2024 USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong: Kunal Patni Leads Indian Charge With Two Final Table Finishes & Over ₹23 Lakhs in Winnings

The coastal city of Hai Phong, Vietnam, is currently a hotbed of poker action. The 2024 U Series of Poker (USOP) Grand Finale, held in partnership with the renowned Crown Poker Club, has transformed the Grand Ballroom of the Pullman Grand Hotel into a high-stakes battleground. This 13-day spectacle marks the end of the USOP’s 2024 season, boasting an unprecedented VN₫ 100 Billion (~$4 Million) prize pool guarantee – a figure that eclipses all previous records in Vietnam and sets a new standard for the USOP. With 69 tournaments on the schedule, the competition is fierce, and the battle for the USOP Player of the Series Ring is intense.

This Grand Finale, the fourth and final stop of the USOP season, is exceeding expectations at every turn. Players from across the globe – seasoned veterans and ambitious newcomers alike – have converged on Hai Phong, lured by the promise of massive prize pools and the chance to compete against the best, resulting in guarantee-crushing turnouts across the board!

But amidst this international field, a familiar force is making its presence felt: Team India. Fresh off their dominant performances at APT Phu Quoc and Poker Dream 13 Malaysia, Indian players arrived in Hai Phong with a wave of momentum. And they’re not just here to make up the numbers; they’re here to conquer. In the first four days alone, they’ve racked up over a dozen cash finishes and landed on four final tables. With the Main Event on the horizon and more top Indian players en route to Hai Phong, the poker world is bracing for an Indian poker invasion. Vietnam has proven to be a particularly fruitful hunting ground for Indian players, and expectations are soaring.

At the forefront of this Indian charge is Kunal Patni. The Natural8 India Executive Director and Ambassador isn’t just playing poker; he’s conducting a masterclass. His performance at APT Phu Quoc last month was nothing short of spectacular – two victories, a second-place finish, and three other deep runs. Now, he’s brought that same winning formula to Hai Phong. Is it the Vietnamese air? The cuisine? Whatever it is, Vietnam seems to unlock Patni’s poker genius. With six wins in the country over the past two years, he’s practically a local hero.

Patni wasted no time making his mark. He kicked off his campaign with a stunning third-place finish in Event #7: VN₫ 22 Million Mini High Roller. But he didn’t stop there. He followed that up with an equally impressive fourth-place finish in Event #17: VN₫ 66 Million High Roller 6-Max earlier today, adding a whopping VN₫ 505 Million (~₹16.83 Lakhs) to his winnings. With three deep runs already, his total earnings for the trip have skyrocketed to VN₫ 692 Million (~₹23.07 Lakhs). He’s the undisputed leader of the Indian contingent, and we can`t wait to see what he achieves next!

China’s Hon Cheong Lee championed the VN₫ 66 Million High Roller 6-Max for VN₫ 1.54 Billion ($60,617), while Singapore’s Bao Qiang Ho finished as the runner-up for 1.04 Billion ($40,937).

Madness Kickoff Shatters Records

The USOP Grand Finale erupted with a bang right from the start. Event #1: VN₫ 11 Million Madness Kickoff, the first featured event of the series, lived up to its name, shattering records and setting a thrilling tone for the festival. The VN₫ 10 Billion ($400,000) guaranteed prize pool was obliterated as an astounding 1,582 entries poured in, pushing the total to a staggering VN₫ 14.72 Billion ($580,000) – nearly VN₫ 5 Billion higher than the previous record.

After four intense starting flights, 198 players emerged, battle-hardened and ready to clash in the Day 2 finale. Each player was already in the money, guaranteed at least VN₫ 18.5 Million ($730).

The Day 2 finale was a marathon of poker prowess, spanning 38 levels of play and over 20 hours of intense competition over two days. In the end, France`s Herve Gouzil emerged victorious, claiming the lion’s share of the prize pool.

The final table was a spectacle in itself. Gouzil held a commanding chip lead for much of the final table but faced a nail-biting challenge during heads-up play against Nguyen Hoang Nam, where he fell to a 5:1 chip disadvantage. But Gouzil, a seasoned competitor, staged a dramatic comeback, ultimately seizing the Madness Kickoff trophy and the VN₫ 2.15 Billion (~$85,000) top prize. Despite being a strong contender throughout the final table, Vietnam’s Nguyen Hoang Nam had to settle for second place, though the VN₫ 1.45 Billion (~$57,000) prize provided ample consolation.

