APT HANOI BILLIONS SCHEDULE | IMAGES | WINNERS | PLAYER LISTS
HANOI, VIETNAM 2023 – Welcome to the largest tournament series in APT history, with the APT Hanoi Billions 2023 boasting VND 60 billion (~USD $2.5M) in prize pool guarantees, with the jewel in the series crown the VND 36M APT Main Event and its VND 25 billion (~$1M) guarantee.
The ten-day series runs December 1-10 at the iconic Hanoi National Convention Center (NCC) in partnership with Vietnam Series of Poker (VSOP).
This marks the fourth time the Asian Poker Tour has visited the Vietnamese capital, with Vietnam's Dinh Duc Linh claiming the coveted 24K Golden Lion APT Main Event trophy the last time around back in June, earning a career-best score of VND 3,401,355,000 (~$145,500) for his first major title victory.
Anticipation is high for a massive turnout and multiple record-shattering fields, with the opening event – the VND 5M Event #2: Vietnam National Cup – smashing the VND 3 billion (~$123,000) guarantee on the opening Flight A, which drew a sizable 739 entries, setting a new record for largest-ever APT single flight.
Flight B drew a further 788 entries, breaking the single-flight record twice on the same day. This brought the total number of entries up to 1,527 making this the largest APT field in the tour's 17-year history – with a further nine days of poker action left to play out.
In addition to the guaranteed marquee events, several new poker variants such as Badacey, Badeucey, and a 19-game Dealer’s Choice tournament are making their Asia debut, with the series boasting an immense 41 assorted poker variants and variations and 15 various mixed game tournaments. Highlights include:
KEY EVENTS
- Vietnam National Cup (VND 3BN/~$123K GTD): VND 5M (~$200) buy-in, running Dec 1-2
- Mystery Bounty Hunter Sponsored by Natural8 (VND 5BN/~$206K GTD): VND 11M (~$450) buy-in, running Dec 2-3
- APT Super High Roller - 8 Max (VND 4BN/~$164K GTD): VND 120M (~$4,930) buy-in, running Dec 2-3
- Sunday Super Stack (VND 2BN/~$82K GTD): VND 7.5M (~$310) buy-in, running Dec 3
- APT Main Event (VND 25BN/~$1M GTD): VND 36M (~$1,480) buy-in, running Dec 4-9
- Superstar Challenge - 8 Max (VND 4BN/~$164K GTD): VND 250M (~$10,280) buy-in, running Dec 4
- Zodiac Classic - Sponsored by Natural8 (VND 5BN/~$206K GTD): VND 50M (~$2,050) buy-in, running Dec 7-8
- Double Stack (VND 5BN/~$206K GTD): VND 11M (~$450) buy-in, running Dec 8-9
- Mini Main Event (VND 3.5BN/~$144K GTD): VND 12M (~$500) buy-in, running Dec 9-10
- APT High Roller - 8 Max (VND 5BN/~$206K GTD): VND 80M (~$3,290) buy-in, running Dec 9-10
For the complete APT Hanoi Billions 2023 schedule, please CLICK HERE
Vietnam National Cup Sets Records for Largest APT Flight & Field; Vietnam's Chu Van Tien Leads
Russia's Konstantin Shpunt topped the opening Flight A of the Vietnam National Cup
The series action got off to the best of starts, with the VND 5M Event #2: Vietnam National Cup drawing a 1,527-strong (1,022 unique) field – setting two new APT records in the process.
The VND 3 billion guarantee was crushed on the opening Flight A, which got underway at 11am local time.
This drew an impressive 739 entries (639 unique) – setting a new record for the largest-ever APT single tournament flight – which Flight B immediately broke, drawing a further 788 entries (654 unique).
In addition to setting a new APT single flight record, the tournament also set a new record for the largest-ever APT field, beating the previous high of 1,434 set by the APT Taipei 2023 Main Event back in April.
The prize pool stands at chunky VND 6,665,355,000 (~$275,370), with the top 14 percent of each of the two starting flights making Day 2 and the money.
