Main Event Sets All-Time APT Record for Field Size and Prize Money

APT HANOI BILLIONS SCHEDULE | OFFICIAL RESULTS | IMAGES | WINNERS | PLAYER LISTS

HANOI, VIETNAM 2023, December 7, 2023 – It's official, the APT Hanoi Billions 2023 VND 36M Main Event is the largest and richest poker tournament in the tour's 17-year history.

Playing December 4-9 at the iconic Hanoi National Convention Center (NCC) in partnership with Vietnam Series of Poker (VSOP), Day 2 saw the 844 survivors from the four starting flights joined by a further 111 late entries, etching the inaugural edition of the APT Hanoi Billions Main Event in the record books with an astounding 2,350 entries (1,315 unique).

This colossal turnout not only makes it the largest and richest Main Event in APT history, but also sets a new record for the biggest-ever field size for any Main Event in Vietnam.

The prize pool for this extraordinary event stands at a staggering VND 73,855,800,000 (~$3,033,430) – a 195 percent increase on the VND 25 billion (~$1 million) guarantee.

A total of 351 players will earn a share of this mammoth purse, and the eventual champion will claim the coveted Golden Lion APT Main Event Trophy, and a top prize of VND 11,831,710,000 (~$485,880).

For APT Hanoi Billions Main Event Prize Pool & Payouts please CLICK HERE

The departure of Thailand's Tanaway Burapapanuwong at the hands of China's Xiaohua Fu after an audacious bluff backfired concluded the action for the day.

This guaranteed the remaining field a place in the hallowed money spots, with Burapapanuwong receiving a Micro Main Event ticket as a consolation prize.

Thailand's Tanaway Burapapanuwong (left) faces off against China's Xiaohua Fu (right) on the APT Main Event bubble

The second day of the historic APT Hanoi Billions 2023 Main Event concluded with Vietnam's Quang Hieu Nguyen leading the way after amassing an impressive 939,000 chips.

China's Yadi Yao secured the second position with a stack of 887,000, closely followed by Filipino player Christopher Pasion with 867,000 chips, with the top ten as follows:

MAIN EVENT DAY 2 TOP TEN STACKS

Former Main Event champion John Tech bagged a top-ten stack – his 681,000 in chips securing eighth position in the counts.

Thailand's Punnat Punsri, the winner of APT Taipei's previous record field, is another formidable player in the mix, carrying 627,000 chips into the next phase of the event.

Other former champions in the running include the Philippines' Hernan Villa (404,000), and Hong Kong's Dicky Tsang (189,000), and with players such as Hong Kong's Sparrow Cheung (504,000), and Jeffrey Lo (385,000), Australia's Alan Pham (238,000), and four-time bracelet-winner Bradley Ruben (122,000) just a few of those still left in contention, the Day 3 action promises to be epic.

The Day 3 action gets underway at 11am local time on Friday, December 8, with the plan to thin the field down to the last 16 players.

For Main Event Day 3 Draw please CLICK HERE

You can follow all the APT Main Event Day 2 action as it played out via the APT Blog

You can also view all the action as it happened via the APT Hanoi Billions 2023 Main Event Live Stream which can be viewed on the following social media platforms:

Youtube

Twitch

Facebook

All tournament information can be found on the APT Main Event Day 3 tournament page

France's Jean-Mathieu Malouch Leads Zodiac Classic - VND 5,000,000,000 GTD

France's Jean-Mathieu Malouch leads Day 1 of the VND 50M Event #64 Zodiac Classic

Boasting an increase to the buy-in, the revamped VND 50M Event #64: Zodiac Classic - VND 5,000,000,000 GTD saw 98 players in action (85 unique), although with registration remaining open until 12:50pm on Friday, December 8, this number is expected to grow.

It is France's Jean-Mathieu Malouch leading the field, bagging up a stack of 269,300 after the eight 40-minute levels played out.

China's Dongkai Yu (216,200), and Thailand's Sorakit Saengcharuern rounded out the top three stacks, with the top ten as follows:

ZODIAC CLASSIC DAY 1 TOP TEN STACKS

Other notables in the running include APT Phu Quoc Main Event champion Jacque Ramsden (94,400), APT Incheon Main Event champion Shoichiro Tamaki (94,000), the USA's Peter Kiem (63,100), India's Ashish Munot (45,200), bracelet winner Abhinav Iyer (30,100), Hong Kong's Vincent Li (24,100), and former StarCraft professional Yohwan "BoxeR" Lim (23,100).

The second and final day gets underway at 11:15am on Friday, December 8 with the tournament playing down to a champion.

For Zodiac Classic Day 1 Player List please CLICK HERE

For Zodiac Classic Day 2 Draw please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Event #64: Zodiac Classic tournament page.

Thailand's Thanisorn Saelor Clinches Second High Roller Title in VND 100M Event #60 Single Day High Roller - 8 Max

Thailand's Thanisorn Saelor claimed his second High Roller title in Event #60 Single Day High Roller - 8 Max

The VND 100M Event #60: Single Day High Roller - 8 Max drew some intense competition and a 102-strong field (75 unique), with the tournament concluding with a thrilling showdown between two reigning APT High Roller champions.

The action unfolded over twenty-nine 20-minute levels, with notables such as the Philippines #1 ranked tournament player Marc Rivera, double series High Roller title winner Nozomu Shimizu, and Superstar Challenge champions Jun Hao Wu and Joshua McCully fighting it out for a share of the VND 9,102,480,000 (~$374,170) prize pool.

Japanese rock legend Gakuto "GACKT" Oshiro added some extra stardust, not that the stacked-looking field needed much more polish.

It was reigning APT Incheon High Roller champion Thanisorn Saelor the man to claim the prestigious APT gold lion silhouette trophy and the VND 2,325,680,000 (~$95,540) top prize after an epic heads-up battle with APT Summer Series Hanoi High Roller champion Ngoc Dai "Mr Big" Nguyen.

The Vietnamese player put up a valiant effort but in the end, had to settle for the VND 1,602,040,000 (~$65,812) on offer for second place.

China's Song Xue rounded out the winner's podium, collecting VND 1,051,340,000 (~$43,179) for third place, with Natural8 Ambassador Yu Chung "Nevan" Chang also making a final table appearance.

A total of 15 players made the money, with the top nine paying out as follows:

SDHR FINAL TABLE RESULTS

For Event #60: Single Day High Roller - 8 Max Player List please CLICK HERE

For Event #60: Single Day High Roller - 8 Max Results please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Event #60: Single Day High Roller - 8 Max Player List tournament page

SIDE EVENT ACTION

Japan's Koji Takagi Dominates VND 8M Event #63 Turbo

Japan's Koji Takagi claimed his maiden APT title in Event #63 Turbo

The action was frantic and the chips were flying as the turbocharged action unfolded in the VND 8M Event #63: Turbo.

The pace was set to overdrive as the 200 entries (161 unique) clashed over twenty-four 15-minute levels, all looking to win their share of the VND 1,396,800,000 (~$57,450) prize pool.

It was Japan's Koji Takagi claiming victory after an electrifying battle with India's Sam Anand.

Takagi earned VND 309,390,000 (~$12,690) for his win, scoring his maiden APT title in the process, with Anand securing second place and a payday of VND 208,820,000 (~$8,570).

South Korea's Hyegeon Park clinched the third spot for a payday of VND 143,730,000 ($5,900), with 27 players making the money, and the final table paying out as follows:

TURBO FINAL TABLE RESULTS

For Event #63: Turbo Player List please CLICK HERE

For Event #63: Turbo Results please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Event #63: Turbo tournament page

Vietnam's Le Minh Duc from Vietnam Drops the Boom in Event #66: Hyper Turbo Bomb Pot

Vietnam's Le Minh Duc claimed his maiden APT title in Event #66: Hyper Turbo Bomb Pot

One of the more fun events on the schedule making its APT debut, the VND 4M Event #66: Hyper Turbo - Bomb Pot (1BB Pre Flop Per Player) drew a 67-strong field (64 unique).

These poker pyromaniacs battled it out over twenty-one turbo-charged 10-minute levels, all looking to score a share of the VND 233,964,000 (~$9,615) prize pool.

It was Vietnam's Le Minh Duc blowing up the field, defeating Natural8 Ambassador Kannapong "Tent" Thanarattrakul heads-up to claim his maiden APT title and the **VND 68,194,000 (~$2,800) top prize.

Thanarattrakul took VND 49,130,000 (~$2,020) for his runner-up finish, with the UK's Simon Burns rounding out the podium and claiming VND 31,940,000 (~$1,310) for his third final table appearance of the series.

A total of nine players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:

HYPER TURBO BOMB POT FINAL TABLE RESULTS

For Event #66: Hyper Turbo - Bomb Pot Player List please CLICK HERE

For Event #66: Hyper Turbo - Bomb Pot Results please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Event #66: Hyper Turbo - Bomb Pot tournament page

Japan's Shuto Nakagawa Claims Second Series Turbo Title in Event #67: Super Hyper Turbo

Japan's Shuto Nakagawa claimed a second series turbo title in Event #67: Super Hyper Turbo

The adrenaline-fueled action of the VND 2M Event #67: Super Hyper Turbo saw 123 entries (107 unique) compete for a VND 214,758,000 (~$8,825) prize pool.

The five-minute levels saw the game play out at a lightning-fast pace, with Shuto Nakagawa emerging as the champion.

The Japanese player defeated the Philippines' Jason Magbanua heads-up to claim his second title of the series, earning a VND 54,038,000 (~$2,220) top prize.

Magbanua made VND 36,510,000 (~$1,500) for his runner-up finish, with Russia's Georgii Klenin taking VND 23,730,000 ($975) for third.

A total of 17 players made the money, with the final table paying out as follows:

SUPER HYPER TURBO RESULTS

For Event #67: Super Hyper Turbo Player List please CLICK HERE

For Event #67: Super Hyper Turbo Results please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Event #67: Super Hyper Turbo tournament page

OMAHA ACTION

#65: Turbo - NL Omaha High - 5 Card

Taiwan's Tsui Han Hsiao won her first APT title in Event #65 NL Omaha High 5 Card

The VND 4M Event #65: Turbo - NL Omaha High - 5 Card attracted a lively field of 108 players (78 unique), with the action-packed tournament boasting a VND 377,136,000 (~$15,510) prize pool.

Fifteen lucky contenders secured their share of the spoils. It was Taiwan's Tsui Han Hsiao who navigated through the complexities of NL Omaha High 5 Card to claim the VND 96,356,000 (~$3,965) top prize.

Hsiao defeated India's Raghav Bhatt heads-up to claim her 11th live tournament win and maiden APT title, with Bhatt taking VND 66,380,000 (~$2,730) for second.

Singapore's Bao Qiang Ho received VND 43,560,000 (~$1,790) for third, with the final table paying out as follows:

NL OMAHA HIGH 5 CARD FINAL TABLE RESULTS

For Event #65: Turbo - NL Omaha High - 5 Card Player List please CLICK HERE

For Event #65: Turbo - NL Omaha High - 5 Card Results please CLICK HERE

All tournament information can be found on the Event #65: Turbo - NL Omaha High - 5 Card tournament page