Billionaire Club Challenge

Chips in play: 18,000,000

South Korea’s entered the final table as chip leader, stayed ahead throughout to clinch the inaugural Billionaire Cup Challenge and an enviable ICM payout deal of VN₫ 4,585,700,000 (~$188,900). In addition, Hong became the first player to be inaugurated into the USOP Hall of Fame! Runner up Nam Hyung Kim also walked away with a very healthy ICM deal payout amounting to VN₫ 3,763,700,000 (~$155,000). With this win, Korea has now claimed the two highest buy in events of the series.

Watch the final table race via the livestream link below. Pre-final table live updates at the bottom of the page.

The first ever USOP Billionaire Club Challenge was the most expensive event on the menu with a price tag of VN₫ 250,000,000 (~$10,370). It produced a substantial 72 entry field for a prize pool of VN₫ 16,761,600,000 (~$690,500). To date, this was the richest prize pool of all the key events, impressively surpassing the Superstar Challenge by over VN₫ 2 Billion.

Date: November 24, 2023 Buy in: VN₫ 250,000,000 (~$10,370) Guarantee: VN₫ 4,000,000,000 (~$164,800) Entries: 72 (51 unique) Prize pool: VN₫ 16,761,600,000 (~$690,500) ITM: 11 places

*Heads up ICM deal

Small blind Josh McCully shoves 4♣ 6♣ , big blind Jin Hoon Lee (8 bb) calls for his tournament life holding K♠ J♥ . The board runs T♣ T♠ 4♥ A♣ 2♣ . McCully pairs up to oust Lee in 10th place.

Button Jinho Hong min-raises, small blind Nguyen Trung Quan three-bets all in 580,000, Hong calls. Nguyen shows K♠ T♣ , Hong with A♣ 8♦ , board runs 7♥ 9♦ J♠ 6♦ 6♠ , Nguyen misses to fall in 11th place.

Button Nam Hyung Kim shoves his last 425,000 (7 bb), John Perry calls. Kim shows A♣ [qs}, Perry with K♠ Q♦ , board runs low, Kim doubles up.

Cutoff Hyunsup Kim raises 120,000, big blind John Perry calls, flop runs 3♠ 8♠ Q♠ . Perry checks, Kim shoves, Perry snap-calls with less chips and shows K♠ 6♠ flush. Kim has A♣ A♦ and is drawing dead.

Cutoff Victor Chong raises 270,000 (leaves 5,000 behind), button Jin Hoon Lee three-bets all in 465,000, big blind Jinho Hong uses two time-banks then calls, Chong tosses in his last 5,000 for a three-way.

Victor Chong A♥ 5♦ Jin Hoon Lee 8♣ 8♦ Jinho Hong 7♠ 8♥

The board runs Q♠ 6♠ 9♦ T♥ 3♣ for a doozy straight to Hong to knock out two players simultaneously. That means no bubble round. 11 players remain and are all in the money.

Still 13 players remaining as the blinds go up. Two busts to the money. Nguyen Quang Huy leads with 3,400,000 (56 bb).

Utg Hyunsup Kim opens 105,000, big blind Seungmook Jung defends, flop comes T♦ 2♣ 2♦ . Jung check-calls Kim’s 75,000 bet. Same action on the 8♣ turn with a 130,000 bet by Kim check-called by Jung. Both players check the river K♦ , Jung has 6♦ 7♦ flush, KIm mucks.

Button John Perry kicks off the hand with a min-raise, small blind Nguyen Quang Huy and big blind Seungmook Jung call. All three check the flop T♠ A♥ 6♥ . Nguyen leads out 130,000 on the turn Q♣ . Jung calls Perry folds. On the river 4♥ , Nguyen bets 150,000, Jung calls, Nguyen turns over A♦ 9♣ and wins the pot.

From cutoff, Jin Hoon Lee shoves (395,000) holding 8♠ 8♣ , big blind Hon Cheong Lee calls with A♦ 8♦ , board runs A♥ 8♥ 2♦ 6♥ 7♥ . Both improve, Jin Hoon’s set prevails.

Button John Perry bumps it up to 110,000, Nguyen Quang Huy defends the big blind. The flop is 2♣ 8♠ T♠ , Nguyen check-calls 80,000. On the turn A♦ , Perry fires 175,000, Nguyen check-folds.

13 players remaining as the blinds go up. Two busts to the money. Nguyen Quang Huy leads with 3,400,000 (68 bb).

Utg Nguyen Quang Huy opens 80,000, hijack Hyunsup Kim three-bets 230,000, Nguyen calls. Kim bets the flop A♣ 9♦ 3♥ , Nguyen folds to the 100,000.

Hijack Jinho Hong raises 80,000, cutoff Josh McCully three-bets 185,000, Hong answers with a four-bet of 500,000, McCully folds.

Hijack Hyunsup Kim raises 80,000, cutoff Jinho Hong three-bets 210,000, button Peng Yang four-bets all in for 700,000, Kim folds, Hong calls. Yang turns over J♥ J♣ and is behind Hong’s K♥ K♦ . No bad beat land on a board 7♦ T♦ 9♣ A♠ Q♥ , Yang goes bust.

