Madness Kick Off

The USOP Hai Phong Grand Finale made history with the Madness Kickoff flight Day1C as the most entries for a single flight in an opening event with 606. Of the 606 contenders, only the top 76 would qualify for a bag to keep their chips and bring it to tomorrow's Day 2 Final.

Leading the flight with the largest stack was Yuan Xu of China, who built a stack of 647,000 from a starting stack of 25,000 chips. Second in rank was Vietnam's Hoang Giang Luong with 568,000 with Nhat Duong Hoang rounding up the top three of the flight, sitting on 521,000 chips.

The 76 qualifiers are guaranteed a minimum payout from the prize pool, which was speculated to already go beyond the VND 10,000,000,000 (~USD 400,000) because of the Day 1C attendance. The Day 1D total entries will be adding gravy to a juicy prize pool and all that's left to do is what for the final numbers.

Madness Kickoff Day 1C

Date: November 30, 2024

Buy-in: VND 11,000,000 (~USD 430)

Guarantee: VND 10,000,000,000 (~USD 400,000)

Entries: 606 entries (418 unique)

ITM: 76

Starting Stack: 25,000

Total Chips In Play: 15,150,000

Average Stack: 199,300

Players Remaining: 76

Blinds: 4,000/8,000 with ante of 8,000

126 entries (83 unique) built a prize pool of VND 5,922,000,000 (~USD 233,000), surpassing the event's original VND 1.5 billion guarantee by nearly four times. Payouts were announced earlier, and 19 places would be making ITM for a minimum payout of VND 95,000,000 (~USD 3,700) while the champion's share will be VND 1,450,000,000 (~USD 57,000). 28 players are still competing.

High Roller: Weekend Single Day

Date: November 30, 2024

Buy-in: VND 55,000,000 (~USD 2170)

Entries: 126 entries (83 unique)

VND 5,922,000,000 (~USD 233,000)

ITM: 19

Starting Stack: 100,000

Total Chips In Play: 12,600,000

Average Stack: 450,000

Players Remaining: 28

Blinds: 10,000/20,000 with ante of 20,000

Players are on a 15-minute break to stretch some legs and their poker faces.

Here are some top chip counts:

Hong Thao Dang raised to 6,000 from UTG+2 and was called by Hoang Minh Pham in the lo-jack .Daon Kang, however, three-bet to 17,000 from the cut-off which the other players completed to see a flop of J♥ T♦ 4♦. Dang and Pham tapped their option over to Kang, who pushed 20,000 chips beyond the betting line. Dang and Pham threw in the towel and let the dealer ship the chips to Kang.

UTG+1 Thi Hien Hoa Nguyen and Hi-jack Trung Phong Nguyen were staring at a board of 8♣ 6♣ T♠ Q♦ beside a pot of 31,5000. Thi Hien Hoa Nguyen check-raised the 12,000 bet of Trung Phong Nguyen to 30,000. Trung Phong Nguyen pushed back all-in and Thi Hien Hoa Nguyen made the instant call, risking his last 65,700 chips along with his tournament life.

Thi Hien Hoa Nguyen flipped Q♥ J♥ to show a top pair, but Trung Phon Nguyen showed K♣ Q♣ with a better kicker. The A♦ on the river sealed Thi Hien Hoa Nguyen's fate, busting him out from the tournament while giving Trung Phong Nguyen a huge scoop.

Registration has officially closed for the High Roller: Weekend Single Day. 61 players are still battling it out. The tournament director will be announcing the payouts soon after all the math is done.

High Roller: Weekend Single Day

Date: November 30, 2024

Buy-in: VND 55,000,000 (~USD 2170)

Guarantee: VND 1,500,000,000 (~USD 60,000)

Entries: 126 entries (83 unique)

ITM: TBD

Starting Stack: 100,000

Total Chips In Play: 12,600,000

Average Stack: 206,500

Players Remaining: 61

Blinds: 3,000/5,000 with ante of 5,000

Hi-jack Hoang Minh Pham and big blind Hoang Anh Nguyen were starting at a board that showed 7♦ 6♠ 5♥ 4♣ and a pot beside it that had 42,500 chips in it.

