WPT Prime Vietnam Main Event smashes records with 777 entries; Quang Nguyen, Steven Chow win side events
Wall to wall action at the inaugural World Poker Tour Prime Series as the brand celebrated its 20th year anniversary at the Crown Poker Club in Hanoi, Vietnam. The past three days have been tremendous with series headliner Main Event on center stage. In its wake, it amassed a record-breaking 777 entries to smash all expectations and more than double the advertised 8 BN guarantee. This was the biggest open event seen in the country and biggest for the brand in the Asian region.
Today, 97 players return each one guaranteed a minimum VN₫ 40,500,000 (~US$ 1,747) but what they will be shooting for is a seat at the final table where a jaw-dropping VN₫ 3,050,000,000 (~US$ 131,607) awaits the champion. Four players will enter with stacks over 100 BB. Two Vietnamese players Trung Van Nguyen (144 BB) and Anh Duy Pham (121 BB), and two India players Zarvan Tumboli (123 BB) and Laksh Pal Singh (117 BB). Other notable players returning to action are decorated WPT Main Event champions Dhaval Mudgal, Vincent Chauve, Ashish Munot, Shingo Endo, and Phinh Van Nguyen. To follow the action, head to WPT.com.
Main Event review
Buy in: VN₫ 25,000,000 (~US$ 1,080)
Guarantee: VN₫ 8,000,000,000
Entries: 777
Prize pool: VN₫ 17,131,373,700 (~US$ 739,219)
ITM: 97 places
Breakdown of results
Day 1A: 18 advanced out of 145 entries – Trung Van Nguyen (chip leader)
Day 1B: 30 advanced out of 242 entries – Anh Duy Pham (chip leader)
Day 1C: 49 advanced out of 390 entries – Zarvan Tumboli (chip leader)
Super High Roller: QUANG NGUYEN – VN₫ 1,750,000,000 (~US$ 75,500)
While the Main Event was heating up the floor, side events were also attracting attention, especially at the Super High Roller where the who’s who of the scene pulled up seats. In total, 43 players ponied up the VN₫ 107,000,000 buy in and another 14 re-entered for a burly pot amounting to VN₫ 5,529,000,000 (~US$ 2385,75). The top 11 players walked away with piece of it with Vietnam’s Quang Nguyen claiming the mightiest VN₫ 1,750,000,000 (~US$ 75,500) first prize. Nguyen knocked out the last two players, WSOP bracelet champions Kartik Ved (3rd) and Mike Takayama at heads up.
Brief review of the action, the bubble burst on Anh Duy Pham with Ved taking all his chips. On a board, 
, Pham had 
top pair, Ved rivered the straight 
. The final table got underway with Takayama backed by an enormous arsenal that grew further by railing four players. At heads up, both Nguyen and Takayama were at their peak that it took a full house over straight to end it. Nguyen 
, Takayama 
, the board 
.Takayama may have been denied the title but he did earn a sizable chunk as well of VN₫ 1,165,000,000 (~US$ 50,270).
Buy in: VN₫ 107,000,000 (~US$ 4,600)
Entries: 57 (43 unique, 14 re-entry)
Prize pool: VN₫ 5,529,000,000 (~US$ 2385,75)
ITM: 11 places
Payouts in Vietnamese Dong
| 1st | Quang Nguyen | Vietnam | 1,750,000,000 |
| 2nd | Mike Takayama | Philippines | 1,165,000,000 |
| 3rd | Kartik Ved | India | 775,000,000 |
| 4th | Florent Remi Benlloch | Malta | 540,000,000 |
| 5th | Apoorva Goel | India | 390,000,000 |
| 6th | Huy Quang Nguyen | Vietnam | 300,000,000 |
| 7th | Hieu Trong Ngo | Vietnam | 234,000,000 |
| 8th | Vu Duc Trung | Vietnam | 200,000,000 |
| 9th | Bui Du Tu “Tobias” | Vietnam | 175,000,000 |
| 10th | Trung Nam Tran | Vietnam | 84,000,000 |
| 11th | Duong Vo Thai Ho | Vietnam | 141,000,000 |
NLH Freezeout: STEVEN CHOW – VN₫ 228,000,000 (~US$ 9,8,40)
The NLH Freezeout stirred up the room with 112 players generating a prize pool of VN₫ 760,480,000 (~US$ 32,815). Just under the nine hour mark, Malaysia’s Ng Chow Han aka Steven Chow overcame a deficit at heads up to seize the coveted trophy and a cool VN₫ 228,000,000 (~US$ 9,840). Last month, Chow nearly won a side event at APT Phu Quoc Vietnam, finishing runner up after a heads up deal. This time, he turned down the deal and went on to earn his first career takedown. The winning hand was pair over 
on a board 
. The following night, Chow also reached the money at the Tag Team Freezeout tournament. We will have those details for you on our next post.
Buy in: VN₫ 7,700,000 (~US$ 330)
Players: 112
Prize pool: VN₫ 760,480,000 (~US$ 32,815)
ITM: 14 places
Payouts in Vietnamese Dong
| 1st | Ng Chow Han | Malaysia | 228,000,000 |
| 2nd | Ho Vo Thai Duong | Vietnam | 141,000,000 |
| 3rd | Tran Nam Trung | Vietnam | 84,000,000 |
| 4th | Rungrot Nuannoi | Thailand | 55,000,000 |
| 5th | Huy Quang Pham | Vietnam | 42,500,000 |
| 6th | Thanh Tien Dinh | Vietnam | 35,000,000 |
| 7th | Surakiat Yawanopas | Thailand | 29,980,000 |
| 8th | Hue Thi Dang | Vietnam | 26,000,000 |
| 9th | Le Thien Phuc | Germany | 23,000,000 |
| 10th | Rakthammachart Boonloy | Thailand | 20,000,000 |
| 11th | Cuong Hung Phan | Vietnam | 20,000,000 |
| 12th | Vu Ta Nhat | Vietnam | 20,000,000 |
| 13th | Jongsun Won | Korea | 18,000,000 |
| 14th | Nguyen Tuan Hung | Vietnam | 18,000,000 |
Stick with Somuchpoker as we bring you daily recaps and highlights of the inaugural WPT Prime Vietnam from start to finish.
Event articles:
WPT Prime debuts in Hanoi
Launch day of WPT Prime Vietnam
WPT Prime Vietnam – Day 1 results
WPT Prime Vietnam – Day 2 results
WPT Prime Vietnam – Locals heat up Day 1C
WPT Prime Vietnam – Day 3 results
WPT Prime Vietnam – Filipinos dominate
WPT Prime Vietnam – Phuong Xu wins the Opener
WPT Prime Vietnam – Bien Mai, Duy Thuc Nguyen, Pham Quang Huy win trophies
WPT Prime Vietnam – Duy Ho wins Mystery Bounty
WPT Prime Vietnam – Indian contingent and side event results
