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Viet Nam, Pullman Danang Beach ResortEVENT 
Day 2
Josh McCully
Red hot Josh McCully clinches first USOP title at the Superstar Challenge
Just one day after finishing runner up at the USOP Danang 2024 High Roller Championship, Australia’s found redemption at the Superstar Challenge, where he came from less than 1 bb to champion.
“Ya I went from like 200K in chips to 9K, I thought I was out. Ivan Lee all in pocket Six versus pocket Eights, I had one big blind. From one big blind I went to bag the chip lead with a quarter of the chips in play with 18 players left. What a spin up.“
Indeed what a comeback. Due to the three hour heads up marathon at the High Roller Championship, McCully signed up to this event very late. Tired and near empty in chips, a flurry of double ups gave him renewed life. He then delivered the bubble and bagged up an enormous chip lead.
At Day 2, McCully kept the pace, widening his lead until the final table where multiple players vied for the top spot. At three-handed, McCully dropped to the shortest but a failed bluff by Nguyen Truong Giang sent him back up then faced Dao Minh Phu for the title.
“He’s a very aggressive player so heads up was shorter than yesterday. I was behind quite a bit but two big hands - my full house and pocket King - changed it and I took it from there. Ya, it definitely feels good to win it.”
This was McCully’s career first USOP title. He earned VN₫ 3,222,800,000 (~USD 130K) which he adds to his 2nd place payout at the HR Championship for VN₫ 2,160,200,000 (~USD 87K). He is currently the festival’s richest earner of around USD 200K in winnnings.
Date: March 24 to 25, 2024 Buy in: VN₫ 120,000,000 (~USD 4,938) Guarantee: VN₫ 3,000,000,000 (~USD 121,000) Entries: 118 (72 unique) Prize pool: VN₫ 12,819,500,000 (~USD 517,000) ITM: 18 players
Follow the final table livestream!
Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 130,009 | -7,054,991 | |
| 86,688 | -1,063,312 | |
| 60,583 | -2,159,417 | |
| 43,531 | -2,921,469 | |
| 32,188 | -3,947,812 | |
| 24,515 | -1,485,485 | |
| 19,246 | -1,640,754 | |
| 15,588 | -1,269,412 | |
| 13,042 | -1,666,958 |
Payouts
| Place | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 |
Final 9 Players
Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 7,185,000(120 BB) | -215,000 | |
| 3,980,000(66 BB) | 380,000 | |
| 2,965,000(49 BB) | 1,065,000 | |
| 2,220,000(37 BB) | 920,000 | |
| 1,680,000(28 BB) | 180,000 | |
| 1,660,000(28 BB) | -240,000 | |
| 1,510,000(25 BB) | 1,510,000 | |
| 1,285,000(21 BB) | -15,000 | |
| 1,150,000(19 BB) | 150,000 |
Jang Dong Min bets to win it
Utg+2 Shung Er Sua opens 105,000, cutoff Jang Dong Min calls, both player check it to the river 6♦ 8♥ 9♥ 3♥ Q♦ . Sua checks again, Jang bets 155,000, Sua folds.
Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 1,900,000(48 BB) | -325,000 | |
| 820,000(21 BB) | 520,000 |
Day 1
Bubble bursts!
Josh McCully invincible at Superstar Challenge Day 1, bags an enormous stack
Date: March 24, 2024 Buy in: VN₫ 120,000,000 (~USD 4,938) Guarantee: VN₫ 3,000,000,000 (~USD 121,000) Entries: 118 (72 unique) Prize pool: VN₫ 12,819,500,000 (~USD 517,000) ITM: 18 players
Down to just 12 bb, Lin Jian Wei risked it all on Josh McCully’s shove and was ahead at the with A♣ K♣ against Q♠ 5♥ , but with the board dropping two fives, 5♦ 5♠ 4♣ J♣ 9♠ , that just about sealed the day with Lin falling on the bubble.
Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 6,465,000(162 BB) | 6,465,000 | |
| 2,225,000(56 BB) | 75,000 | |
| 2,150,000(54 BB) | -50,000 | |
| 2,120,000(53 BB) | -80,000 | |
| 1,560,000(39 BB) | 10,000 | |
| 1,235,000(31 BB) | 1,235,000 | |
| 1,160,000(29 BB) | -690,000 | |
| 1,125,000(28 BB) | 75,000 | |
| 920,000(23 BB) | -980,000 | |
| 835,000(21 BB) | 835,000 | |
| 720,000(18 BB) | 480,000 | |
| 530,000(13 BB) | 530,000 | |
| 520,000(13 BB) | -230,000 | |
| 465,000(12 BB) | 465,000 | |
| 410,000(10 BB) | -590,000 | |
| 315,000(8 BB) | -135,000 | |
| 245,000(6 BB) | -155,000 | |
| 215,000(5 BB) | 215,000 |
Payouts
| Place | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 | |
| 11 | |
| 12 | |
| 13 | |
| 14 | |
| 15 | |
| 16 | |
| 17 | |
| 18 |
Jack Salter eliminated by Jang Dong Min
Down to 14 bb, Jack Salter shoves holding A♥ K♠ , Jang Dong Min calls with A♣ K♣ , board drops a bunch of clubs 9♠ 4♣ Q♣ 9♣ 8♣ to send Salter to the exit.
19 players remaining.
Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 2,150,000(54 BB) | 900,000 | |
busted | -600,000 |
Jang Dong Min send Jack Salter deep in the tank
Utg Jack Salter raises 75,000, utg+2 Jang Dong Min calls, both check to the river Q♥ 6♣ A♠ 6♥ 3♠ . Salter leads out 125,000, Jang raises to 430,000, Salter tanks using up two time-banks then folds.
Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 1,250,000(42 BB) | 250,000 | |
| 600,000(20 BB) | 600,000 |
Nguyen Truong Giang keeps pressure on Jang Dong Min
Utg Nguyen Truong Giang raises 65,000, cutoff Jang Dong Min three-bets 155,000, Nguyen four-bets 330,000, Jang stops the betting bounce by calling. At the flop 7♦ 7♠ 2♦ , Nguyen fires 205,000, Jang folds.
Chip Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
| 2,200,000(73 BB) | 2,200,000 | |
| 1,000,000(33 BB) | 1,000,000 |