A total of 103 players were left in contention from the opening flight after the nineteen 30-minute levels concluded following a double bust out on the bubble.
A further 109 players survived the Flight B action. All 212 returning players are guaranteed a payday of at least VND 8,230,000 (~$340).
However, it is the VND 1,177,195,000 (~$48,550) top prize, trophy, and title that will be their goal.
For Vietnam National Cup Prize Pool & Payouts please CLICK HERE
While Russia's Konstantin Shpunt topped Flight A, bagging a stack of 565,000, it is Vietnam's Chu Van Tien who will be returning for Day 2 with the chip lead and a sizable stack of 797,000 after topping Flight B, with the top five returning Day 2 stacks all coming from the second starting flight.
Vietnam's Duong Thuy Nguyen (561,000), and the Philippines' Jose Colada (532,000) rounded out the top three Flight A stacks, and will be returning seventh and tenth respectively in the pecking order, with the top ten Flight A stacks as follows:
VIETNAM NATIONAL CUP FLIGHT A TOP TEN STACKS
- Konstantin Shpunt (Russia) – 565,000
- Duong Thuy Nguyen (Vietnam) – 561,000
- Jose Colada (Philippines) – 532,000
- Damon Fine (South Africa) – 526,000
- Elliot Damashek (United States) – 514,000
- Choo Zheng Low (Malaysia) – 503,000
- Woo Hyeon Lee (South Korea) – 486,000
- Trong Quy Tran (Vietnam) – 430,000
- Ivan Konechnyi (Russia) – 419,000
- Nguyen Manh Cuong (Vietnam) – 388,000
You can read about all the Vietnam National Cup Flight A action via the APT Blog.
For Vietnam National Cup Flight A Player List please CLICK HERE
For Vietnam National Cup Flight A Survivors please CLICK HERE
Vietnam's Chu Van Tien leads largest field in APT history after topping Flight B
Outside of Flight B frontrunner Tien, it was the Philippines' Delingon Mondalo (739,000), and Vietnam's Kieu Tuan who rounded out the top three Flight B stacks, with the top ten as follows:
VIETNAM NATIONAL CUP FLIGHT B TOP TEN STACKS
- Chu Van Tien (Vietnam) – 797,000
- Delingon Mondalo (Philippines) – 739,000
- Kieu Tuan (Vietnam) – 596,000
- Pham Hieu (Vietnam) – 581,000
- Hwigon Park (South Korea) – 580,000
- Zhiru Wang (China) – 558,000
- Ledong Zhou (China) – 545,000
- Nguyen The Minh (Vietnam) 470,000
- Haisheng Qiu (China) – 458,000
- Robert Kiss (United States) – 439,000
For Vietnam National Cup Flight B Player List please CLICK HERE
For Vietnam National Cup Flight B Survivors please CLICK HERE
For Vietnam National Cup Day 2 Draw please CLICK HERE
You can read about all the Kickoff Flight B action via the APT Blog.
Action will recommence for the second and final Day 2 at 1:15pm local time on Saturday, December 2, with the tournament playing down to a champion.
All tournament information can be found on the Event #2: Vietnam National Cup - Flight A tournament page, and the Event #2: Vietnam National Cup - Flight B tournament page.
SIDE EVENT ACTION
Hong Kong's Alan Lau Takes Third APT Title in Event #3: Single Day High Roller - Freezeout - 8 Max
Hong Kong's Alan Lau claimed his second APT title of 2023, and third APT career title in Event #3 Single Day High Roller Freezeout 8 Max
The first of the ten scheduled high roller events, the VND 70M Event #3: Event #3: Single Day High Roller - Freezeout - 8 Max saw 84 players in action, battling it out for a share of the VND 5,133,240,000 (~$211,690) prize pool.
Notables in the running included Natural8 Ambassadors Punnat Punsri, and Phachara Wongwichit, former StarCraft professional Yohwan "BoxeR" Lim, bracelet holders Abhinav Iyer, and Renji Mao, the Philippines' David Erquiaga and John Tech, and former Main Event champion Dicky Tsang to name but a few.
