In an unexpected turn of events, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) has made the difficult decision to cancel the remaining two days of its most successful stop yet, the APT Hanoi Billions 2023.

The APT Hanoi Billions 2023 has been hailed as a resounding success, shattering records and attracting unprecedented participation. This announcement, made just an hour ago on social media, has shocked many, especially considering the series was at a critical juncture with the tour`s richest-ever Main Event reduced to the final 47 players poised for Day 4. Additionally, Event #68: Double Stack Chop was also ongoing, with 166 participants still in the running.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear APT Members,

The Asian Poker Tour regrets to announce the cancellation of APT Hanoi Billions 2023 for the remainder of the series from December 9-10, 2023.

All player funds are secure and the method for receiving funds has been detailed below*.…

— Asian Poker Tour (@AsianPokerTour) December 9, 2023

Details surrounding the specific safety concerns and unforeseen circumstances that led to this decision remain unclear. The APT has not provided any further information beyond their initial announcement, which details the process to claim refunds on ongoing events and the cancellation of all upcoming ones.

Vietnam’s Van Sang Nguyen emerged as the commanding chip leader after a thrilling Day 3 of the APT Hanoi Billions 2023 Main Event, the largest and richest in APT history. With a massive stack of 10,015,000 chips, Nguyen will head into Day 4 as the favourite to claim the coveted title and the staggering top prize of VN₫ 11,831,710,000 (~$485,880).

Day 3 saw the field whittled down from 351 players to just 47, with the remaining participants guaranteed a minimum payday of VN₫ 192,030,000 (~$7,880). The event has broken numerous records, including the most entries ever recorded in a Main Event (2,350) and the largest-ever prize pool for an APT tournament (VN₫ 73,855,800,000).

Nguyen’s chip lead is a testament to his aggressive play throughout the day. He began the day with a robust stack and steadily chipped away at his opponents, culminating in a dramatic hand where he flopped a set of sixes and extracted maximum value to take over the lead. From then on, it was smooth sailing as he ran wildly to finish on top of the pack. Nguyen finished sixth in the APT Summer Series Hanoi Main Event earlier this year and is now a hot favourite to make another top finish here.

While Nguyen is the current frontrunner, several other accomplished players remain in contention for the title. Two former APT Main Event champions, Thailand’s Punnat Punsri (3,285,000) and Filipino John Tech (2,005,000), are still in the mix. Additionally, notable players like Van Tan Dong (4,055,000), Nguyen Trung Quan (3,210,000), and Kean Wei Tan (2,760,000) are among those who pose a significant threat.

A strong field of 30 Indians had returned on Day 3, but only three remained in the fight for the Main Event glory. Karan Gupta helms this trio with a just-above-average 1,860,000 in chips. Sanish Chabbra, the Team India chip leader at the start of play, made several bold moves throughout the day, hitting highs and lows to carry 1,085,000 to Day 4. Rounding out the Indian representation remaining in this record-setting event, Ayush Garg bagged 945,000.

The other 27 Indians fell before the bags were brought tonight, adding to Team India’s burgeoning series tally.

Team India Finishes on Day 3 of the Main Event

Pratibh Saluja – 58th for VN₫ 151,400,000 (~₹5.21 Lakhs)

Bhavik Khatsuria – 64th for VN₫ 151,400,000 (~₹5.21 Lakhs)

Rubin Labroo – 67th for VN₫ 151,400,000 (~₹5.21 Lakhs)

Suresh Kolli – 113th for VN₫ 108.57 Million (~₹3.74 Lakhs)

Kanchan Sharma – 121st for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Shailesh Patel – 126th for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Jatin Sablani – 133rd for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Sreekanth Narayanan – 135th for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Meherzad Munsaf – 153rd for VN₫ 80.50 Million (~₹2.77 Lakhs)

Mohit Bohra – 182nd for VN₫ 80.50 Million (~₹2.77 Lakhs)

Siddharth Mundada – 185th for VN₫ 72.38 Million (~₹2.49 Lakhs)

Chiraag Patel – 192nd for VN₫ 72.38 Million (~₹2.49 Lakhs)

Deepak Bothra – 225th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)

Aman Parakh – 228th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)

Arun Sriram – 250th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)

Jasven Saigal – 253rd for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)

Harsh Bubna – 254th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)

Pratibha Arya – 259th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)

Amit Kaushik – 261st for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)

Gaurav Sood – 267th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)

Paawan Bansal – 285th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)

Jaideep Sajwan – 289th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)

Romit Advani – 290th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)

Daniyal Kazi – 320th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)

Avneesh Munjal – 327th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)

Day 4 will resume at 11:15 AM (local time) on Saturday, December 9 and will play down to a final table of nine players. A champion will be crowned on Sunday, December 10.

