It has taken three thrilling days of action-packed poker to whittle the 675-strong Asian Poker Tour (APT) Summer Series Da Nang, Vietnam Main Event field down to the final nine players.
These nine finalists are playing for a share of the largest prize pool the APT has ever awarded in Vietnam, with a tasty VND 20,624,625,000 (~USD $866,360) in the purse.
All nine finalists are already guaranteed a payday of VND 323,810,000 (~USD $13,600), with the eventual winner entering the annuals of APT history, walking away with a VND 3,935,285,000 (~USD $165,280) top prize and more importantly, the coveted golden lion APT Main Event trophy and all the accolades that go with it.
To see how we got to this point, you can check out the coverage on the APT Blog.
You can also view all the action as it played out via the APT Live Stream:
The stage is set, the curtains are raised, all that remains is to introduce the players, so let us take a look at the lucky few and examine the poker credentials of our potential future champions-in-waiting:
Seat 1: Shinya Maeda Country: Japan Chip Count: 3,950,000 – 79 big blinds
The first of the final tables’ two Japanese players, Shinya Maeda will be returning third in the overall pecking order with a stack of 3,950,000 – worth 79 big blinds – and is already guaranteed the largest cash of his poker career. Maeda is gunning for his maiden tournament title and boasts just one prior result on his poker resume – a seventh-place finish out of a 189-strong field in a Japan-based tournament. Maeda made the majority of his chips at the expense of finalist Tran Duc Tuan after catching the Vietnamese player with his hand in the cookie jar with two tables remaining. One to watch.
Seat 2: KoangHo Lee Country: South Korea Chip Count: 1,650,000 – 33 big blinds
Returning with the second shortest stack of 1,650,000 – worth 33 big blinds – KoangHo Lee is the final tables’ sole surviving South Korean. Lee is another who is playing for his maiden tournament title, boasting over USD $128,000 in live tournament winnings, with his best career cash a USD $21,988 fourth-place finish in an APT Taipei Single Day High Roller back in May. A seventh-place finish or better will see Lee make a career-best score. Lee has already proved to be a dangerous opponent, eliminating the USA’s Kyle Bao and High Roller specialist Joshua Mccully on his way to the final table.
Seat 3: Hung Manh Nguyen Country: Vietnam Chip Count: 3,530,000 – 71 big blinds
One of three Vietnamese finalists, Hung Manh Nguyen is returning fourth in the chip counts and will be piloting a stack of 3,530,000 – worth 71 big blinds. Nguyen is the second most accomplished player at the final table, boasting two APT titles (including a High Roller title) and over USD $154,000 in live tournament winnings, with his best result coming in a Vietnamese poker tournament back in November 2022 – which was good for USD $55,863. A fourth-place finish or better will see the Vietnamese player make a career-best score.
Seat 4: Nguyen Khac Cuong Country: Vietnam Chip Count: 2,660,000 – 53 big blinds
Another of the local finalists, Nguyen Khac Cuong is returning fifth in the overall counts with a stack of 2,660,000 – worth 53 big blinds. Cuong has five cashes on his poker resume, two of which have come this Series, for USD $4,686 in live tournament winnings, and is already guaranteed a career-best score. Cuong has played a patient game to get this far, flying under the radar for much of the Day 3 action, and finds himself with a chance to make his maiden title win a memorable one should the cards fall his way.
Seat 5: Daiki Shingae Country: Japan Chip Count: 4,965,000 – 99 big blinds
The second of the two Japanese finalists, Daiki Shingae is returning second in the chip counts with a sizable stack of 4,965,000 – worth 99 big blinds. This is Shingae’s second Summer Series Main Event deep run, where he finished 16th for VND 156,200,000 (USD $6,653). The Japanese player is another playing for his maiden tournament title, boasting over USD $16,000 in live tournament winnings, and is already guaranteed a career-best score.
Seat 6: Shixiang Khoo Country: Singapore Chip Count: 5,020,000 – 100 big blinds
One of two Singaporean finalists, Shixiang Khoo is returning in pole position with the chip lead and a stack of 5,020,000 – worth 100 big blinds. While Khoo only has one prior cash on his poker resume – a 20th place finish in the Sunday Superstack for VND 20,930,000 (~USD $885) – the Singaporean looks comfortable piloting his monster stack after returning sixth in the Day 3 chip counts. Khoo is guaranteed a career-best score and will be hoping to convert his chip lead into a win and his first major tournament title.
Seat 7: Yu-Chung Chang Country: Taiwan Chip Count: 2,470,000 – 49 big blinds
Yu-Chung Chang is the field’s sole surviving Taiwanese player and is returning sixth in the overall standings with a stack of 2,470,000 – worth 49 big blinds. Chang is the most accomplished player at the final table with close to USD $750,000 in live tournament winnings and boasts 16 live tournament titles – including three APT titles – with his best result coming in APT Taipei’s Event #33 Single Day High Roller, which was good for USD $64,153. Chang needs to finish third or better to make a career-best score.
Seat 8: The Naing Country: Singapore Chip Count: 2,260,000 – 45 big blinds
The second of the final tables’ two Singaporean finalists, The Naing is returning seventh in the chip counts with a stack of 2,260,000 – worth 45 big blinds. Naing has two cashes on his poker resume for live tournament winnings of USD $9,295 and claimed his maiden tournament title earlier this Series, taking down Event #8 PL Omaha High for VND 112,924,000 (~USD $4,770). Already guaranteed a career-best score, now he has tasted victory Naing seems hungry for more and is gunning for his first major title and second Series title.
Seat 9: Tran Duc Tuan Country: Vietnam Chip Count: 455,000 – 9 big blinds
Returning as the final table short stack with 455,000 in chips – worth 9 big blinds – Tran Duc Tuan is the third of three Vietnamese finalists and will have to work hard to lift the trophy. Still, this being tournament poker anything can happen. Clashed in a big pot with Shinya Maeda, with the Japanese player taking quite a few of his chips. Tran is playing for his first major title and with USD $2,800 in live tournament winnings is already guaranteed a career-best score.