Nguyen led out with 19,000 and Pham took a moment to consider the options, using two time-bank tokens before matching the chips to make the call.

The river came 6♣ and Nguyen shoved all-in for his remaining 28,400. Pham made the call immediately and flipped over K♥ K♦ while Nguyen showed a K♠ 2♦.

Pham improved his stack and Nguyen had to vacate his seat.

The cutoff completed and Duc Anh Nguyen raised to 7,400 on the button. Small blind Aayush Arya three-bet jammed all-in for 50,700, but found no customers to scoop a decent pot to have some breathing space.

made a raise to 4,500 from the lo-jack then called the 11,500 re-raise of Quang Vu Dinh on the button to see a flop of A♣ J♦ 6♦. Rohr checked his option and allowed Dinh to bet 7,500.

Rohr then pumped it to 18,5000 and DInh made the call to see a 7♦ turn. Rohr bet out 38,000 and Dinh didn't want to risk any more.

UTG Duc Hieu Nguyen and small blind Mu Ze Li were looking at a 28,000 pot beside a board that showed 9♥ K♣ J♦ 7♠. Li checked his option to Nguyen who fired 11,000. Li called to see the 3♣ river. Li checked again and Nguyen fired a time bank token followed by a bet of 70,000. Li would risk all his chips all-in and decided it was better to fight another time.

USOP Tournament Director has just announced that 76 players from the 606 entries of flight Day 1C will be advancing to the Day 2 Final. The 76 will be guaranteed a minimum ITM payout from the prize pool.

Madness Kickoff Day 1C

Date: November 30, 2024

Buy-in: VND 11,000,000 (~USD 430)

Guarantee: VND 10,000,000,000 (~USD 400,000)

Entries: 606 entries (418 unique)

ITM: 76 players

Chi Thinh Nguyen raised to 3,500 from under the gun and was called by UTG+1 and three bet to 17,000 by Tu Gia Dinh on the button. Both players made the call to see flop of 3♠ 8♠ 3♥. All three checked for free access to the Q♣ turn. Nguyen fired out 15,000 with only Dinh making the call to see an A♠ on the river. Both players checked it.

Nguyen showed A♥ 8♥ for an ace top pair while Dinh didn't bother.

Some top chip counts after 10 Levels of play:

Last break before registration closes.

Players are on a break!

High Roller: Weekend Single Day

Date: November 30, 2024

Buy-in: VND 55,000,000 (~USD 2170)

Guarantee: VND 1,500,000,000 (~USD 60,000)

Entries: 78 entries (60 unique)

ITM: TBD

Starting Stack: 100,000

Total Chips In Play: 7,800,000

Average Stack: 139,200

Players Remaining: 56

Next Blinds: 1,000/2,000 with ante of 2,000

Viet Binh Nguyen raised to 2,000 from early position and was called by Todd Allan Carlson in the lo-jack. Both players were thrown a flop of 2♠ T♣ 5♦. Nguyen fired 2,000 and called the 5,000 raise of Carlson to open a 2♦ on the turn.

Nguyen tapped his option to Carlson who shoved all-in. With his chips covered and at risk, Nguyen took the wise route and folded.

Van Quy Tran raised to 1,600 from the lo-jack and found three callers from the button to the big blind. Four players saw a flop of K♦ 9♠ 3♣. Action was checked to Minh Hai Vu on the button who bet 2,400. Small blind Thai Quang Nguyen and Van Quy Tran made the call t see a 6♥ turn.

Nguyen checked and Tran bet out 5,000. Vu folded with only two left to see the 2♥ river.

Both players checked.

Nguyen showed K♣ T♦ and Tran mucked. Nguyen grew his stack some more while the others were left with bits.

The player from UTG+1 got the ball rolling with a 1,200 min-raise. Nguyen Khanh Linh Le made the call from the hi-jack but Ta Nhat Vu on the button three-bet to 5,600. UTG+1 folded and Le stayed on to see a flop of K♠ 8♦ 4♦.

Le check-called the 4,000 from Vu to see a Q♣ turn. Le checked and Vu fired yet again for 6,000. This time Le gave it some thought, threw one of the time bank chips and then also threw his cards to the muck.

Players are on a break!

Some of the notables in this event include:

Nelson Dong of Australia, who bagged a Single Day High Roller two weeks ago at APT Phu Quoc.

WSOP bracelet winner Georgios Skarparis of Cyprus.

Jinlong Hu of China booked a High Roller Hyper Turbo event win at the recent APPT Cambodia a week ago and an APT Main Event win at APT Phu Quoc earlier this November.

High Roller: Weekend Single Day

Date: November 30, 2024

Buy-in: VND 55,000,000 (~USD 2170)

Guarantee: VND 1,500,000,000 (~USD 60,000)

Entries: 33 entries (30 unique)

ITM: TBD

Starting Stack: 100,000

Total Chips In Play: 3,200,000

Average Stack: 118,500

Players Remaining: 28

Next Blinds: 300/600 with ante of 600

374 entries have already filled the Grand Ballroom of The Pullman Grand Hotel here in Hai Phong, Vietnam and there are still four more levels (or 2 hours) left until this flight's registration deadline.

Among the many players, Frenchman Francis Garson was spotted, Garson just booked two title wins this November at the APT Phu Quoc two weeks ago and the recently concluded APPT Cambodia.

Thailand's Sukhum Kiwanont is at the tables, hoping to bring his total live earnings past the USD 150,000 mark.

China's Jinqi Wang cashed twice in September's USOP Hai Phong and will look to cash again to finally cross the USD 100,000 milestone in career cashes.

American Todd Carlson has made nearly USD 100,000 in wins across the USA, and is hunting a cash here in Asian soil, possibly here in Hai Phong.

Players are taking their first break after two hours of action thus far.

Here are some of the top chip counts:

Three players were staring into a pot of 8,000 beside a board that showed Q♣ K♠ A♠ 5♦. Son Le checked his option in the small blind followed by the hi-jack. Azizjon Rakhimov fired 5,500 on the button with only Le staying to see a J♦ river.

Son Le then shoved all-in for 17,500 and encouraged Rakhimov to fold.

Chung Duy Nguyen raised on the button to 1,200 and was called by Trung Phong Nguyen in the small blind. Both players were peeled a flop of 8♦ Q♣ 7♣. Trung Phong Nguyen check-called the 1,300 bet of Chung Duy Nguyen to see an 8♣ turn.

Both checked down to see a free 3♥ on the river. Trung Phong Nguyen fired a small 1,700, but Chung Duy Nguyen thought it was better to fold.

Zhifan Ye raised to 600 on the button with both blinds calling behind to see a Q♣ 7♣ 5♦ flop. Both blinds checked to Ye, who fired 1,000. The small blind called, but Ngoc Cuong Huynh on the big blind made a re-raise to 2,800.

Ye made the call and the small blind stood down. The turn came 8♣. Huynh continued the pressure with a 3,000 bet, but Ye didn't continue.

Duc Thinh Nguyen raised to 600 from UTG +1 with Van Hung Nguyen making the call on the button. Van Hien Dao re-raised all-in on the big blind for is last 1,900 chips. Both players called behind and checked down the board of 6♠ 9♠ 4♣ 4♦ 2♠.

When the cards were flipped over Van Hien Dao's K♣ 6♣ proved to be the best card against Duc Thinh Nguyen's 8♥ T♥ and Van Hung Nguyen's 7♥ 6♥, giving him a life-saving triple up.

