The mystery bounty prizes were scheduled to be drawn separately, giving the finalists additional opportunities to increase their tournament winnings.
$5,000 Mystery Bounty Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quan Zhou | China | $293,000 |
| 2 | Ihar Soika | Belarus | $179,000 |
| 3 | Eric Tsai | Taiwan | $128,000 |
| 4 | Punnat Punsri | Thailand | $97,000 |
| 5 | Raul Yunusov | Russia | $77,000 |
| 6 | Mikita Badziakouski | Belarus | $59,122 |
| 7 | Daniel Braude | Israel | $43,000 |
| 8 | Chengxu Hu | China | $29,100 |
| 9 | Asaf Groofi | Israel | $23,100 |
Prizes listed exclude mystery bounty rewards.
Another Triton Title for Quan Zhou
Zhou arrived at Triton ONE North Cyprus with an already impressive record on the international high-stakes poker circuit.
The Chinese professional previously captured two titles on the Triton Super High Roller Series, winning a $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event in Jeju in 2024 before adding the $25,000 Jupiter title in 2026 for $1,303,000.
His latest victory marks his first Triton ONE championship, bringing his total Triton tournament earnings beyond $8 million.
Earlier in 2026, Zhou had come close to winning a Triton ONE title when he finished seventh in the $8,000 Main Event in Jeju for $213,000.
This time, he completed the job at Merit Royal Diamond.
Eric Tsai Dominates the Early Final Table
The final table began with Eric Tsai holding the chip lead, and he wasted little time strengthening his position.
Asaf Groofi, who entered the final day with just one big blind, was eliminated on the opening hand after Tsai claimed the pot.
Tsai then extended his advantage by eliminating Chengxu Hu in eighth place. Holding pocket queens, Tsai flopped a set and improved to a full house, while Hu’s ace-ten made three of a kind.
Daniel Braude followed in seventh place, while experienced Belarusian professional Mikita Badziakouski was eliminated in sixth after losing a crucial coin flip.
Tsai continued his strong performance by sending Raul Yunusov to the rail in fifth place, establishing himself as the leading contender for the championship.
However, the tournament’s momentum was about to change.
A Crucial Double-Up Changes Everything
One of the defining moments came when Zhou and Tsai became involved in a major confrontation.
Zhou opened from the button holding queen-ten, and Tsai defended with queen-deuce.
Both players connected with the queen on a king-queen-five flop. The jack of hearts on the turn created additional possibilities, giving Zhou an open-ended straight draw while Tsai picked up a flush draw.
Tsai moved all in, applying maximum pressure, but Zhou called.
The ten of diamonds arrived on the river, giving Zhou two pair and securing a massive double-up that propelled him into the chip lead.
Following the elimination of Punnat Punsri in fourth place, Tsai’s tournament eventually ended in third after losing several significant pots.
That left Zhou and Soika competing for the title.
Pocket Aces Seal the Championship
The heads-up contest between Quan Zhou and Ihar Soika was relatively short, with Zhou finding the perfect opportunity to secure the victory.
On the final hand, Zhou limped with pocket aces, allowing Soika to move all in holding king-deuce.
Zhou called, putting himself in a dominant position.
A king on the flop briefly gave Soika hope of a comeback, but Zhou’s aces remained ahead through the turn and river.
With the final pot secured, Quan Zhou was crowned the $5,000 Mystery Bounty champion, adding another trophy to his Triton collection.
Mystery Bounty Prizes Add to the Excitement
Beyond the regular tournament payouts, the Mystery Bounty event featured an additional prize draw, with rewards ranging from $5,000 to $155,000.
The bounty draw was scheduled to take place during the dinner break of the $8,000 Triton ONE Main Event.
Mystery Bounty Prize Distribution
| Bounty Prize | Number Available |
|---|---|
| $155,000 | 1 |
| $55,000 | 2 |
| $25,000 | 3 |
| $10,000 | 8 |
| $7,500 | 42 |
| $5,000 | 96 |
Zhou and Soika each earned five mystery bounty draws, while third-place finisher Eric Tsai accumulated an impressive 12 draws during the tournament.
These additional rewards offered players the opportunity to significantly increase their overall winnings beyond the regular prize structure.
Triton ONE North Cyprus Continues at Merit Royal Diamond
The conclusion of the $5,000 Mystery Bounty marked another major highlight of Triton ONE North Cyprus 2026, bringing together an international field of established professionals and emerging talent at Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa.
With the $8,000 Triton ONE Main Event and other championship tournaments continuing throughout the festival, Merit remains at the center of international poker action in North Cyprus.
Merit Poker congratulates Quan Zhou on his outstanding victory and looks forward to welcoming more champions as Triton ONE North Cyprus 2026 continues.
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