The final day of the VN₫ 3 Billion GTD Vietnam National Cup, part of the APT Hanoi Billions 2023, was a showcase event. With a record-breaking field of 1,527 players, the tournament had narrowed down to 212 participants returning for the final showdown. Despite each player being assured a share of the substantial VN₫ 6.665 Billion prize pool, the ultimate goal was to secure a prestigious position in APT history and claim a significant portion of the prize money.

Once the dust settled, Chu Van Tien, a local Vietnamese player, emerged victorious, a fitting achievement for the Day 2 chip leader. Tien’s remarkable performance concluded with a strategic ICM chip chop deal with his final opponent, Elliot Damashek, securing him the top prize of VN₫ 954 Million. This victory represented a monumental leap in his poker career, outshining his previous best live score by an extraordinary 3,476%.

Tien’s journey to victory was not without its challenges. At the final table, he experienced a dip in his stack. Still, he managed a crucial double-up against Damashek during three-handed play, dramatically turning the tables in his favour. A decisisve hand against Cezar Quiambao of the Philippines solidified his lead, eventually leading to his triumph.

Elliot Damashek also achieved a personal milestone, earning a stunning VN₫ 892.87 Million payout for his second-place finish. At the same time, Quiambao secured VN₫ 472.99 Million for third place – the third-largest cash of his poker career.

Final Table Results (VN₫)

1. Chu Van Tien – VN₫ 954,000,000*
2. Elliot Damashek – VN₫ 892,865,000*
3. Cezar Quiambao – VN₫ 472,990,000
4. Ngoc Thang Nguyen – VN₫ 347,880,000
5. Allan Pun – VN₫ 272,620,000
6. Huu Manh Nguyen – VN₫ 208,260,000
7. William Ysmael – VN₫ 159,360,000
8. Junguang Chen – VN₫ 112,860,000
9. Nguyen Van Chien – VN₫ 86,500,000

*denotes a heads-up deal

The APT Hanoi Billions 2023 witnessed a commendable showing from Team India in its opening event, the record-setting Vietnam National Cup. However, the journey has ended, with Shivam Shukla, the last Indian contender, bowing out of the competition.

The final standings for the Indian players are as follows:

Shivam Shukla – 48th for VN₫ 19.27 Million (~₹66,020)
Chiraag Patel – 62nd for VN₫ 15.59 Million (~₹53,412)
Avneesh Munjal – 75th for VN₫ 13.38 Million (~₹45,841)
Sanjay Khanna – 78th for VN₫ 13.38 Million (~₹45,841)
Jatin Sablani – 101st for VN₫ 11.64 Million (~₹39,863)
Rubin Labroo – 104th for VN₫ 11.64 Million (~₹39,863)
Kanchan Sharma – 107th for VN₫ 11.64 Million (~₹39,863)
Arun Vijay Mutgi – 114th for VN₫ 11.64 Million (~₹39,863)
Raghav Bhatt – 125th for VN₫ 10.04 Million (~₹34,398)
Raja Puttamsetty – 137th for VN₫ 10.04 Million (~₹34,398)
Dhaval Mudgal – 190th for VN₫ 8.23 Million (~₹28,196)
Siddharth Arya Jolly – 204th for VN₫ 8.23 Million (~₹28,196)

As Team India’s impressive performance concludes in the Vietnam National Cup, our live coverage of this event also wraps up. Stay tuned for a detailed report on the winner soon after a champion is crowned.

In the meantime, fans can continue to follow the excitement with our coverage of Event #10: VN₫ 120 Million APT Super High Roller 8-Max here.

Shivam Shukla‘s chip stack soared past 1 million, thanks to a crucial hand that saw the elimination of USOP title winner Chiraag Patel. The high-stakes hand unfolded with Patel pushing all his chips, totalling 305,000, into the middle, prompting Shukla to call and put Patel’s tournament life on the line.

Chiraag Patel
Shivam Shukla

The community cards offered no relief for Patel, failing to improve his hand against Shukla’s dominant pocket kings. This outcome led to Patel’s exit from the tournament in 62nd place, earning him a respectable VN₫ 15.59 Million (~₹53,390) while positioning Shukla as a strong contender in the ongoing event.

Chip Counts:
Shivam Shukla – 1,000,000
Chiraag Patel – Eliminated

Sanjay Khanna, who won an all-expenses paid trip to the APT Hanoi Billion by making the final table at Natural8 India’s APT Hanoi Billions Exclusive India Tournament, saw his tournament journey in the Vietnam National Cup come to an end in the 78th position. His exit was sealed in a pivotal hand against Huy Bach Dang.

With a stack of 150,000, Khanna faced an all-in challenge from Dang, who pushed all-in for 300,000. Responding from the small blind, Khanna decided to call, setting the stage for a decisive showdown.

Huy Bach Dang
Sanjay Khanna

The odds were nearly even as both players awaited the board with anticipation. The community cards unfolded , a sequence that dramatically swung in Dang’s favour as his pocket eights connected with the board to form a straight on the turn. Khanna exited in 78th place with VN₫ 13.38 Million (~₹45,822).

