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The inaugural 2022 Asian Poker Tour (APT) Vietnam Hanoi, underway at the Grand Loyal Poker Club, Hanoi, since June 7, had a host of side events playing down to a winner in the last two days. At the same time, the VND 5 Billion GTD Main Event continued to expand its field, with two of its three starting flights already in the books.
Vietnam is a much-preferred live poker destination for Indian players. While several top pros from the country are busy at the WSOP, a sizable Indian contingent is in Vietnam at the ongoing series. After Vaibhav Sharma‘s final table appearance in the Mystery Bounty opener event, two more Indians posted FT finishes in side events. Long-time industry regular Jasven Saigal sailed into the final table of the two-day Head Hunter and finished fifth for VND 29.96M (~₹1.01 Lakhs).
Thailand’s Kajornnut Prirunrueng won the Head Hunter for VND 119.69M (~$5,163), becoming the first player from the country to win a title at the stop.
Another Indian player Ankit Kumar Jajodia placed fifth in the VND 11M (~$475) buy-in PLO Event for VND 17.16M (~₹57,844). Local pro Hung Manh Dinh took down the title for VND 103.61M (~$4,470).
The Main Event ran its second starting flight on Friday, and two Indians – Alok Birewar (65,800) and Jasven Saigal (32,400), were among the 47-player surviving field advancing to Day 2. The duo was part of the 125-player field that came in. Counting the WPT Prime Vietnam Main Event winner Zarvan Tumboli (29,700), who made it from Day 1A, a total of three Indians have already cemented their berth for Day 2, scheduled to start at noon (local time) on Sunday, June 12. The third and the final starting flight will run today, with a few more Indian players expected to join the action.
China’s Pan Yue headlined the 47 survivors advancing through Day 1B of the Main Event (192,200).
In other side events, Thailand’s Phachara Wongwichit took down the VND 32.5M (~$1,400) buy-in High Rollers Single Day event for VND 341.61M (~$14,737), picking up his third APT High Roller title.
The second High Roller’s Single Day event was championed by the 2019 APT Vietnam Player of the Series (POS), Vietnam’s Terry Nguyen, for VND 376.46M(~$16,240).
Vietnam’s Phan Tien Dung shipped the two-day Super High Rollers for his first APT Trophy and a VND 1.33B (~$57,526) payday.
Nguyen Manh Tuan posting his first APT victory came out on top in the VND 6.6M (~$285) buy-in Super Deep Stack Turbo for VND 102.47M (~$4,420).
APT Vietnam Main Event – Day 1B
Day 1B of the APT Vietnam Hanoi drew 125 entrants, and by the end of the play, only 47 made it through to Day 2. China’s Pan Yue Feng (192,200) ended Day 2 in the driver’s seat.
Two Indian players, Alok Birewar (65,800) and Jasven Saigal (32,400), also made the cut from Day 1B.
Following two starting days, the event logged in 198 entries, and another 250 entries are needed for the series showstopper to hit its VN₫ 5 Billion guarantee.
Along with 30 Day 1A survivors, 77 players have booked their seats into Day 2, with the final starting flight, Day 1C, underway since noon (local time) on Saturday, June 11.
Day 2 of the event will take place on Sunday, June 12, from noon (local time).
Top 10 Chip Counts at the End of Day 1B
Terry Nguyen Wins High Rollers Single Day For VND $376.46M (~$16,240)
The second VND 32.50M (~$1,402) buy-in High Rollers Single Day brought in 34 entries, generating a VND 989,400,000 (~$42,683) prize pool. Only the top six finishers cashed for their efforts, and Vietnam’s Terry Nguyen walked away with the lion’s share of the prize money, pocketing VND 376.46M (~$16,240) and the APT Trophy.
The recent WPT Prime Vietnam Main Event Zarvan Tumboli was among the contenders vying for the title. Unfortunately, Tumboli fell out on the final table bubble.
Having already won one High Rollers Single Day event, Phachara Wongwichit made a valiant effort to grab the title back-to-back but busted before the money round.
The only non-Vietnamese player on the FT, Michael Soyza, entered the final table as the chip leader but suffered several setbacks and shockingly became the first casualty.
Another top stack, Cuong Ngoc Huynh, met with the same fate and followed Soyza to the rail in fifth place after Nguyen’s better pocket jacks busted his pocket nines.
There onwards, Nguyen held the chip lead and never relinquished it. He eliminated Quang Nguyen in fourth place, followed by Tu Phuong Nguyen in third place.
The heads-up between Nguyen and Tia Gia Lai lasted all of 15 minutes. Nguyen first dug into Lai’s stack, leaving the latter with only six big blinds. In the final hand, Lai shoved his 6.5 BB stack with but missed the board to lose out to Nguyen’s . Nguyen took down the event and his second APT Trophy.
Final Table Results (VND)
Nguyen Manh Tuan Wins Super Deep Stack Turbo For VND 6.1B (~$4,420)
Another event at APT Vietnam Hanoi closed its run recently, with local talent Nguyen Manh Tuan riding past a field of 61 entries in the VND 6.6M (~$285) buy-in Super Deep Stack Turbo to collect the APT Trophy and the lion’s share of the VND 355.02M (~$15,316) prize pool worth VND 102.47M (~$4,420).
The tournament made a six-hour run from start to finish. After the bubble burst on Paul Elliott, the players fell quickly, and it didn’t take long for the final table to be formed.
Tuan claimed the first two victims in a four-way clash that sent Phan Trong Linh and Sang Van Nguyen out in sixth and fifth place, respectively.
His final clash over the title was against Ito Akira, who moved all-in with , and Tuan called off with . Tuan’s hand held through the board, eliminating Akira in second place.
Final Table Results (VND)
Pham Tien Dung Wins Two-Day Super High Rollers For VND 108M (~$4,650)
The two-day Super High Rollers attracted a 40-player field, each ponying up the VND 108M (~$4,650) buy-in. Phan Tiem Dung made his way past the stacked field to clinch his first-ever APT Trophy and the VND 1.33B (~$57,526) first-place cash prize.
Down to the final three, the final table witnessed a dramatic hand where Dung took it down in style, eliminating both Teddy Pham and Florent Benlloch. The hand in question saw Dung opening the pot. The small blind Pham and big blind Benlloch called to see the flop open . Pham shoved, Benlloch called, and Dung re-jammed. Benlloch called, and it was off to the races.
Teddy Pham
Florent Benlloch
Pham Tien Dung
The turn gave Dung the full house, and he held through on the river to score a thumping victory!
You can watch the replay of the final table live stream below.
Final Table Results (VND)
Phachara Wongwichit Wins High Rollers Single Day For
Thailand’s Phachara Wongwichit fell out of the money in the Super High Rollers but covered the distance in the VND 32.5M (~$1,400) buy-in High Rollers Single Day event. Phachara beat a field of 24 entries, eventually defeating fellow countryman Thananat Therdtakoonrat heads-up to win the VND 341.61M (~$14,737) winner’s cheque and his third APT High Rollers title.
The event generated a VND 698,400,000 (~$30,199) prize pool.
It took eight hours of play before the bubble burst on the Mystery Bounty champion Huy Quang Nguyen who lost all his chips to Wongwichit.
From there, it took Wongwichit two hours to claim the title. On the final hand, Wongwichit’s king-queen spiked a king on the board to dominate Therdtakoonrat’s pocket sixes.
Final Table Results (VND)
Kajornnut Prirunrueng Wins Two-day Head Hunter For VND 119.69M (~$5,163)
Kajornnut Prirunrueng became the first player from Thailand to grab a title at the inaugural series after he bested a field of 75 entries to win the two-day Head Hunter for VND 119.69M (~$5,163).
The tournament generated a combined bounty and cash prize pool of VND 582M and paid out 13 places.
Only the final eight players survived through to the last day. Part of this narrowed-down group was India’s Jasven Saigal, who made it as far as the fifth place. Saigal ran his pocket fives into Minh Nguyen’s pocket sevens to collect a VND 29.96M (~₹1.01 Lakhs) payout.
Prirungrueng entered the heads-up duel against Hung Tuan Nguyen with a massive chip advantage. Nguyen scored an early double-up, but that wasn’t enough. On the deciding hand of the tournament, his failed to get past Prirungrueng’s .
Final Table Results (VND)
Hung Manh Dinh Wins PLO Event For VND 103.61M (~$4,470)
The VND 11M (~$475) buy-in PLO Event at the ongoing APT Vietnam Hanoi logged in 25 entries. Vietnam’s Hung Manh Dinh dominated the show for the most part at the final table to eventually win the APT Trophy and the winner’s prize of VND 103.61M (~$4,470).
Indian pro Ankit Kumar Jajodia placed fifth in the event, earning a VND 17.16M (~₹57,844) payday.
Only the top five spots got paid from the VND 242.50M (~$10,458) prize pool.
Dinh entered the heads-up finale against fellow countryman Hoang Thai Son holding a commanding lead and steadily won all the chips. It got over when Son moved all-in with against Dinh’s on a board. Dinh hit trips, and he stayed ahead to collect the title.
Final Table Results (VND)
Content & Images Courtesy: Asian Poker Tour
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