Gouzil’s victory marked his first-ever title on Asian soil. Reflecting on the key hand that turned the tide in his favour, Gouzil attributed his success to intuition. “It was intuition when I was behind in chips,” he shared. “I made a big move, three-betting all-in with King-Jack offsuit. I think he (my opponent) was tired and wanted to end it. That was a big blow to him.”

Indeed, that hand proved to be a game-changer. Gouzil’s three-bet shoved with against Nguyen’s . The board favoured Gouzil, giving him a crucial double-up and shifting the momentum in his favour. Nguyen, now down to 11 BBs, made a final stand with Ace-King on a ten-high flop but was outdrawn by Gouzil’s bottom pair, sealing his fate.

The Madness Kickoff also saw strong performances from five Indian players. Rising Star Ritwik Khanna achieved the deepest run, finishing 37th for VN₫ 57 Million (₹1.90 Lakhs).

Natural8 India Executive Director Kunal Patni, fresh off his podium finish in Event #7, added another cash to his impressive tally, finishing 42nd for VN₫ 57 Million (₹1.90 Lakhs). PokerStars India Ambassador Siddharth Karia (67th for VN₫ 40.50 Million ~₹1.35 Lakhs), Kolkata-based poker pro Harsh Bubna (171st for VN₫ 19.50 Million ~₹64,997), and WSOP bracelet winner Young Gun Aayush Arya (194th for VN₫ 18.50 Million ~₹61,665) also made the payouts list.

You can watch the complete final table replay below.

The action at the USOP Grand Finale is non-stop, with side events offering thrilling competition and impressive payouts. In Event #10: VN₫ 11 Million Sunday Superstack, three Indian players added to the country’s growing list of cashes. Young Gun Ashwin Vijayvergiya, a fresh off his victory at the DPT Grand Championship in Goa, showed his skills with a 25th-place finish, earning VN₫ 26 Million (₹86,667). Siddharth Karia matched Vijayvergiya’s performance, finishing 27th for VN₫ 26 Million (₹86,667), while Harsh Bubna fell out in 25th place with VN₫ 22 Million (~₹73,331).

Event #11: VN₫ 120 Million Superstar Challenge attracted a field of elite players, with Canadian pro Benjamin Leblond ultimately claiming the trophy and a massive VN₫ 3.23 Billion ($127,000) prize. China’s Xiangyu Yu put up a strong fight, finishing second for VN₫ 2.14 Billion ($82,000). This high-roller event generated a colossal prize pool of VN₫ 13.01 Billion ($513,000), smashing its VN₫ 3 Billion guarantee by over four times.

India’s Ashish Munot represented the country well, finishing a respectable 17th and taking home VN₫ 210 Million (~₹7 Lakhs).

Adding to India’s achievements in the series, Deepankur Gupta made a deep run in Event #18: VN₫ 7 Million Freezeout. Gupta navigated a challenging field to reach the final table, ultimately finishing eighth for VN₫ 22 Million (~₹73,331).

Meanwhile, Event #16: VN₫ 20 Million Mini Main Event is underway, with the first two of four starting flights completed. Day 1A attracted 220 players, with 28 advancing to Day 2. India’s WSOP bracelet winner, Kartik Ved, emerged as the chip leader of the flight, bagging a massive 608,000 (76 BBs). China’s Li Yongxin trailed closely behind with 594,000 (74 BBs), while India’s Harsh Bubna also advanced to Day 2 with a stack of 184,000.

Day 1B saw 139 entries, with 16 players bagging chips for Day 2. Turkey’s Akgul Huseyin finished as the chip leader with 653,000 (82 BBs), followed by China’s Chen Zeyu with 377,000 (47 BBs).

Aayush Arya was the sole Indian player to bag chips from this flight, carrying 92,000. With the third and final starting flight underway and the final day approaching, anticipation is building for more strong performances from Team India.

Team India Scores at USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong

USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong Winners

Content & Images Courtesy: USOP & So Much Poker

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