The High Roller: Weekend Single Day is under way with 19 registrants making their buy-in of VND 55,000,000 (~USD 2,100) to compete for their share from the VND 1.5 Billion (~USD 60,000) guaranteed prize pool.

The first 16 entrants who were able to make their buy-ins before the first card was dealt get 50% of their buy-in back as part of one of the many promotions that USOP Hai Phong Grand Finale is offering.

Two levels have passed so far with registration still open until later today after level 10.

Hoang Nah Nguyen raised to 400 from early position and was called by Dinh Hai Linh Nguyen at the lo-jack and Adam Joseph Kline in the small blind.

Thre players were given a flop of T♣ 3♣ 8♥ . Kline tapped his option to Hoang Anh Nguyen, who c-bet 600. Dinh Hai Linh Nguyen then re-raised to 1,900. Kline amde the call along with Hoang Anh Nguyen to see a K♠ turn.

Options were checked to Dinh Hai Linh Nguyen who fired 2,500. Both called to see a K♥ river.

Kline checked, Hoang Anh Nguyen fired 2,500 with only Dnh Hai Linh Nguyen making the call.

Hoang Anh Nguyen showed Q♦ T♦ and Dinh Hai Linh Nguyen mucked.

Player from under the gun made a raise to 300 with Minh Duc Vu calling from the hi-jack. Thanh Nhan Pham three-bet to 1,200 with the dealer calling along with Vu to see a flop of 8♦ 6♦ 3♣.

Vu checked to Pham who fired 2,500 with the dealer button calling. Vu threw in a time bank and played with his chips before counting off 6,000 to push beyond the betting line for a raise. Pham re-raised all-in for 16,000 and the dealer button stepped down. Vu made the instant call.

Pham flipped over K♦ K♣ while Vu showed 6♥ 6♠ for a set of sixes.

The board ran J♦ 5♠ and gave Pham an early exit.

Van Khoa Nguyen raised to 400 from under the gun with every seat behind him until the big blind making the call. 6 players saw a flop of A♥ 3♦ 8♥. Both blinds checked their option back to Nguyen, who made a 300 c-bet. This time only 3 customer remained include the button, the small blind and The Nhuong Nguyen in the big blind.

The turn came 8♣ and all four made a friendly check to see the 8♦ on the river. The small blind fired 1,200 and was called by The Nhuong Nguyen on the big blind.

However, Van Khoa Nguyen raised to 10,200, forcing the small blind out of the hand and The Nhuong Nguyen into the tank. The Nhuong Nguyen eventually made the call.

Van Khoa Nguyen showed 3♣ 3♠ for the full-house while The Nhuong Nguyen showed an 8♥ before throwing his hand into the muck.

Spotted at the felt in the Day1C flight of the Madness Kickoff were:

Vietnam's Minh Duc Vu, who won the USOP Hai Phong Mini High Roller back in September. Van Tien Dinh of Vietnam is also at the tables, looking for a substantial cash to push his earnings over the USD 250,000 mark.

Australian Gregory Josephy Hoy has over USD 100,000 cashes in events around America and Australia and is in the hunt for a cash in Asia, possibly here in Hai Phong.

Rudolf Domin of Russia has been seen playing with some chips, hopefully using those bullets to improve his earnings to over USD 600,000.

Over 100 players have already started filling the tables with more to come before the registration deadline at the end of level 10.

Dayeon Yoon raised to 300 from under the gun and found two callers from the seats over before Yufeng Yan three-bet to 1,500 on the button. Only Yoon stayed on to see a flop of 8♦ 3♥ 5♥. Yoon checked the option and Yan cbet another 2,000. Yoon threw in the towel and Yan scooped a sizable pot.

The third flight of the Madness Kickoff is under way with 57 entries already taking to the felt.

Stick with us for live reports of the day's action.