Chip Counts:
Huy Bach Dang – 500,000
Sanjay Khanna – Eliminated

In the high-pressure environment of Day 2 at the Vietnam National Cup, WPT title holder Avneesh Munjal experienced a significant setback in a crucial hand against Suparerk Totsoponvisad. Munjal, who had been steadily building his stack, recently took a big hit that brought him back to square zero.

The hand unfolded with Munjal pushing all-in from the cutoff seat, putting 350,000 at stake. Totsoponvisad, in the small blind and holding about 200,000 chips, deliberated intensely before deciding to call, risking his tournament life.

Avneesh Munjal
Suparerk Totsoponvisad

The flop favoured Munjal, putting him in a commanding lead. The turn provided no relief for Totsoponvisad, seemingly sealing Munjal’s victory. However, the script flipped dramatically with the river card , which catapulted Totsoponvisad to a stunning double-up, leaving Munjal short-stacked.

Chip Counts:
Suparerk Totsoponvisad – 450,000
Avneesh Munjal – 150,000

Young Gun Kanchan Sharma discovered the hard way that sometimes having a good hand isn’t always enough. In a critical all-in confrontation, Sharma, holding , faced off against Ngoc Thang Nguyen‘s . Sharma was a massive 91% favourite to double up against her Vietnamese opponent, but poker gods had other plans.

The dynamics shifted drastically as the board revealed . Nguyen turned trip jacks, overturning Sharma’s early advantage and abruptly ending her tournament run. Despite her skilful play, Sharma had to settle for a 137th-place finish with a payout of VN₫ 11.64 Million (~₹39,863).

Chip Counts:
Ngoc Thang Nguyen – 475,000
Kanchan Sharma – Eliminated

In a tension-filled hand, Chiraag Patel, the recent USOP Da Nang The Closer champion, found himself in a challenging situation. With a substantial 400,000 already in the pot and the board showing , Patel faced a high-stakes decision against China’s Zhiru Wang.

Wang, demonstrating aggressive play, pushed all-in for 412,000. Patel, holding a stack close to Wang’s, was visibly split as to what to do. The intense moment saw Patel use several time extensions as he deliberated his next move. After about three minutes of intense thought, Patel made the tough decision to fold.

The table watched in surprise as Wang revealed , showing just ace-high. This bold bluff by Wang paid off handsomely as he raked in the massive pot, significantly boosting his chip count and catapulting him to one of the chip leaders in the tournament.

Chip Counts:
Zhiru Wang – 820,000
Chiraag Patel – 380,000

Raja Puttamsetty‘s run in the record-setting Vietnam National Cup has ended in 137th place following a crucial encounter with Day 1A chip leader Konstantin Shpunt. Having previously lost a sizable pot to Nguyen Dac Tien, Puttamsetty struggled to rebuild his stack and faced elimination in the subsequent level.

In the deciding hand, Puttamsetty moved all-in with , only to be called off by Shpunt, who held and had enough chips to cover Puttamsetty. The board rolled out , sealing Puttamsetty’s fate and concluding his run in the tournament with a payout of VN₫ 10.04 Million (~₹34,398).

Chip Counts:
Konstantin Shpunt – 850,000
Raja Puttamsetty – Eliminated

In a dramatic turn of events, India’s Raghav Bhatt faced a significant blow at the hands of Chu Tu. The crucial hand unfolded when Bhatt decided to call Chu Tu’s all-in shove for 180,000, leaving Bhatt with a mere 22,000 chips remaining.

Chu Tu
Raghav Bhatt

As the board played out , a stroke of luck favoured Chu Tu, who won the flip by landing quad eights right on the flop. This mighty hand granted him a massive double-up, severely diminishing Bhatt’s chances by reducing him to one of the shortest stacks in the field.

Chip Counts:
Chu Tu – 385,000
Raghav Bhatt – 22,000

In a significant early clash on Day 2 of the Vietnam National Cup, Indian poker player Raja Puttamsetty, who began the day with a promising stack of 199,000 chips, suffered a major setback against Nguyen Dac Tien.

The crucial hand unfolded when Puttamsetty, holding Big Slick (), made a min-raise to 32,000. Armed with Little Slick (), Tirn responded decisively by going all-in for 150,000 chips. The action returned to Puttamsetty, who decided to call, putting Tien’s tournament life at risk.

The tension peaked as the board revealed . With both players catching a piece of the runout, Tien’s stronger hand prevailed, securing him a vital double-up. The outcome of this hand dealt a significant blow to Puttamsetty’s chip stack, reducing it to less than a third of what he had at the start of the day.

Chip Counts:
Nguyen Dac Tien – 320,000
Raja Puttamsetty – 60,000

The Vietnam National Cup, having set new records, has entered its climactic second and final day. A total of 212 competitors have reconvened at the tables, each vying for the grand prize of VN₫ 1.177 Billion (~₹40.32 Lakhs). Among them, a formidable contingent of 12 Indian players, led by Rubin Labroo, are pursuing the lucrative top prize and the gorgeous APT trophy.

Every player who has made it to this stage is already assured of a minimum payout of VN₫ 8.23 Million, setting the stage for a day filled with high stakes and intense competition.