The co-founder of Triton Poker, Ivan Leow, has passed away unexpectedly. On September 17, Leow suffered a heart attack at just 39 years of age. His passing occurred during the Triton Cyprus, and all remaining events will be canceled as the poker industry mourns his passing.
Gone Too Soon
In a Twitter Post, Triton Poker founders commented that it was with great sadness that they announced the unexpected passing of Ivan Leow, calling him a dear friend, partner, supporter, and founding Triton member. Ivan was a popular Triton family member and a fantastic poker player with a passion for the game.
In the social media post, it stated:
“Ivan was a very special person, who lived life to the full, was always smiling, and loved the game of poker. He will be sincerely missed by his family, friends, and everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.”
Ivan has enjoyed a storied poker career, having earned over $13.1 million from tournament gaming, based on Hendon Mob stats. His biggest win came during the Merit Poker Super High Roller Bowl Europe when he took on Wiktor Malinowski in heads-up play during the poker event in August 2021. He ended up claiming the win and earning $2.46 million.
When it came to Triton Poker, Ivan made it to several final tables and won the Triton Poker Jeju Short Deck event in 2018, taking home just over $1 million. His latest cash out came just a couple of weeks ago during Event #1 of Triton Poker Cyprus, a $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em tournament. He cashed in for $59,000.
Triton Cyprus Ends Early
The Triton Cyprus series was set to run through September 19, having started on the 5th. Most of the events were finished up when Triton Poker announced on Twitter that an emergency would see events suspended.
On September 17, Triton Poker stated that the events for Saturday would be suspended due to a medical emergency. Players had no idea what the medical emergency was about. Additional information on the matter was to be provided at a later date. The poker group thanked everyone for understanding.
Later on that day, the passing of Ivan Leow was made public. At the end of the day, it was announced that the Triton Series in Northern Cyprus would be cut short so that the passing of the poker player and friend could be mourned.
Information on a memorial service or funeral for Ivan Leow has yet to be made public at the time of writing.