Button Jinho Hong and small blind Peng Yang limp in, big blind Josh McCully checks, then all three check the flop 8♦ 9♦ 5♠ . On the 7♠ turn, Yang bets 40,000 and is called by both opponents. All three check the river 4♥ . Yang opens 5♥ 2♠ pair, McCully has T♣ 8♣ higher pair, Hong mucks.

Utg Hyunsup Kim raises 85,000, big blind Jinho Hong calls, flop comes 7♦ K♣ 8♦ . Kim c-bets 65,000, Hong check-calls. Both players check the turn T♥ . The river 3♥ , Hong leads out 100,000, Kim calls, Hong turns over K♦ 4♦ top pair, Kim outkicks with K♠ Q♦ to claim the pot.

Small blind Junhyoung Ki all in for his last 5 bb holding T♠ 5♦ , big blind Alan Pham calls with A♥ 9♦ . The board runs 5♥ A♠ 4♦ 7♣ 2♠ .

Action folds to the small blind Seungmook Jung who raises 160,000, big blind Junhyoung Ki three-bets all in, Jung calls and turns over A♦ K♣ , Ki with 5♠ 5♦ . An ace quickly finds the board as it completes A♥ T♠ 4♥ 9♣ Q♥ .

Blinds up, 15 players remaining, ITM at 11 places.

Button Jin Hoon Lee shoves 280,000 holding A♥ 3♦ , big blind Qiu Quan tanks then calls with 3♠ 4♠ . Board runs 7♥ 9♦ 9♥ K♠ T♦ , double up for Lee.

Hijack Nguyen Trung Quan min-raises, button Seungmook Jung three-bets all in (395,000), big blind Ho Koon Leong risks it (130,000), Nguyen calls.

Seungmook Jung 7♣ 7♥ Ho Koon Leong J♣ J♦ Nguyen Trung Quan A♥ K♦

The board runs 2♠ Q♥ 7♦ 8♥ T♠ , Jung spikes the lucky two-outer to ship it and boot out Leong.

Short stacked Konstantin Held all in for 45,000 with J♦ 8♣ , button Alan Pham three-bets 115,000, no takers. Pham shows A♦ 2♥ . The board runs 4♥ 4♦ 6♠ 3♣ Q♥ , Pham ships it and Held goes bust.

Shortly after his lucky two-outer, Hyunsup Kim boots Eric Tsai. Kim raises 60,000 on the button, small blind Tsai thee-bets all in (750,000), Kim calls and shows K♦ Q♣ , Tsai with 5♥ 5♣ . Kim wins the flip on a board K♣ J♠ T♣ 2♥ 7♥ .

Utg opens 60,000, Adrian Chua three-bets 160,000, small blind Hyunsup Kim four-bets all in, utg folds, Chua risks his tournament life. Chua shows K♠ K♦ , Kim behind with Q♣ Q♦ . The window card is queen and the board completes Q♠ 2♣ 5♠ J♣ 6♣ .

Cutoff Yo Hwan Lim shoves (350,000), button Nguyen Quang Huy three-bets all in, no takers. Lim has K♠ K♦ and is behind Nguyen Quang Huy’s A♦ Q♦ . The board runs Q♣ T♣ 3♥ 6♦ 2♥ . Nguyen ships it and storms to the top.

Utg Hyunsup Kim raises 60,000, big blind Konstantin Held calls, both see a flop K♦ 2♠ 7♠ . Kim c-bets 40,000, Held check-calls. On the turn 7♣ , Held switches up and bets 85,000, Kim calls. The river J♠ Held shoves (375,000), Kim tank-calls and shows A♣ K♠ , Held mucks.

Chip leaders:

Utg Nevan Chang all in (165,000) K♣ Q♣ , small blind Chen Mo Yan (250,000) A♣ 7♠ , big blind Nguyen Quang Huy dominates both in chips and in hand K♠ K♥ . No bad beat on the board for a double knockout.

All in preflop, Nguyen Quang Huy A♥ K♣ , Chen Mo Yan K♠ Q♠ , board runs 8♥ A♠ 6♣ 9♥ 6♥ , Nguyen doubles up.

Button Junhyoung Ki opens 50,000, Yo Hwan Lim defends the big blind. At the flop 2♥ 8♣ Q♣ , Lim bets 40,000, Ki raises 300,000, Lim folds.

Hijack Hon Cheong Lee raises 50,000, button three-bets 150,000, Lee calls. The board completes A♣ J♣ 2♦ T♠ 5♠ , both players check the flop and turn. On the river, Lee bets 280,000, button calls then mucks to Lee’s A♠ J♠ top two pair. Lee now at par with the leader John Perry.

Blinds up, 25 players remaining led by John Perry with 1,800,000 (72 bb).

Cutoff Yita Choong shoves (150,000) holding K♠ 8♥ , button Nguyen Ngoc Dai risk his last 25,000 with 5♠ T♦ , big blind Nguyen Quang Huy calls with 6♥ 6♣ . The board runs out Q♦ 2♥ K♦ T♠ 4♠ , Choong survives, Ngoc Dai busts out.

Cutoff Hyunsup Kim opens 40,000, button William Jia calls, small blind Eric Tsai three-bets 150,000, back to Kim who calls, Jia four-bets all in for 420,000, Tsai joins all in for less, Kim folds. Jia opens A♥ K♥ , Tsai with K♣ K♦ , the board runs 8♠ Q♣ 3♠ 3♥ 6♥ , Tsai doubles up, Jia plunges to 2 bb (40,000). Jia busts on the next hand.

Hijack Mike Takayama all in (200,000) holding Q♥ J♣ , big blind Seungmook Jung calls K♠ Q♦ . The board runs 2♥ Q♣ 8♦ 7♣ 5♦ . Jung’s kicker plays to rail Takayama.

Utg+2 Anton Lu shaoves 215,000, hijack Yo Hwan Lim calls, cutoff Hon Cheong Lee three-bets all in, Lim folds for a heads up showdown. Lu K♥ 9♥ , Lee with Q♥ Q♣ . The board runs 8♦ 5♣ 4♠ 3♦ A♦ Lee’s ladies are best, Lu busts.

Utg+2 Nguyen Quang Huy opens 40,000, button Josh McCully and big blind Yita Choong call. At the flop A♦ 3♥ 6♠ , Nguyen c-bets 20,000, McCully calls, Choong check-raises 85,000, Nguyen folds, McCully calls. The turn T♣ , Choong check-calls 65,000. On the 8♦ river, Choong checks again, McCully bets 325,000 (5,000 behind), Choong folds.

Blinds up, 31 players remaining led by John Perry with 1,300,000 (65 bb).

Utg+1 Nguyen Ngoc Dai opens 30,000, utg+2 calls, hijack Nguyen Quang Huy three-bets 90,000, Ngoc Dai calls, utg+2 folds, flop runs 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ . Ngoc Dai leads out 100,000 then faces a shove from Quang Huy, Ngoc Dai folds.

Small blind Anton Lu raises 30,000, Yo Hwan Lim calls. Same action throughout the board Q♦ 4♠ 7♠ 9♥ 6♠ . Lu bets 50,000, 175,000, 325,000, Lim check-calls it down. Lu has J♣ 8♠ bluff, Lim scoops it up with Q♣ T♣ .

Hijack Jinho Hong opens 30,000, big blind Nguyen Ngoc Dai calls, flop comes 3♦ Q♦ Q♠ . Hong c-bets 20,000 and Nguyen check-callls. The turn 4♠ , Hong bets 80,000 then calls Nguyen’s 180,000 check-raise. The river K♣ , Hong shoves, Nguyen check-folds.

Utg+1 Chen Mo Yan raises 30,000 then calls hijack Nevan Chang’s 165,000 shove. It’s a flip with Chen 6♠ 6♥ , Chang K♦ T♦ . A king find the board 3♣ 4♣ 5♦ K♠ 3♠ .

Small blind Adrian Chua limps, big blind Hon Koon Leong raises 50,000, sb calls. A♠ the board completes 4♦ 3♠ T♠ 2♦ 7♠ , Leong bets every street - 35,000, 82,000, 155,000. He is check-called by Chua on the flop and turn then wins it on the river with a fold from Chua.

32 players remaining as the players enter the next round. Australia’s John Perry leads with 3,200,000 in chips.

Nguyen Trung Quang raises 25,000 on the button, Qiu Quan defends the big blind, flop runs K♦ T♣ T♥ . Nguyen c-bets 20,000, Qiu check-raises 65,000, Nguyen calls. On the turn 7♥ , Qiu leads out 125,000, Nguyen calls. The river J♣ , Qiu checks, Nguyen shoves, Qiu folds.

Utg+1 John Perry opens 24,000, small blind Nguyen Trung Quan calls, flop is Q♠ A♥ 7♥ . Nguyen check-calls 24,000. On the turn 4♥ , Perry bets 53,000, Nguyen raises 150,000, Perry folds.

Button Victor Chong shoves (252,000) Q♣ T♦ , small blind Wu Jun Hao calls with A♦ T♠ , board runs A♥ K♥ 3♣ 5♣ J♠ for broadway and a double up to Chong.

Action folds around to the small blind Chen Mo Yan who bumps it up to 36,000, big blind Daewoong Song calls. At the flop Q♥ 7♥ 6♥ , Song bets 30,000, Chen check-raises all in, Song calls for everything and shows T♥ 5♥ flush. Chen has outs with A♥ 7♦ . The turn K♠ is blank but the river 8♥ is the nut flush for Chen and the exit for Song.

Button Peng Yang opens 25,000, William Jia defends the big blind. At the flop 5♦ A♠ 8♥ Yang bets 22,000 and Jia calls. The turn 9♥ , another 22,000 from Yang, Jia check-raises 85,000, Yang flats. On the river 5♣ , Jia checks, Yang fires 275,000, Jia snap-folds.

Hijack Hyunsup Kim opens 26,000, cutoff Victor Chong three-bets 50,000, Kim answers with a four-bet jam, Chong folds.