WPT Prime Cambodia: Gurpal Singh & Jasven Saigal Lift Maiden WPT Trophies; Team India Closes Out the Series With 8 Titles!

The 2022 World Poker Tour (WPT) Prime Cambodia is finally in the books, and what a series it turned out to be for Team India. The Indian contingent won an incredible eight titles and posted 34 final table finishes and 81 cashes, making for another blockbuster showing by the team in Cambodia.

The team closed out the series with a bang, with Gurpal Singh and Jasven Saigal picking up their maiden WPT trophies in the Closer Turbo for $11,713 (₹9.35 Lakhs) and Superstack 6-Max for $6,255 (₹4.99 Lakhs), respectively!

Team India has dominated the South-Asian tournament circuit over the past few years, but 2022 has been especially spectacular. It all started when Spartan Poker Team Pro Zarvan Tumboli captured the WPT Prime Vietnam Main Event title three months ago, and the heater hasn`t died down since. In fact, Kunal Patni came close to repeating the feat in the $500K GTD WPT Prime Cambodia Main Event earlier this week, netting $35,690 (₹28.48 Lakhs) in sixth place.

The just-concluded series was undoubtedly the most successful live outing for Team India this year in terms of the number of titles won, with an incredible eight WPT trophies set to make their way back to India.

PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Munot got the ball rolling when he took down the NagaWorld Superstack for $12,877 (₹10.25 Lakhs). Kunal Patni (Won the Deepstack NLH for $7,853, ₹6.23 Lakhs), Zarvan Tumboli (Won WPT Pot Limit Omaha for $7,000, ~₹5.55 Lakhs), Akshay Kapoor (Won NLH Single Day for $6,496, ₹5.15 Lakhs), Young Gun Shardul Parthasarathi (Won Super High Roller for $68,922, ₹54.88 Lakhs) and Somashekar Kurkhepally (Won Bounty Event for $18,567, ₹14.83 Lakhs) added to India’s title tally.

Long-time circuit regular Gurpal Singh opened his scorecard at the series on the last day of the series and how! He overcame a 69-player field in the Closer Turbo to win $11,713 (₹9.35 Lakhs) and bested PokerGuru Ambassador Ankit Wadhwan (2nd for $6,693, ₹5.34 Lakhs) heads-up. For Wadhwan, it was his fourth time finishing runner-up in a live tournament, even as his chase for the elusive title continues.

PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Munot (5th for $2,259, ₹1.80 Lakhs), Dhanesh Chainani (6th for $1,757, ₹1.40 Lakhs), and Sumit Sapra (7th for $1,506, ₹1.20 Lakhs) were the other Indian players who cashed the Closer Turbo.

Jasven Saigal was the most consistent Indian performer of the series, picking up five cashes, four of them final table finishes. After missing the title glory in three previous final table appearances, the former PokerGuru Team Pro finally went the distance in the Superstack 6-Max, winning the title for $6,255 (₹4.99 Lakhs) – his biggest cash of the series! Saigal collectively added $18,763 (₹14.98 Lakhs) in the series.

Amit Kaushik (4th for $1,827, ₹1.45 Lakhs) and PokerGuru Ambassador Laksh Pal Singh (5th for $1,414, ₹1.12 Lakhs) rounded out the Indian scores in the Superstack 6-Max.

Team India Cashes at the 2022 WPT Prime Cambodia

Taiwan’s Chao-Ting Cheng (Won Superstack Classic Freezeout for $14,271), Korea’s Sangbeom Lim (Won HR for $39,700), USA’s Duy Manh Ho (Won NLH Freezeout for $6,460), Malaysia’s Victor Chong (Won NLH Turbo Freezeout for $8,000), and Vietnam’s Van Trung Nguyen (Won Bounty Event for $12,100) claimed the final WPT trophies of the series.

Gurpal Singh Wins Closer Turbo For $11,713 (₹9.35 Lakhs), PokerGuru Ambassador Ankit Wadhawan Finishes Runner-Up For $6,693 (₹5.34 Lakhs)

The last event on the series’ schedule, Closer Turbo, had 69 hopefuls shelling out the $550 buy-in, posting a $33,465 prize pool. India’s Gurpal Singh was the last player standing and won his maiden live title for $11,713 (~₹9.35 Lakhs), also his first cash of the series!

Singh has been fairly active on the live tournament circuit this year. He picked up his first live cash in 2022 with a seventh-place finish in the ₹50K NLHE Adda52 Colossus – High Roller Series. He followed it up with another seventh-place finish in Event #18: NLHE Superstack Turbo at WPT Prime Vietnam.

The Closer Turbo victory fetched Singh his third live cash of the year and his maiden WPT title!

It was an all-Indian heads-up where Singh defeated compatriot Ankit Wadhawan to win the title. PokerGuru Ambassador Wadhawan`s ‘runner-up curse’ continues as this was his third runner-up finish in a little over a month, netting him $6,693 (₹5.34 Lakhs).

The FT was stacked with Indians, with over half the field comprising Indian players. PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Munot (5th for $2,259, ₹1.80 Lakhs), Dhanesh Chainani (6th for $1,757, ₹1.40 Lakhs), and Sumit Sapra (7th for $1,506, ₹1.20 Lakhs) ended up scoring FT payouts.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Gurpal Singh – $11,713
2. Ankit Wadhwan – $6,693
3. Chung-Yi Ho – $4,099
4. Jeffery Kurniawan – $2,928
5. Ashish Munot – $2,259
6. Dhanesh Chainani – $1,757
7. Sumit Sapra – $1,506
8. Kim Lay Ly – $1,339
9. Kevin Denis Michel Sabbe – $1,171

Jasven Saigal Win Superstack 6-Max For $6,255 (₹4.99 Lakhs)

Seasoned pro Jasven Saigal was one of the most consistent players of the series, with four final table finishes (five scores overall). After missing out on the title in the Mystery Bounty, the Bounty Event, and the PLO Event, Saigal finally got the monkey off his back in the Superstack 6-Max that he shipped for $6,255 (₹4.99 Lakhs). Rindra Norodom finished runner-up for $5,700.

Like many from the Indian contingent present in the series, Saigal has been doing the rounds of the South-Asian circuit, and has been consistently churning out deep runs. The experienced pro has a litany of FT finishes this year in stops like the WPT Prime Vietnam, APT Vietnam Hanoi, APT Summer Festival Hanoi – VSOP, and APPT Manila.

With the Superstack 6-Max win, Saigal bagged his sixth recorded live title and career-first WPT trophy.

Amit Kaushik (4th for $1,827, ₹1.45 Lakhs) and PokerGuru Ambassador Laksh Pal Singh (5th for $1,414, ₹1.12 Lakhs) also FT-ed the event.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Jasven Saigal – $6,255
2. Rindra Norodom – $5,700
3. Syvain Chhang – $2,829
4. Amit Kaushik – $1,827
5. Laksh Pal Singh – $1,414
6. Kun Kiet Wong – $1,120
7. Wongyu Kang – $943

Taiwan’s Chao-Ting Cheng Wins Superstack Classic Freezeout For $14,271

The $400 buy-in Superstack Classic Freezeout attracted 148 entrants, generating a $51,682 prize pool, and the top 19 places were paid. Taiwan’s Chao-Ting Cheng came out on top to claim the WPT trophy and the $14,271 top prize.

The 2019 APT Philippines Main Event champion Christopher Mateo, who finished runner-up in the Super High Roller last week, secured yet another second-place finish in the event for $9,044.

Mateo’s heads-up rival in the Super High Roller and eventual champion, Young Gun Shardul Parthasarathi, finished 15th in the Superstack Classic Freezeout for $1,059 (~₹84,558), posting his fourth cash of the series.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Chao-Ting Cheng – $14,271
2. Christopher Mateo – $9,044
3. Ngoc Quoc Bao Pham – $5,323
4. Sinsung Yoon – $3,232
5. Anton Widjaya – $2,507
6. Kohei Wada – $2,070
7. Jun Hao Wu – $1,809
8. Dzmitry Halubitski – $1,615
9. David Rodwell – $1,427

Korea’s Sangbeom Lim Wins HR For $39,700; India’s Somashekar Kurkhepally (8th), Abhinav Iyer (12th) & Zarvan Tumboli (17th) Score

The 21st event of the series, the WPT Prime Cambodia HR, drew 140 entries, creating a $3,80,240 prize pool. Korea’s Sangbeom Lim took down the event for $39,700, and France’s Clement Van finished runner-up for $23,800.

Three Indians cashed the event, with Bounty Event champion Somashekar Kurkhepally posting the deepest run of them (8th for $12,000, ₹9.58 Lakhs). This was Kurkhepally’s third score of the series.

Bracelet winner Abhinav Iyer picked up his second series cash, placing 12th for $9,250 (₹7.38 Lakhs). The WPT Pot Limit Omaha champion, Spartan Poker Team Pro Zarvan Tumboli, scored for the third time, finishing 17th for $8,000 (~₹6.38 Lakhs).

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Sangbeom Lim – $39,700
2. Clement Van – $23,800
3. Phachara Wongwichit – $18,500
4. Vladimir Mefodichev – $15,590
5. Vamerdino Magsakay – $13,400
6. Somashekar Kurkhepally – $12,000
7. Koen Breed – $10,600

Duy Manh Ho Wins NLH Freezeout For $6,460

The $300 buy-in NLH Freezeout registered a 119-strong entry field and guaranteed the top 15 places a share of the $31,166 prize pool. USA’s Duy Manh Ho championed the event, clinching his third-ever WPT title and $6,460 in prize money.

Manh Ho has been running hot this year, as this was his third live title his year. Earlier this month, he was seen in action in APPT Manila, where he took down the ₱15,000 NLHE – Deepstack – Freezeout for a winner’s payday worth ₱266,000 ($4,805). Earlier this year, he had shipped WPT Prime Vietnam Event 9: VND 11M NLHE – Mystery Bounty for VND 375 Million ( $16,187). He also ran deep in the Bounty Event, finishing sixth for $2,694.

Top Indonesian pro Anton Widjaya collected $5,711 in second place, and Hong Kong’s Chi Chung Ho cashed for $6,110 in third, courtesy of a three-way ICM deal.

Two Indian team members boarded the money bus. J. Raju (9th for $919, ₹73,428) fell out on the final table bubble as he placed ninth among the finishers. Jaruplavath had finished 22nd in the $150K GTD Opener for $1,745. Kolkata-based MTT pro Harsh Bubna finished in 15th place for $701 (₹56,010).

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Duy Manh Ho – $6,460*
2. Anton Widjaya – $5,711*
3. Chi Chung Ho – $6,110*
4. Abbouchi Mohamad – $2,182
5. Suk Sun Noh – $1,652
6. Po-Chun Wen – $1,371
7. Jin Xiong Lee – $1,184
8. Tomas Dedinas – $1,044

*denotes a three-way deal

Malaysia’s Fook Kiong Chong Ships NLH Turbo Freezeout For $8,000

The $300 buy-in NLH Turbo Freezeout saw Malaysia’s Fook Kiong Chong, AKA Victor Chong, claim an $8,000 payday, following a heads-up deal with the NLH Freezeout champion USA’s Duy Manh Ho (2nd for $6,382).

Chong has been on a blistering run across live tournaments in Asia and North America. Chong took down his first live title of the year in APT Vietnam VND 43M NLHE – High Rollers, walking away with the top-heavy VND 277 Million ($11,928) first-place prize money.

In the 2022 WSOP, he placed 28th in Event #78: $2,500 NLHE for $13,999. Earlier this month, he posted two close finishes in the APPT Manila, 2nd in ₱500K Super High Roller for ₱5,697,000 ($102,668), and 5th in ₱250K NLHE – APPT High Roller for ₱1,178,000 ($21,299). Chong also ran deep in the WPT Prime Cambodia SHR, finishing fifth for $19,150.

Four runners from India made promising runs, including the Ladies NLH runner-up finisher Gunisha Sinha (3rd for $3,283, ₹2.62 Lakhs), J. Raju (6th for $1,325, ₹1.06 Lakhs), PokerGuru Ambassador Laksh Pal Singh (12th for $783, ₹62,561) and Young Gun Kanchan Sharma (13th for $678, ₹54,172).

For Laksh Pal Singh, this was his third cash of the series after his 21st place finish in the Mystery Bounty for $925 (₹73,907) and 68th in the Main Event for $2,640 (₹2.11 Lakhs).

For the other three Indians, it was their second ITM finish.

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Fook Kiong Chong – $8,000*
2. Duy Manh Ho – $6,382*
3. Gunisha Sinha – $3,283
4. Samuel David Adams – $2,108
5. Ari Marlon Kumpumaki – $1,596
6. Raju Jaruplavath – $1,325
7. Prommin Jalorspong – $1,145
8. Tanik Kongjaroentin – $1,009

*denotes a heads-up deal

Vietnam’s Van Trung Nguyen Emerges Triumphant in Bounty Event For $12,100

The $500 buy-in Bounty Event registered 194 hopefuls and guaranteed the top 25 places a share of the $84,681 prize pool. Vietnam`s Van Trung Nguyen championed the event as he chopped the title heads-up, taking home the lion’s share of $12,100 in first-place prize money.

Nguyen’s compatriot Duc Kien Tran fell inches short of the finish line, collecting a consolation $11,264 in second place.

Two Indians crossed the money line – PokerGuru Ambassador Ankit Wadhawan (13th for $1,028, ₹82,137) and Rising Star Pratibh Saluja (25th for $417, ₹33,318).

Saluja posted his second cash of the series with a deep run in the Bounty Event. He previously placed 105th in the Main Event for $1,900 (₹1.52 Lakhs).

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Van Trung Nguyen – $12,100*
2. Duc Kien Tran – $11,264*
3. Trent Wayne Fechter – $5,697
4. Klas Stefan Borjesson – $3,465
5. Hua-Wei Lin – $2,676
6. Junxiang Collin Lim – $2,218
7. Constatine Paparestis – $1,890
8. Mohamad Zefirelli – $1,634

*denotes a heads-up deal

Content & Images Courtesy: World Poker Tour & SoMuchPoker.com