Of these poker luminaries, only Tsang would cash, with 12 players making the money. It was seasoned Hong Kong tournament grinder Alan Lau the man to claim the accolades and the VND 1,411,640,000 (~$58,365) top prize.
Lau bested Australia's William Jia after a short heads-up battle the Hong Kong native entered with a commanding lead he would not relinquish, winning his second APT title of 2023, and his third career APT title in total.
Jia received a VND 1,003,550,000 (~$41,464) payday for his runner-up finish – the second-largest score of his poker career.
Tsang rounded out the winner's podium, collecting VND 657,050,000 (~$27,139) for third place, with the tournament paying out as follows:
SDHR FREEZEOUT RESULTS
- 1st: Alan Lau (Hong Kong) – VND 1,411,640,000
- 2nd: William Jia (Australia) – VND 1,003,550,000
- 3rd: Dicky Tsang (Hong Kong) – VND 657,050,000
- 4th: Yita Choong (Australia) – VND 505,620,000
- 5th: Jun Hao Wu (Singapore) – VND 400,390,000
- 6th: Junjie He (China) – VND 313,130,000
- 7th: Oliver Schulze (Germany) – 246,400,000
- 8th: Chih Wei Fan (Taiwan) – 155,710,000
- 9th: Hon Cheong Lee (Hong Kong) – 155,710,000
- 10th: Trung Ha Nguyen (Vietnam) – 155,710,000
- 11th: Tran Quang (Vietnam) – 64,165,000
- 12th: Jingxuan Zhu (China) – VND 64,165,000
For Event #3: Single Day High Roller - Freezeout - 8 Max Player List please CLICK HERE
For Event #3: Single Day High Roller - Freezeout - 8 Max Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Event #3: Single Day High Roller - Freezeout - 8 Max tournament page.
OMAHA ACTION
China's Renji Mao Claims Second APT Title in Event #4: PL Omaha Hi-Lo - 5 Card (Big O) - 8 Max
China's Renji Mao claimed his second APT title in Event #4: PL Omaha Hi-Lo 5 Card (Big O) 8 Max
The first of the series Omaha tournaments – the VND 7M Event #4: PL Omaha Hi-Lo - 5 Card (Big O) - 8 Max – got underway at 2pm local time, drawing 55 entries (41 unique).
These Hi-Lo enthusiasts fought it out over twenty-two 25-minute levels, all looking to earn a slice of the VND 336,105,000 (~$13,890) prize pool.
It was China's Renji Mao the man to showcase his five-card skills, defeating France's Oliver Komarnicki heads-up to claim the VND 100,845,000 (~$4,165) top prize and his second career APT title in the space of four months.
This marks the conclusion of a great year for Mao, with four of his five live tournament titles coming in 2023, including a World Series bracelet win.
Komarnicki collected VND 72,930,000 (~$3,010) for his runner-up finish, with Austria's Duc Hanh Tran rounding out the winners' triumvirate and taking VND 47,050,000 (~$1,940) for third place, with the tournament paying out as follows:
BIG O RESULTS
- 1st: Renji Mao (China) – VND 100,845,000
- 2nd: Oliver Komarnicki (France) – VND 72,930,000
- 3rd: Duc Hanh Tran (Austria) – VND 47,050,000
- 4th: Craig Cooper (United Kingdom) – VND 35,630,000
- 5th: Mark Furniss (Australia) – VND 27,560,000
- 6th: Chakshu Deep Raina (India) VND 21,510,000
- 7th: Nguyen Cong Thuan (Vietnam) – VND 17,140,000
- 8th: Chih Hsien Lin (Taiwan) – VND 13,440,000
For Event #4: PL Omaha Hi-Lo - 5 Card (Big O) - 8 Max Player List please CLICK HERE
For Event #4: PL Omaha Hi-Lo - 5 Card (Big O) - 8 Max Results please CLICK HERE
All tournament information can be found on the Event #4: PL Omaha Hi-Lo - 5 Card (Big O) - 8 Max tournament page.