Main Event (35,000,000 VND)

Zhi Buhui raised to 1,200,000 on the button and called the 4,200,000 re-raise of Choi Hun Tae in the small blind. Both were given a flop of A♦ K♣ 3♥.

Choi bet out 6,500,000 and Zhi called. The turn cam 3♣. Choi check called the 3,000,000 bet of Zhi to open a Q♣ river. Choi pushed all-in for 20,000,000. Zhi thought hard, threw i a time-bank card and threw in his cards to the muck.

Zhi Buhui extracted 4 million from Zhou Ledong when Zhi made the 2,000,000 call with a pair of jacks, catching Zhou bluffing.

The more painful hit came when Zhou raised on the button fro 1,600,000 with J♥ 9♠ and was called by big blind Choi Hun Tae with Q♥ 9♦ . The flop came 9♣ 2♣ 6♥ to give both players top pair.

Zhou bet out 1,000,000 and Choi called. The turn came 2♠. Zhou bet 3,000,000 and Choi called. The 3♥ came on the river and Zhou fired another 3,500,000 and Choi just called. Choi's queen kicker was put into play to defeat Zhoiu and cripple his stack.

Action folded to the blinds. Zhi Buhui just called on the small blind with K♥ T♦. Big Blind Choi Hun Tae three-bet re-raised all-in and Zhi called and put his last 11,000,000 at risk.

Board ran 9♣ 6♠ 6♦ 2♥ 6♦ to give Zhi the win and the double up.

With action folded to the blinds, small blind Zhou Ledong raised all-in with K♠ J♣. Zhi Buhui called on the big blind with A♥ Q♥.

Board completed Q♦ 8♦ 2♠ K♦ Q♠ . Zhi was ahead then was overtaken on the turn, but the poker gods weren't done wth Zhi yet and allowed him to double up by throwing a quee on th rivr to give Zhi trips to double up.

Zhou Ledong raised on the button to 1,200,000 with J♣ 9♥. Small blind Zhi Buhui called with 9♦ 8♦. Big blind Cho Hun Tae three-bet re-raised to 6,500,000 with 4♦ 4♥. All folded - and Cho took down a decent pot.

Choi Hun Tae raised to 1,300,000 on the button with K♦ 2♠. Big blind Zhi Buhui defended with A♣ 3♦. Flop came 5♦ 6♥ 7♣. Zhi checked and Choi min-bet 1,000,000. Zhi folded.

After all the folding...

Zhou Ledong raised on the button to 1,000,000 with A♠ 6♠. Small blind Zhi Buhui re-raised to 3,000,000 with J♠ J♥. This time Zhou stayed on and did not fold.

The flop came A♣ T♦ 4♣ Zhi bet 2,000,000 and Zhou called to see a 2♦ turn. Zhi bet 6,000,000 and Zhou called to see an 8♠ river. Zhi slowed down with a check and Zhou bet a call-able 3,000,000. Zhi surrendered and awarded the pot to Zhou.

And just like that, Zhou Ledong became the chip leader.

Zhang Yankai had 10,000,000

THE STRAIGHT HOOK

Zhi Buihui raised to 1,000,000 on the button with K♦ 8♦ and Zhang Yankai three-bet re-raised to 2,400,000 on the big blind with Q♦ 9♠. Flop arrived K♥ T♠ 3♦. Zhang made a bet of 1,300,000 and Zhi raised his top pair to 4,000,000. Zhang folded, and was left with 6,200,000 chips.

THE BODY SHOT

Action folded to the blinds and small blind Zhang raised to 1,200,000 with A♣ 7♦. Big blind Zhou Ledong re-raised all-in, holding A♥ T♣. Zhang folded and was left with a stack of 5,000,000.

THE UPPERCUT

On the next hand, Zhang raised 1,000,000 on the button with 5♥ 4♣. Big blind Zhi Buihui called to see a A♥ 2♥ 9♣ flop. Both checked to see an 8♠ turn. Zhi check-called the 900,000 bet of Zhang to see a river 6♥. Both checked and Zhi booked the win with a pair of eights. Zhang was left with 3,100,000.

FINAL FOUR CHIP COUNTS

Action folded to the blinds and Zhi Buhui just limped and Choi Hun Tae checked to see a flop of A♥ 3♠ 4♠ . Zhi check-called the 450,000 Bet of Choi to see a J♦ on the turn, giving Choi the lead with a two-pair. Zhi check-called again when Choi fired 1,600,000. An A♣ came on the river. Zhi checked, perhaps to induce another bet, but Choi was wise enough to check behind.

Zhi took down the pot and made a small scratch on Choi's stack.

Action folded to the blinds, Zhi Buhui limped then called the 725,000 raise of Choi Huntae on the big blind. Zhi held 8♦ 6♦ while Choi had K♠ K♣.

The flop J♥ 8♠ 7♦ . Choi led out with 600,000 and Zhi called to see a J♦ on the turn. Both checked to see a 6♠ on the river. Choi bet out 2,500,000 and Zhi called and drooped a sigh when he saw the kings.

Zhi Buhui raise to 600,000 from the hi-jack and Choi Hun Tae called from the hi-jack. The flop arrived Q♣ 9♣ 4♥ and both checked to see a 2♠ on the turn. Zhi checked and Choi bet 1,000,000. Zhi raised to 2,500,000 and Choi re-raised all-in. Zhi called.