Here are some additional details from Day 3:

• The Main Event has been extended to a fifth day to accommodate the large number of players remaining.
• Chih Wei Fan, who gained notoriety for his hand at the APT Taipei final table, narrowly survived with just three big blinds.
• Three-time APT title holder Czar Ian Marcos is still in contention with a stack of 655,000 chips.

Stay tuned for further updates as the APT Hanoi Billions 2023 Main Event reaches its thrilling climax!

Rising Star Pratibh Saluja found himself in a dire situation that ended his run in the tournament. Saluja moved all holding , and Wu Bin woke up with to make the call.

Saluja was in dire need of a game-changing card but found no help on the board and hit the rail in 58^th place, with VN₫ 151.40 Million (~₹5.21 Lakhs) in winnings.

Chip Counts

Wu Bin – 1,000,000

Pratibh Saluja – busted

The remaining players are engrossed in the final level of play before the chips are bagged and the stage gets set for the next act: Day 4.

The overwhelming turnout of the Main Event has led to an extension of the saga, adding a fifth day to this thrilling narrative. Tomorrow’s play is poised to be a decisive one, as it will play down to the final table. These skilled contenders will then take their places at the final table on Sunday.

The hand developed with both players engaging in cautiously, opting to check through to the river with the board reading . It was at this juncture that Punsri, led out with a bet, only to be met with an unexpected twist as Chhabra decided to 3-bet.

This unexpected maneuver by Chhabra caught Punsri off-guard, and he went on to re-examine and then gazed at Chhabra as he muttered to himself in his native tongue. After a tense period of deliberation and a few time extension chips later, Punsri ultimately chose to fold his hand.

Chip Counts

Sanish Chhabra – 1,500,000

Punnat Punsri – 1,300,000

The strategic blueprint for Day 3 of the Main Event is crystal clear now: the gameplay is set to continue in a gripping march towards either Level 27 or until the player field narrows down to the last 48 warriors standing, with the first milestone reached marking the pause point.

The Main Event is now down to less than 100 survivors! Here are some of the recent eliminations of Team India.

Suresh Kolli – 113^th for VN₫ 108.57 Million (~₹3.74 Lakhs)

Kanchan Sharma – 121^st for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Shailesh Patel – 126^th for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Jatin Sablani – 133^rd for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Sreekanth Narayanan – 135th for VN₫ 90.84 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs)

Meherzard Munsaf – 153rd for VN₫ 80.50 Million (~₹2.77 Lakhs)

In the aftermath of the recent eliminations, only 9 Indians remain in the field, vying to clinch a seat to Day 4.

The poker table was electrified with an intense showdown between Young Gun Kanchan Sharma and Khanh Nguyen.

Nguyen had a slight edge holding , and Sharma confidently revealed her , setting the stage for an exhilarating showdown.

Sharma took the lead, hitting two pairs on the flop. Nguyen hit better two pairs on the turn. But in a stunning twist of fate, the river opened , bestowing Sharma with a spectacular full house.

Chip Counts:

Kanchan Sharma – 470,000

Khanh Nguyen – 140,000

In a gripping turn of events, Vishal Ojha, a revered former USOP Hanoi Main Event champion, found himself in a pivotal moment, albeit with a short stack. He open-shoved holding , and Le Nhu An decided to call with .

Ojha was a clear favorite to grab a double up, but the board ran , and Ojha’s splendid run in the Main Event came to an end in 142^nd place for VN₫ 90.40 Million (~₹3.13 Lakhs).

Chip Counts

Le Nhu An – 800,000

Vishal Ojha – busted

Vinod Megalmani, one of the shortest stacks during the bubble time on Day 2, has been tenaciously holding onto a short stack throughout the day. However, his position took a critical hit recently when he lost a significant pot, further dwindling his chip count.

Megalmani opened from the high-jack seat, and Bo Xu defended his big blind. On the flop, Megalmani, undeterred, fired a bet and Xu called. Both players checked the turn and the river . Xu tabled to scoop the pot while Megalmani mucked.

Chip Counts

Bo Xu – 270,000

Vinod Megalmani – 150,000

In a stunning demonstration of his prowess, Ayush Garg, a celebrated two-time The Millionaire champion, showcased why he is a titan, boosting his stack by an impressive 35%.

The hand in question saw Tran Huy Phong raising, and the next player to act, Seunghyeon Son 3-bet. Ayush Garg made a bold and strategic move by 4-bet jamming from the big blind. The masterstroke paid off as both Phong and Son folded!

Chip Counts

Seunghyeon Son – 1,400,000

Tran Huy Phong – 750,000

Ayush Garg – 700,000

A thrilling hand unfolded between two tournament leaders, Zhou Shou and Pratibh Saluja, as they clashed in a battle of the big stacks.

From UTG+1, Zhou Shou initiated the action with a raise to 24,000, demonstrating his aggressive strategy. Rising Star Pratibh Saluja, another top stack, responded with a powerful 3-bet to 74,000 from the hijack, making his intentions clear. The action led to the rest of the players folding, and Shou accepted the challenge by putting in the additional 50,000.

The flop came down . Shou checked, then called Saluja’s 45,000 bet. On the turn, Shou continued his cautious play, check-calling another bet from Saluja, this time for 110,000. Throughout this exchange, both players exhibited restraint, wary of ballooning the pot too much that could significantly affect their sizeable stacks.

The river brought a , leading to a quick check from both. Shou revealed , leading Saluja to muck his hand immediately.

Despite this particular hand’s outcome, both players remain in strong positions with well above-average stacks. They are strategically poised for potential advancement to Day 4, provided they avoid any major setbacks.

Chip Counts
Zhou Shou – 1,090,000
Pratibh Saluja – 870,000

The Main Event is now down to 175 runners, with Level 20 underway.

Some of the recent Indian eliminations include:

Mohit Bohra – 182nd for VN₫ 80.50 Million (~₹2.77 Lakhs)
Siddharth Mundada – 185th for VN₫ 72.38 Million (~₹2.49 Lakhs)
Chiraag Patel – 192nd for VN₫ 72.38 Million (~₹2.49 Lakhs)

Following the recent spat of Indian eliminations, 16 more desi players are still left in the field and are fighting to make it to Day 4.

A feature table has been set up on Day 3 of the Main Event. Watch all the action streamed live featuring notables like Bien Mai, Bin Wu, and Bednarskyi Maksym.

As the adrenaline-fueled Day 3 of the poker showdown unfolds, the pace of eliminations has been nothing short of breathtaking. From the original cohort of 30 Indian players who skillfully advanced to this stage, 13 have been ousted from the Main Event in a rapid succession.

The list of those who have made their exit reads like a who’s who of poker legends. Indian cashes so far include:

Deepak Bothra – 225th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)
Aman Parakh – 228th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)
Arun Sriram – 250th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)
Jasven Saigal – 253rd for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)
Harsh Bubna – 254th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)
Pratibha Arya – 259th for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)
Amit Kaushik – 261st for VN₫ 64.99 Million (~₹2.23 Lakhs)
Gaurav Sood – 267th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)
Paawan Bansal – 285th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)
Jaideep Sajwan – 289th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)
Romit Advani – 290th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)
Daniyal Kazi – 320th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)
Avneesh Munjal – 327th for VN₫ 58.35 Million (~₹2.01 Lakhs)

In an intense hand, India`s Siddharth Mundada faced a significant setback against Anh Nguyen The. The action unfolded on a dramatic flop of . The, seizing the initiative opened with a bet of 15,000, targeting both blinds. The small blind opted to call, leading Mundada, in the big blind, to raise the stakes significantly to 72,000. The matched Mundada’s raise while the small blind bowed out of the hand.

The turn revealed the . Mundada, sensing an opportunity, moved all in. The, without hesitation, answered with a quick call.

Siddharth Mundada
Anh Nguyen The

Anh Nguyen The had a strong hand with a straight on the flop, putting him in a commanding position against Mundada. The only needed to dodge four cards to secure the pot.

Luck was on The’s side as the river delivered the , one of the many cards he needed to win the hand, solidifying his position.

Chip Counts
Anh Nguyen The – 564,000
Siddharth Mundada – 250,000

In a riveting hand, Takaaki Arai opened from under the gun holding , Jasven Saigal 3-bet with , and Arai called.

The flop came . Saigal, riding the wave of the moment, continued with a bet. Arai snap-called. The turn opened , and the drama unfolded. Saigal fired a bet again. Arai decided to 3-bet shove, and Saigal immediately called.

The blank river reveal left the pot in Arai’s hands, significantly boosting his position. Meanwhile, Saigal found himself in a precarious spot, teetering on the edge with 14 big blinds.

Chip Counts
Takaaki Arai – 330,000
Jasven Saigal – 85,000

The highly anticipated Day 3 of the record-breaking APT Main Event has kicked off, and the 351 survivors from a record field of 2,350 entries have taken their seats. With a whopping VND 73,855,800,000 prize pool, all eyes are on the jaw-dropping VND 11,831,710,000 (~$485,880) top prize!

The Indian contingent has made a significant mark, with 30 players advancing to Day 3, led by Sanish Chhabra, who amassed an impressive 605,000 chips. The day’s objective is clear: narrow down the field to the final 16 contenders.

Keep up with PokerGuru for the latest updates and real-time coverage of Team India’s performance in the Main Event, as they navigate through the day’s intense action.