Zhi flipped over A♥ A♦ and Choi showed Q♦ T♠. A river A♠ added more oomph to the double-up.

Cho Hun Tae raised from under the gun to 675,000 with K♣ Q♣. Zhou Ledong made the call on the button with A♦ 7♦. Big blind Zhi Buhui also called to see a flop of 7♥ 2♥ 5♠.

Action checked to Choi who c-bet 700,000 and found the same callers. Action checked to Zhou on the button, who fired 1,300,000 and everyone folded.

Zhi Buhui raised to 500,000 from the cut-off holding A♠ K♣. Small blind Nguyen Tien Son re-raised all-in for 3,700,000 and was challenged by Zhi.

The board completed T♣ Q♠ 9♣ Q♣ 3♣ giving Zhi runners to make a one-card flush, eliminating Nguyen Tien Son in 9th place.

Nguyen Tien Son was Vietnam's last Main Event hope and becomes the unfortunate first casualty of the final table. However, he still takes home a proud prize of VND 920 Million (USD 36,270).

Choi Hun Tae of South Korea doesn't have a complete resumé in Hendon Mob. However, the few listings that are there have show some cashes in the recent APT Phu Quoc. Choi has over US$ recorded total live earnings.

JP Rounce-Sue of Australia already made a final table appearance this series in the Superstar Challenge, but he was the first casualty then. Hopefully, Rounce-Sue goes deeper this time and even maybe bag the championship as well.

Joris Michl of the Netherlands has some cashes in this series and also a title in the 8-handed Hyper Turbo. Michl was recently crowned as Korea Poker Cup Main Event champion last month and will look to win another Main Event championship here in the USOP Hai Phong Grand Finale.

Zhang Yankai of China has already made a final table appearance this series in the Big Hunter event and had two final table appearances in last September's USOP Hai Phong. Now may be the time for this final table apperance to result in a championship.

This is the third final table appearance of China's Zhou Le Dong this series. Zhou's best finish was a runner-up at the Sunday Superstack. Maybe this time, Zhou will be the champion.

Ian Modder of Canada has nearly USD 500,000 in total live earnings, but his recent recorded live earnings haven't been that significant. In fact, if those Hendon Mob records are right, this will be Modder's first final table appearance in a very long time. Another fact is that Modder hasn't won a championship since March 2019 when he won the Opening Highroller at the Japan High Roller Festival.

Vietnam's Nguyen Tien Son doesn't have anything recorded in the Hendon Mob database since 2022. But there's more to poker than what is recorded.

Zhi Buhui last 5 recorded cashes show two championships, including a USOP Danang win last March in a NLH Hyper Turbo event.

Jun Li of the United Kingdom has over 50 cashes and multiple final table appearances since March this year. Li also has three championships since that time - a Zodiac Event in APT Taipei, a 10/10/10 Event in USOP Danang and a Super Stack classic in RDPT Jeju.

Final Table Live Stream Link:

Main Event Final Table Live Stream

Choi Hun Tae raised to 600,000 from the cut-off and big blind Zhi Buhui defended to see a flop of A♣ Q♠ 9♠. Both checked to see a 7♠ turn. Zhi checked and allowed Choi to bet 500,000. Zhi called to see a 9♦ river. Zhi tapped his option to Choi who fired 1,500,000.

Zhi tanked and analyzed the hand, wondered if aliens were among us and made the call. Choi showed A♦ 8♠ for a pair of aces and Zhi mucked.

Choi Hun Tae raised to 500,0000 but folded when Nguyen Tien Son raised to 3,325,000.

Next hand Choi raised to 600,000 and called the 3,600,000 three-bet all-in re-raise of Zhi Buhui.

Choi showed 7♥ 7♦ against Zhi's 9♣ 9♠. Board completed K♠ Q♠ Q♣ A♣ 5♣ to damage Choi and double-up Zhi.

Zhi Buhui raised all-in from under the gun and scooped the blinds.

In the following hand, action folded to the blinds. Small blind Nguyen Tien Son completed and Buhui checked the option to open a flop of 8♠ 2♣ T♥. Both checked to see a K♠ turn. Son led for 225,000 and Buhui called to see a A♣ river. Son checked. Buhui fired 575,000 and Son folded.

Action folded to the blinds when small blind Nguyen Tien Son shoved all-in. Big blind Zhi Buhui snap called to put his last 1,175,000 at risk, showing K♣ Q♦ against the T♠ 8♦ of Son.

The board completed A♠ 5♠ 9♦ K♦ T♥, giving Buhui a double up.

Zhi Buhui raised to 300,000 and snap-called the three-bet all-in of Yuan Sun for 1,770,000.

Zhi showed K♦ K♣ against the A♥ J♠ of Sun. The board came A♣ Q♣ 2♠ J♥ 9♥. The ace on the window was enough to give Sun the double-up.

MAIN EVENT FINAL DAY UPDATED CHIPCOUNTS

There was 105,000 chips in the middle with a board that showed Q♥ J♠ 8♠ Q♣ A♣. Big Bling Paul Nattapatsiri fired 80,000. Zhi Buhui, on the hi-jack, took a look at his cards, then looked at the board, then looked at his cards. Nothing changed. Buhui folded and shipped the pot to Nattapatsiri.

The blinds are up 4000/8000 and along with the blinds the tension intensifies. Here are the chip count as we enter level 17: