Viet Nam, InterContinental Halong Bay ResortEVENT #1

2026.05.19 - 2026.05.21Add to Calendar

U Series Of Poker

Blind level

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Entries

21/162

Total Chips

4,860,000

Average

231,429

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 1:13:45 PM

Hai Ha Tran Leads Day 1A Survivors And Scores VND 30 Million Bonus

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Hai Ha Tran, Madness Kickoff Day 1A Chip Leader

The Madness Kickoff Day 1A of the USOP Vietnam Ha Long Bay 2026 saw a total of 162 entries pony up the VND 11 million (~USD 420) buyin to book a seat at the luxurious InterContinental Ha Long Bay Convention Center and compete for a piece of the VND 10,000,000,000 (~USD 380,000) guaranteed prize pool.

Cards went in the air at 10:00 AM local time and play ended after 10 hours and 18 levels of play with the top 21 survivors finding a bag to take with them to the Day 2 final. Emerging as the chip leader was Hai Ha Tran of Vietnam, topping the counts with a massive 812,000 chip count. Tran also earned the VND 30 million bonus awarded to the Day 1A chip leader, nearly tripling his buyin already with still more to win on Day 2.

Johnni Nielsen, Former USOP Hai Phong 2024 Madness Kickoff Champion

Tran built his stack by providing a double KO to Yiming Ji and Marvin Retteinmaier. He then jumped to the top of the leaderboard when he cracked the queens of Nguyen Tuang Hung during the soft bubble.

Tran's nearest rival is Andy Kok of Indonesia, who bagged a very respectable 680,000. Kok improved his stack to secure the second spot when he eliminated Doc Huy Nguyen and burst the bubble, ending the action for the day.

Rounding up the podium is Do Khac Thang of Vietnam with a stack of 385,000.

Former USOP Hai Phong 2024 Madness Kickoff champion Johnni Nielsen also found a top five stack with 317,000.

Here are the top ten chip counts:

Player	Chips
HH Hai Ha TranViet Nam	812,000(135 BB)
AK Andy KokIndonesia	680,000(113 BB)
DK Do Khac ThangViet Nam	385,000(64 BB)
PQ Pham Quang DungViet Nam	355,000(59 BB)
JN Johnni NielsenSweden	317,000(53 BB)
TV Thanh Vuong NguyenViet Nam	253,000(42 BB)
LD Le Dinh TungViet Nam	253,000(42 BB)
HV Huu Vinh NguyenViet Nam	233,000(39 BB)
CM Christian MitchellAustralia	231,000(39 BB)
QT Quang Trinh DoViet Nam	176,000(29 BB)

You can also click here for the complete Day 1A survivor chip count.

Day 1B is currently under way and there will be three more Day 1 flights tomorrow. You can check the remaining schedule of events HERE.

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 1:00:31 PM

21 Move On to Day 2

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Following the elimination of Duc Hoa Nguyen on the bubble, the remaining 21 players bagged up their chips to move on to Day 2.

Stay tuned here for a full recap, the survivor chip counts and also to find out who earned the VND 30 million bonus for topping Flight A as chip leader.

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 12:54:58 PM

Duc Hoa Nguyen Is The Flight A Bubble Boy

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

On the very first hand for hand-for-hand play, Duc Hoa Nguyen moved all in from early position and put his last 137,000 at risk

Andy Kok was on the cutoff and made the call.

When the cards went on their backs...

Duc Hoa Nguyen: A♦ Q♣

Andy Kok: Q♥ Q♠

Kok was ahead with the pair of queens and Nguyen needed some divine intervention from the poker gods.

The dealer showed a flop of 5♣ 4♦ 7♦ then followed it up with a J♦ on the turn

All of a sudden, Nguyen had a flush draw to include among his outs.

However, the hope was short-lived when the gods bricked a 6♠ on the river to eliminate Nguyen on the bubble, sending the remaining 21 survivors into Day 2 and at least a minimum cash.

Player	Chips	Progress
AK Andy KokIndonesia	680,000(113 BB)	105,000
DH Duc Hoa NguyenViet Nam	busted	-165,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 12:52:46 PM

Bubble Time!

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Following the elimination of Nguyen Tuan Hung on the soft bubble, the tournament director has announced that play will be hand for hand until the bubble bursts.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 12:46:28 PM

Tran Turns a Straight to Shatter Hung's Queens

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Folded to the hijack, Hai Ha Tran opened to 25,000, and cutoff Nguyen Tuan Hung three-bet all-in for 154,000. Tran hesitated for a moment before making the call.

Nguyen Tuan Hung: Q♣ Q♠

Hai Ha Tran: T♠ 7♠

Hung was in excellent shape preflop, and the Q♦ J♠ 9♣ flop gave him top set. However, it also brought plenty of sweat as Tran picked up an open-ended straight draw. The 8♠ turn immediately completed the straight for Tran, and the 2♣ river sealed the win, leaving Hung in absolute disbelief as he headed to the rail.

With that massive pot, Tran now commands a stack of over 1.3 million chips (more than 133 big blinds) and is the heavy favorite to lock up the VND 30 Million (~USD 1,140) Day 1A chip leader bonus.

Player	Chips	Progress
HH Hai Ha TranViet Nam	807,000(135 BB)	177,000
NT Nguyen Tuan HungViet Nam	busted	-214,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 12:36:09 PM

Miracle Flush Saves Nguyen Near Bubble

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Thanh Vuong Nguyen opened from the cutoff for 13,000. Duc Hoa Nguyen was on the button and moved all in for 240,000 - covering the stack of Thanh Vuong.

With just two eliminations away from ITM and on the soft bubble, Thanh Vuong weighed his options with much consideration, making good use of a lot of time bank tokens.

Eventually, he made the call and risked his last 82,000 chips.

Thanh Vuong Nguyen: A♣ J♣

Duc Hoa Nguyen: A♥ K♣

The flop showed 6♥ 5♣ 8♥, keeping Duc Hoa ahead with his more dominant hand.

However, the poker gods threw a 4♣ on the turn to give Thanh Vuong a flush draw, then completed his double up by giving a 3♣ on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
DH Duc Hoa NguyenViet Nam	165,000(28 BB)	55,000
TV Thanh Vuong NguyenViet Nam	152,000(25 BB)	122,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 12:34:26 PM

Kok Pairs Up to Eliminate Nguyen

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

An all-in preflop battle broke out between middle position Andy Kok and the shorter-stacked Van Thanh Nguyen, who moved the last of his 160,000 chips into the middle.

Van Thanh Nguyen: K♦ J♣

Andy Kok: A♠ 3♠

Nguyen was behind but still held live cards to survive. However, the board ran out a clean 6♣ 3♦ 2♥ 4♦ 9♠ , pairing Kok's trey on the flop and failing to offer any help to Nguyen, resulting in his elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
AK Andy KokIndonesia	575,000(96 BB)	361,000
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	busted	-263,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 12:27:04 PM

Sun Goes Out

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Than Pham Trung opened for 12,000 from under the gun. Yixuan Sun matched on the next seaet. Minh Tuan Tran also called from the cutoff and Dinh Tung Le defended from the big blind.

Four players were treated to a flop of 7♦ Q♥ 3♦

Le, Trung and Sun checked to Le, who fired a bet of 10,000.

Le and Trung stood down, but Sun called for his last 10,000 chips.

Yixuan Sun: A♥ T♥

Minh Tuan Tran: J♦ T♦

Sun was ahead and looked poised to double up, but Tran was banking on a flush draw.

The turn showed a T♠ that paired both players, but kept Sun in the lead with an ace kicker.

The river was an A♦, and while it gave Sun two pair, the diamond improved Tran to a flush, ending Sun's run a few spots short of the money list.

Player	Chips	Progress
MT Minh Tuan TranViet Nam	150,000(25 BB)	-37,000
YS Yixuan SunChina	busted	-42,000

Level 18: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 26/162

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 12:06:33 PM

Neilsen Greensteins Sun

Level 17: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Johnni Nielsen

The SMP live reporting missed how the action went, but the commotion at the table was loud enough to grab us and everyone else's attention inside the room.

Apparently, all the chips were in the middle before the flop with Johnni Neilsen at risk against Yixuan Sun.

Johnni Neilsen: A♥ Q♥

Yixuan Sun: K♣ K♠

Board showed 9♣ 7♠ 3♣ T♦ A♦

Sun was ahead all the way with Neilsen needing three outs. The poker gods threw in one of them on the river, awarding the monster pot to the past Madness Kickoff champion, while leaving Sun with a crippled stack.

Neilsen may even be sitting on the chip leader throne and could very well score the VND 30 million bonus award.

Player	Chips	Progress
JN Johnni NielsenSweden	344,000(69 BB)	264,700
YS Yixuan SunChina	42,000(8 BB)	-187,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 12:02:31 PM

Tran Scores Double Knockout

Level 17: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Early position Yiming Ji opened to 10,000 and was called by button Hai Ha Tran. In the small blind, Marvin Rettenmaier three-bet shoved for 38,000. Action folded back to Ji, who four-bet to 125,000, leaving himself with just a single 5,000-chip behind.

Tran used two time banks before making the call. The flop came K♥ 8♠ 2♣ , prompting Ji to put his last 5,000 into the middle, which Tran quickly called.

Marvin Rettenmaier: A♣ Q♣

Yiming Ji: 5♦ 5♣

Hai Ha Tran: 6♠ 6♥

Tran was ahead of both players with his pair of sixes. The 2♥ turn changed nothing, and the 9♥ river sealed the deal. Tran delivered a massive double knockout, sending both Rettenmaier and Ji to the rail while vaulting himself into a commanding chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
HH Hai Ha TranViet Nam	495,000(99 BB)	105,000
YJ Yiming JiChina	busted	-215,000
MR Marvin RettenmaierGermany	busted	-30,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 11:55:43 AM

Nguyen v Nguyen

Level 17: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Action folded around to Van Thanh Nguyen on the cutoff, who opened for a minimum raise of 10,000.

Duc Hoa Nguyen was on the button, the next seat over, and made a three-bet raise to 30,000.

When action came back to Van Thanh, he took a moment before shoving all in for 220,000, covering the remaining stack of Duc Hoa.

Duc Hoa threw in a few time banks and tried to get a read on Van Thanh, but eventually played on the side of caution with a fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	263,000(53 BB)	87,000
DH Duc Hoa NguyenViet Nam	110,000(22 BB)	80,000

Level 17: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 26/162

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 11:47:26 AM

Nguyen Scrapes Some From Luu

Level 16: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Tuan Hung Nguyen was on the small blind against Tan Dat Luu on the button.

Both players were facing a very delicious pot of over 60,000 chips in the middle with a board that showed 7♦ 2♥ 9♥ A♥

Nguyen had tapped his option over to Luu, who didn't shy from counting off 19,000 chips to push past the betting line.

Nguyen assessed his options and eventually made the call, allowing the dealer to peel open a K♠ on the river.

Nguyen checked again. Luu this time fired 35,000.

Nguyen went into the tank, wondered if unicorns really existed at one point in the Earth's billion years of existence, then threw a chip to call.

Luu showed A♠ 4♥ for a pair aces, but his kicker was of no match agains the A♦ T♥ of Nguyen, who made a brave call to scoop a juicy pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
NT Nguyen Tuan HungViet Nam	214,000(54 BB)	184,000
TD Tan Dat LuuViet Nam	170,000(43 BB)	-91,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 11:45:50 AM

Tran's Kings Hold to End Lyu's Run

Level 16: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Facing a raise from the button, small blind Junqiang Lyu, who recently surged up the leaderboards after winning back-to-back massive hands, three-bet shoved for 91,000. On his left, big blind Hai Ha Tran four-bet jammed over the top, forcing the initial raiser to fold.

Junqiang Lyu: 3♣ 3♦

Hai Ha Tran: K♠ K♦

Once again, Lyu found himself holding pocket threes and searching for just two outs in the deck. However, this time his luck ran out. The board ran out Q♠ 6♥ 5♥ A♥ 4♦ , safely holding up Tran's pocket kings and eliminating Lyu just eight places short of the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
HH Hai Ha TranViet Nam	310,000(78 BB)	128,000
JL Junqiang LyuChina	busted	-131,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 11:38:34 AM

Luu Rivers a Full House to Sink Ha's Flush

Level 16: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

A three-bet preflop pot built a juicy 70,000 in the middle with three players still in the mix.

The action hit a monochrome 9♠ 6♠ 2♠ flop, prompting the preflop three-bettor, Trong Phuc Ha, to lead all-in for 64,000. Initial raiser Tan Dat Luu then raised to 132,000 to isolate, successfully forcing the third player out of the hand.

Trong Phuc Ha: A♥ K♠

Tan Dat Luu: 2♦ 2♥

Ha hadn't paired up yet but held a flush draw, while Luu was firmly ahead with a flopped bottom set. The J♠ turn completed the flush for Ha, giving him the lead, but his joy was short-lived. The 9♦ river paired the board, completing a full house for Luu and eliminating a stunned Ha.

Player	Chips	Progress
TD Tan Dat LuuViet Nam	261,000(65 BB)	35,000
TP Trong Phuc HaViet Nam	busted	-75,500

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 11:28:40 AM

Ten To Go!

Level 16: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

There are still 31 players in contention for the 21 ITM slots and a chance to continue their Madness Kickoff journey into the Day 2 final.

These are some of those who have fallen:

Player	Chips	Progress
HY Haibiao YeChina	busted	-65,500
DG Dinh Giang TruongViet Nam	busted	-108,000
NT Nguyen Thanh ThinhViet Nam	busted	-38,300
ZL Zhen LuoChina	busted	-56,400
DH Duy Hung NguyenViet Nam	busted	-23,400
QT Quang Thang DoViet Nam	busted	-31,500

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 11:25:49 AM

Race for the Money and the VND 30M Chip Lead Bonus is On

Level 15: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Only 36 players remain in the field, and the tension is rising as only 21 of them will secure a min-cash and a spot in the money. Beyond just locking up a payout, everyone still in contention has their eyes on the top spot, as the flight's chip leader will walk away with a sweet bonus of VND 30 Million (~USD 1,140).

Here are the current front-runners leading the pack:

Top 10 Chip Count

Player	Chips	Progress
HV Huu Vinh NguyenViet Nam	321,000(107 BB)	49,000
PD Pham Duc TrongViet Nam	241,000(80 BB)	62,500
YS Yixuan SunChina	229,000(76 BB)	-11,500
TD Tan Dat LuuViet Nam	226,000(75 BB)	51,000
YJ Yiming JiChina	215,000(72 BB)	108,000
HL Hao LingChina	191,000(64 BB)	85,500
MT Minh Tuan TranViet Nam	187,000(62 BB)	157,000
HH Hai Ha TranViet Nam	182,000(61 BB)	152,000
TT Thanh Trung PhamViet Nam	171,000(57 BB)	141,000
PQ Pham Quang DungViet Nam	166,000(55 BB)	9,000

Level 16: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 35/162

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 35/162

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 11:18:59 AM

Ha Cracks Luu's Ladies To Double

Level 15: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Action folded to Trong Phuc Ha on the button, who shoved his last 35,500 in the middle.

Tan Dat Luu liked what he saw in his big blind and made the call.

Trong Phuc Ha: A♠ 4♦

Tan Dat Luu: Q♠ Q♣

The dealer gave a flop of 9♠ 3♣ A♦, giving Ha the lead with a pair of aces to overtake Luu's queens.

The runout of 5♥ on the turn and 3♦ on the river maintained Ha's lead for a very critical double up, while doing some minor damage to Luu's stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
TD Tan Dat LuuViet Nam	186,500(62 BB)	11,500
TP Trong Phuc HaViet Nam	75,500(25 BB)	34,900

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 11:09:17 AM

The Downfall of Tran

Level 15: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Before the dealer wrapped up the board, the SMP live reporting team was able to see the 4♥ 4♦ of Trung Hieu Tran and the A♣ Q♠ of Trung Phong Nguyen both in the middle.

There was an A♦ on the board and the chips were being shipped Nguyen's way with Tran left with just 4,500 worth of crumbs.

A few moments later, Tran shoved his last 4,500 all in from under the gun. On the next seat over, Quang Dung Pham raised to 9,000. When action reached Yixuan Sun on the small blind, he raised to 30,000.

Pham stood down, leaving Tran and Sun to battle.

Trung Hieu Tran: A♠ 9♥

Yixuan Sun: A♥ Q♦

The board ran 3♣ 7♠ K♣ 4♠ 6♣

Tran failed to find his three outs, sending him out to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
YS Yixuan SunChina	240,500(80 BB)	-11,500
PQ Pham Quang DungViet Nam	157,000(52 BB)	127,000
TP Trung Phong NguyenViet Nam	60,000(20 BB)	3,000
TH Trung Hieu TranViet Nam	busted	-57,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 11:01:38 AM

Nguyen's Kings Double From Lyu

Level 15: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

The live reporting team missed all the action and the cards of Junqiang Lyu, which were already in the muck.

However, we did catch the board of J♣ 9♥ Q♥ 5♣ K♥

We also saw the winning hand of Huu Vinh Nguyen that had K♠ K♣ in front of him and a whole bunch of chips being shipped his way. Meanwhile, Lyu was shaking his head and counting the damage to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
HV Huu Vinh NguyenViet Nam	272,000(91 BB)	242,000
JL Junqiang LyuChina	131,000(44 BB)	-53,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 10:56:56 AM

Lyu Scores Double Knockout in Back-to-Back Surge

Level 15: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Junqiang Lyu went from the brink of death to holding one of the top stacks in the room after an incredible back-to-back run of cards.

On the first hand, Lyu three-bet shoved for 56,000 and was called by initial raiser Van Trung Nguyen.

Junqiang Lyu: 3♣ 3♦

Van Trung Nguyen: 7♣ 7♥

Lyu was in rough shape, searching for just two remaining outs in the deck. The T♥ 9♠ 5♦ flop changed nothing, but the 3♥ turn completely turned the tables, hitting one of those two outs to give him a set. The 9♦ river secured a full house and a much-needed double-up.

On the very next hand, a short-stacked Nguyen open-shoved from under the gun for his remaining 11,000, finding one caller along the way. Acting from the button, Lyu raised it up to 35,500. Small blind Van Phuc Tran then shoved all-in for 32,000, prompting the initial caller to fold and creating a three-way showdown.

Van Trung Nguyen: Q♠ 8♠

Van Phuc Tran: A♥ T♦

Junqiang Lyu: A♣ A♠

Fresh off his previous double, Lyu was instantly rewarded with pocket aces. The 7♦ 4♦ 2♥ 4♣ T♠ board ran out clean delivering a double knockout and catapulting Lyu right into the chip lead conversation.

Player	Chips	Progress
JL Junqiang LyuChina	184,000(61 BB)
VT Van Trung NguyenViet Nam	busted
VP Van Phuc TranViet Nam	busted	-107,000

Level 15: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 45/162

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 10:35:00 AM

Tran Braves The Call Against Kok

Level 14: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Action folded to Quang Cong Tran on the button, who opened with a raise of 5,000. Andy Koko Kok defended his big blind with a call.

The dealer opened a flop of 5♦ K♠ 9♦

Kok check-called the 3,000 bet of Tran and saw a A♦ on the turn.

This time it was Kok who led out with a bet of 8,500. Tran took a moment before counting the chips to call.

The poker gods bricked a 6♠ on the river. Kok barreled another 12,500 and Tran responded with an immediate call.

Kok turned over K♥ T♠ for a pair of kings, but wasn't good enough against the A♣ J♣ of Tran with a pair of aces.

Player	Chips
AK Andy KokIndonesia	214,000(86 BB)
QC Quang Cong TranViet Nam	78,500(31 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 10:34:53 AM

Nguyen Flips Better

Level 14: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Middle position Matthew Gray open-shoved for his last 18,500, and right on his left, Van Thanh Nguyen made the call to put him at risk.

Matthew Gray: 9♠ 9♥

Van Thanh Nguyen: A♦ J♥

It was a flip for Gray's tournament life. The flop came A♣ 6♠ 2♠ , instantly pairing Nguyen's ace and taking the lead, causing Gray to sit up in his chair. The 4♥ turn changed nothing, and the J♠ river only improved Nguyen to two pair, sending Gray to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	176,000(70 BB)	57,500
MG Matthew GrayUnited Kingdom	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 10:28:43 AM

Gao's Tens Hold Strong to Eliminate Nguyen

Level 14: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

An all-in preflop battle took place on Table 28, with Anh Duc Nguyen pushing his remaining 39,000 chips into the middle and button Tiannan Gao making the call with a covering stack.

Anh Duc Nguyen: 8♣ 8♥

Tiannan Gao: T♣ T♦

Gao had Nguyen in a tough spot from the start, and the K♦ T♠ 9♥ flop left Nguyen nearly drawing dead as Gao flopped a set of tens. The Q♦ turn offered a glimmer of hope with some split-pot outs for a straight, but the Q♣ river missed completely, cementing Gao's full house and eliminating Nguyen from the tournament.

Player	Chips
TG Tiannan GaoChina	92,000(37 BB)
AD Anh Duc NguyenViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 10:18:59 AM

Nguyen Shows Nguyen The Exit

Level 14: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Action folded to Jiming Yi on middle position, who opened for 5,000. Hoang Gia Nguyen made the call on the button. Van Thanh Nguyen, on the small blind, then three-bet raised to 18,000.

Yi stood out of the way, but Hoang Gia decided to jam his last 24,500. Van Thanh completed the deficit and both went to showdown.

Hoang Gia Nguyen: Q♥ 6♥

Van Thanh Nguyen: Q♣ 9♣

Van Than and the table were surprised that he was ahead. The flop of 4♣ A♦ 9♥ paired Van Thanh and the J♥ on the turn had Hoang Gia drawing dead.

The 4♠ on the river was a formality and Hoang Gia took a photo of the moment before he stood from his seat to exit the tournament.

There are 49 players remaining with more than half the field still needed to be eliminated before Flight A wraps up.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	118,500(47 BB)
YJ Yiming JiChina	107,000(43 BB)	77,000
HG Hoang Gia NguyenViet Nam	busted	-97,000

Level 14: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 58/162

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 10:01:33 AM

Sun Shoves and Takes Over the Lead

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Yixuan Sun

With the board already complete at K♠ 7♥ 2♥ Q♣ J♠ , a substantial pot of 38,500 had been built between Yixuan Sun and Trung Phong Nguyen.

Action on the river saw Sun check, prompting Nguyen to fire a heavy bet of 26,000. Back on Sun, he carefully eyed Nguyen's remaining stack before announcing an all-in raise. Nguyen went into the tank for about 15 seconds before deciding to fold his hand.

After capturing this massive pot, Sun now sits at the top of the chip counts, putting him in a prime position to claim the VND 30 Million (~USD 1,140) Day 1A chip leader bonus.

Player	Chips
YS Yixuan SunChina	208,000(104 BB)
TP Trung Phong NguyenViet Nam	57,000(29 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 9:51:00 AM

Abbasov Takes It Down with Ace-King High

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Under the gun Hoang Gia Nguyen opened to 4,000, and hijack Khayal Abbasov three-bet to 12,000. Nguyen made the call.

The flop came Q♠ 4♥ 2♣ , and Abbasov fired a continuation bet of 7,000. Nguyen check-called.

Both players slowed down from there, checking through the 3♦ turn and the 3♥ river.

Nguyen tabled A♣ J♠ , but Abbasov showed A♥ K♦ to take down the pot with a higher ace-high kicker.

Player	Chips
HG Hoang Gia NguyenViet Nam	97,000(49 BB)
KA Khayal AbbasovAzerbaijan	79,000(40 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 9:38:53 AM

"Oops..."

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Ravi Piyush

Haibiao Ye opened for 4,500 from under the gun. Ko Zaw Ko matched from the cutoff. When action fell to Piyush Ravi on the big blind, he decided to jam his stack of 86,500 in the middle.

Ye also committed his remaining 29,500. Ko stepped out of the way and left the two to battle it out.

Haibiao Ye: Q♠ T♣

Piyush Ravi: K♣ Q♣

Ye was completely dominated. Things got even worse for him when the flop dropped K♥ Q♦ 9♥ to give Ravi a commanding two pair.

The A♠ on the turn had Ye making a move to leave his seat, but the J♠ on the river gave Ye a miracle straight to double up instead.

"Oops... sorry."

Player	Chips
HY Haibiao YeChina	65,500(33 BB)
RP Ravi PiyushIndia	57,000(29 BB)

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 71/162

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 9:33:52 AM

Lucky Five Sends Hsiao Packing

Level 12: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Facing an early position raise, hijack Andy Kok three-bet to 7,500. On his left was Shun Hsin Hsiao, who four-bet shoved all-in for 37,500. The initial raiser quickly folded, and Kok used two time banks before eventually making the call.

Shun Hsin Hsiao: A♣ J♣

Andy Kok: A♠ 5♥

Hsiao had Kok completely dominated, and his lead grew even stronger on the 7♣ 7♦ 2♣ flop, which picked up a flush draw and cut Kok's outs down to just two remaining fives. The K♦ turn gave Kok a tiny extra chance to split the pot, but the 5♦ river actually hit one of his two outs, giving him a winning pair of fives and eliminating a stunned Hsiao.

While stacking up his new chips, Kok laughed and said, "Last time 5 was lucky, that's why I called."

Player	Chips
AK Andy KokIndonesia	118,500(79 BB)
SH Shun Hsin HsiaoTaiwan	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 9:25:00 AM

Registration Is Officially Closed

Level 12: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Registration for Flight A has officially closed with a total of 162 entries (113 unique) taking to the felt. There are still 76 players with chips and a seat that will compete for the remaining 21 ITM slots that will advance them to Day 2.

Of course, there is also the race to become the Flight A chip leader, where a bonus of VND 30 million awaits.

Meanwhile, some of those who have ended their journey in this flight include the likes of:

Player	Chips	Progress
AP Anh Phuong TranViet Nam	busted	-44,500
JH Jiaqi HeChina	busted	-30,000
DM Duc Manh NguyenViet Nam	busted	-23,000
MO Masahito OzakiJapan	busted	-15,000
KG Kongming GuoChina	busted	-85,500
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	busted	-31,300
LK Li KaiChina	busted	-30,000
YI Yonghwi ImSouth Korea	busted	-37,900
VT Vaibhav TemaniIndia	busted	-46,300
KH Kevin HunterUnited Kingdom	busted	-30,000
AD Anh Duc NguyenViet Nam	busted	-35,800
QT Quang Thai Nguyen	busted	-40,300

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 9:15:46 AM

Chip Leaders At The Break

Level 12: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Player	Chips	Progress
PD Pham Duc TrongViet Nam	178,500(119 BB)	81,300
TD Tan Dat LuuViet Nam	175,000(117 BB)	42,200
MD Manh Duong TranViet Nam	150,500(100 BB)	140,200
PA Pham Anh TuanViet Nam	133,000(89 BB)
DK Do Khac ThangViet Nam	114,000(76 BB)	-8,000
VT Van Tan TranViet Nam	109,000(73 BB)	9,900
YS Yixuan SunChina	108,500(72 BB)
SW Supatchai WaukasigornThailand	108,500(72 BB)	48,000
DG Dinh Giang TruongViet Nam	108,000(72 BB)	47,200
VP Van Phuc TranViet Nam	107,000(71 BB)
HL Hao LingChina	105,500(70 BB)
TP Trung Phong NguyenViet Nam	105,000(70 BB)

Level 12: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 75/162

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 77/160

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 8:53:40 AM

Chop Chop

Level 11: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Masahito Ozaki

Masahito Ozaki was under the gun and pushed his last 13,500 chips in the middle. A few seats over, Xuan Nam Nguyen also decided to shove his last 18,500.

No one else contested and the two short stacks were left to sort it out.

Masahito Ozaki: A♦ 7♦

Xuan Nam Nguyen: A♥ Q♠

The board completed 6♥ A♣ 6♣ K♠ 4♠

The flop was promising for Nguyen, but the turn saved Ozaki from elimination, allowing him to split the blinds and antes with Nguyen.

Player	Chips	Progress
XN Xuan Nam NguyenViet Nam	20,000(17 BB)	-5,400
MO Masahito OzakiJapan	15,000(13 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 8:41:13 AM

Marvin Rettenmaier Spotted in the Field

Level 11: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Easily the most notable face in today's field is German poker pro Marvin Rettenmaier. With nearly $7.5 million in total live tournament earnings, the decorated veteran brings a massive resume to USOP Vietnam Halong Bay.

Known for his back-to-back World Poker Tour (WPT) Main Event titles and years of crushing fields worldwide, "Mad" Marvin adds some serious star power to the Madness Kickoff field today.

Player	Chips
MR Marvin RettenmaierGermany	30,000(25 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 8:27:29 AM

Do Flushes Out Nguyen

Level 10: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Do Khac Thang

A pot of 25,000 had been built by Trung Kien Nguyen on the small blind and Khac Thang Do on the hijack.

Before both players was a completed board that showed A♥ A♦ K♥ 8♠ 4♥

Nguyen checked his option over to Do, who declared "All in" as he shoved a stack forward.

Nguyen stared at his remaining 16,800 and also stared down Do. The dealer was picking off time bank chips from Nguyen while he analyzed the situation, went deep into the tank, wondered if giants once roamed the Earth millions of years ago.

Nguyen finally pushed his last chips and made the call.

Do flipped over J♥ T♥ for a flush while Nguyen could only show a K♠ 9♣ for two pair kings and aces, sending him to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
DK Do Khac ThangViet Nam	122,000(122 BB)	53,800
TK Trung Kien NguyenViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 8:05:50 AM

Shoving Pressure

Level 10: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Van Thanh Nguyen was in early position against Duc Manh Nguyen on the big blind.

Both players were staring at a board of 5♥ Q♠ 5 A♥ and a pot of over 15,000 chips.

Duc Manh tapped his option over to Van Thanh, who also did the saw to show a 3♦ on the river.

Duc Manh led out for 5,500 and Van Thanh announced "All in" with his stack, covering the remaining chips of his rival.

Duc Manh took a quick peek at his cards and decided to fight another day.

On a nearby table, Zhen Luo was on the small blind against Quang Thai Nguyen on the button. Both players had a flop of 2♠ 6♥ 6♣ in front of them alongside a healthy pot of over 15,000.

Luo tapped his option over to Nguyen, who fired a 10,000 bet.

Luo then bade his time and shoved all his chips in the middle. Nguyen threw in a time bank chip before finally succumbing to the pressure and folding.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	59,700(60 BB)
ZL Zhen LuoChina	56,400(56 BB)
QT Quang Thai Nguyen	40,300(40 BB)
DM Duc Manh NguyenViet Nam	23,000(23 BB)	23,000

Level 10: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 92/139

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 7:51:27 AM

Anderson Takes It on the River

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Middle position Tran Xuan Trung opened to 2,000, and small blind Dakota Anderson and big blind Anh Duc Nguyen made the call. Trung fired another 2,000 on the A♠ J♠ 8♣ flop, and once again, both Anderson and Nguyen check-called.

All players checked the 3♥ turn to see the 4♥ river. This time, Anderson led out for 5,000. It was enough to get the job done, as Nguyen and Trung both quickly folded.

Player	Chips
DA Dakota AndersonUnited States of America	73,600(92 BB)
TX Tran Xuan TrungViet Nam	37,700(47 BB)
AD Anh Duc NguyenViet Nam	35,800(45 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 7:48:31 AM

Registration Sill Open

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

There have been 138 entries (106 unique) so far with 92 players still with chips and a seat. Registration will close before the start of Level 12 at around 4:00 PM local time.

Players shouldn't miss out to experience the majestic experience of the Intercontinental Ha Long Bay and participate in one of the Asia's top festivals.

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 88/124

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 86/120

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 6:57:30 AM

Nguyen Catches A Big Bluff And A Bigger Scoop

Level 8: 300 / 600 ante: 600

The pot had grown to over 18,000 chips beside a board that showed 4♠ Q♣ 3♥ 2♦

In the hand were Xuan Nam Nguyen on the hijack and Manh Tu Nguyen on the button.

Xuan fired a second barrel on the turn for 13,000 and was immediately matched by Manh.

The river showed a 8♣

Xuan shoved a stack of 40,000 chips forward, covering the remaining 26,700 of Manh.

Manh didn't hesitate and threw in a chip to call.

Xuan didn't even bother showing his cards, while Manh showed an A♠ Q♠ for a pair of queens and top kicker to double up and scoop the huge pot.

Player	Chips
MT Manh Tu Nguyen	84,300(141 BB)
XN Xuan Nam NguyenViet Nam	25,400(42 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 6:52:36 AM

Current Chip Leaders

Level 8: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Player	Chips	Progress
TD Tan Dat LuuViet Nam	132,800(221 BB)	56,600
VT Van Tan TranViet Nam	99,100(165 BB)	7,700
PD Pham Duc TrongViet Nam	97,200(162 BB)
KS Kimura ShumaJapan	93,500(156 BB)
JN Johnni NielsenSweden	79,300(132 BB)	12,800

Level 8: 300 / 600 ante: 600

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 79/107

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 6:43:59 AM

Giang Flushes Out Nguyen on the Turn

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

Multiple players built a pot of 8,000 in the middle, and Ngoc Le Nguyen was already all-in for 22,800 on the T♥ 9♦ 8♥ flop. All other players folded, but Truong Dinh Giang made the call.

Ngoc Le Nguyen: Q♣ Q♦

Truong Dinh Giang: A♥ 9♥

Nguyen was ahead with an overpair, but Giang still had plenty of outs with his pair and flush draw. The 2♥ turn immediately completed Giang's flush, securing the win and eliminating Nguyen from the field.

Player	Chips
DG Dinh Giang TruongViet Nam	60,800(122 BB)
NL Ngoc Le NguyenViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 6:24:00 AM

Tran's Two Pair Takes Out Nguyen

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

Trong Phuc Ha opened for 1,000 from early position. Duc Manh Nguyen then pumped it up to 3,500 on the cutoff. Van Tan Tran made the call to defend his big blind, while Ha decided to stand down.

The flop arrived 4♥ 9♣ 2♦

Tran check-called the 5,000 bet of Nguyen to open up a 7♥ on the turn

Tran checked, allowing Nguyen to push in a bet of 10,000.

Tran then announced "all in" covering the stack of Nguyen. Nguyen made the snap call and pushed his remaining 19,600 forward.

Duc Manh Nguyen: T♥ T♦

Van Tan Tran: 9♦ 7♦

Tran showed two pair against the Nguyen's pair of tens.

Nguyen needed had eight outs on the river, but none of them materialized, sending him to the rail.

Player	Chips
VT Van Tan TranViet Nam	91,400(183 BB)
TP Trong Phuc HaViet Nam	40,600(81 BB)
DM Duc Manh NguyenViet Nam	busted

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 72/95

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 6:09:49 AM

Board Straight Results in a Chop for Im and Duong

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

With 12,000 in the middle and the board showing T♥ 8♣ 7♣ J♠ , out of position Yonghwi Im bet 5,000, and Tran Manh Duong called all-in for his remaining 4,300.

Yonghwi Im: A♦ 8♦

Tran Manh Duong: A♣ T♣

Duong was in good shape to double up with his pair of tens, but the 9♦ river completed a straight on the board. Instead of a double-up, the pot was chopped, prompting Im to just laugh.

Player	Chips	Progress
YI Yonghwi ImSouth Korea	37,900(95 BB)	20,400
MD Manh Duong TranViet Nam	10,300(26 BB)	-18,300

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 6:02:07 AM

Nguyen Rivers Two Pair Against Lam

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Nguyen Thanh Thinh

Early position Victor Lam opened to 800 and Thanh Thinh Nguyen defended his big blind. Lam then fired a continuation bet of 500 on the A♦ Q♦ T♥ flop and another 1,000 on the 3♠ turn, both of which were check-called by Nguyen.

When the 6♠ river came, Nguyen led for a 2,500 bet and Lam hesitated before making the call. Nguyen tabled A♥ 6♣ for a rivered two pair, and Lam quickly mucked after seeing the bad news.

Player	Chips
NT Nguyen Thanh ThinhViet Nam	38,300(96 BB)
VL Victor LamViet Nam	25,100(63 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 5:49:08 AM

More Notable Figures

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

The field has grown to 84 entries (70 unique) with 66 players still with chips and a seat.

Some of the more notable additions include the likes of China's Jiaqi He, who has over USD 233,000 in all-time live earnings. This 2026, He already pocketed over USD 30,000 from seven cashes and three final table appearances.

India's Siddharth Karia has also jumped in the event. Karia has nearly USD 380,000 in total live earnings, scoring a career best of over USD 30,000 when he placed third in the Mini Main Event during USOP Hai Phong 2024.

Player	Chips
JH Jiaqi HeChina	30,000(75 BB)
SK Siddharth KariaIndia	30,000(75 BB)

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 63/81

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 5:42:32 AM

Temani Off To Hot Start

Level 5: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Vaibhav Temani

A pot of 9,500 was built between Tien Thanh Nguyen on the small blind and Vaibhav Temani, who was in early position and had just taken his seat a few hands before.

A flop of Q♦ T♣ 7♥ was fanned by the dealer

Nguyen led out for 4,100 and Temani stayed on to see a 4♦ on the turn

Nguyen pushed another 6,400 across the betting line and Temani counted the chips to match.

A 4♣ peeled on the river. Nguyen slowed with a check and Temani followed.

Nguyen showed A♦ K♣, which was a strong hand, but it was beat by the J♥ T♥ of Temani who made a pair of tens to scoop the huge pot.

Player	Chips
VT Vaibhav TemaniIndia	46,300(154 BB)
TT Tien Thanh NguyenViet Nam	15,000(50 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 5:22:00 AM

Random Chip Counts

Level 5: 200 / 300 ante: 300

During the break, a quick scan around the room revealed some sizable stacks. Of course, these are not official chip count leaderboards, but they are quite significant.

Player	Chips	Progress
KG Kongming GuoChina	85,500(285 BB)	55,500
TD Tan Dat LuuViet Nam	76,200(254 BB)
DK Do Khac ThangViet Nam	68,200(227 BB)	38,200
JN Johnni NielsenSweden	66,500(222 BB)	36,500
VT Van Tan TranViet Nam	64,000(213 BB)

Level 5: 200 / 300 ante: 300

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 57/69

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 47/59

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 4:50:55 AM

China Represent

Level 4: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Some more late entries have jumped in Flight A of the Madness Kickoff.

China's Kongming Guo has taken a seat. Guo has made his total live earnings from WSOP Online cashes and has yet to make a major score in live events.

Fellow countryman Kai Li has also started peeling some cards. With over USD 47,000 in total live earnings, Li made his biggest score in September 2025 when he won the High Roller Opener during Dragon Grand Poker Opening in Hanoi for over USD 18,000.

Another notable Chinese pro in the field is Yiming Ji with over USD 88,000 in total live earnings.

Player	Chips
KG Kongming Guo	30,000(100 BB)
LK Li KaiChina	30,000(100 BB)
YJ Yiming JiChina	30,000(100 BB)

Level 4: 200 / 300 ante: 300

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 34/37

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 4:25:40 AM

Nguyen Wins It On The River

Level 3: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Duy Hung Nguyen was on the lowjack against Ivan Lukianov on the hijack. Both players were competing for a pot of around 2,500 with a flop that showed 8♠ J♣ 2♣

Nguyen check-called the 600 bet of Lukianov to see a 7♦ on the turn

Nguyen check-called again for 1,000 to see a Q♠ land on the river

This time around, it was Nguyen who led out for 2,200. Lukianov took a moment, took a quick stare at his seat mate and eventually threw in the chip to call.

Nguyen peeled open Q♣ 8♣ for two pair, while Lukianov tapped the table "nice hand" and mucked his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	31,300(157 BB)	-11,000
DH Duy Hung NguyenViet Nam	23,400(117 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 4:18:44 AM

Tran Barrels Through

Level 3: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Quang Thang Do opened for 500 from early position. Manh Duong Tran then three bet to 2,000 on the button with Yonghwi Im defending the big blind with a call.

Do stood down, leaving the two players to see a flop drop T♣ J♠ A♥

Im check-called the 1,500 bet of Tran and were shown a 7♥ on the turn.

Im tapped his option over to Tran, who barreled another 2,500. Im took a peek at his cards before flicking them back to the dealer, awarding the sizable pot to Tran.

Player	Chips
QT Quang Thang DoViet Nam	31,500(158 BB)
MD Manh Duong TranViet Nam	28,600(143 BB)
YI Yonghwi ImSouth Korea	17,500(88 BB)

Level 3: 100 / 200 ante: 200

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 32/33

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 3:49:55 AM

How They Stack Up

Level 2: 100 / 100 ante: 100

There are a total of 29 entries so far with 27 players on their seats. A quick scan around the room revealed that Thailand's Supatchai Waukasigorn has the chip lead with 60,500 chips.

Although this is not an official leaderboard, here are some other random sizable chip counts:

Player	Chips
SW Supatchai WaukasigornThailand	60,500(605 BB)
TP Trong Phuc HaViet Nam	44,800(448 BB)
AP Anh Phuong TranViet Nam	44,500(445 BB)
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	42,300(423 BB)
XG Xuan Giang NguyenViet Nam	37,200(372 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 3:44:22 AM

30 Million Chip Leader Bonus

Level 2: 100 / 100 ante: 100

An added incentive was given for those who joined Flight A with the chip leader at the end of the day set to earn a VND 30 Million bonus. That amount secures a triple up from the VND 11 million buyin.

Level 2: 100 / 100 ante: 100

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 26/27

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 3:18:53 AM

Early Birds At The Tables

Level 1: 100 / 100

Johnni Nielsen

A total of 19 entries signed up early for the first of five Day 1 flights. Some of the more familiar names already riffling some chips are the likes of Thanh Long Bui of Vietnam, who is still seeking his first poker title. Bui was a runner-up in the Monster Stack event during VPG Ho Chih Minh, where he banked a career best USD 10,534.

Sweden's Johnni Nielsen is ready to make his mark in the USOP. With nearly USD 180,000 in total live earnings, Nielsen is a two-time USOP winner. In fact, Nielsen won the Madness Kickoff event during USOP Hai Phong 2024, scoring a career high USD 66,912.

Scotland's Kevin Hunter has been making the poker rounds around the region. Hunter recently booked a championship in the Mini High Roller during RPTC II Hanoi.

Player	Chips
TL Thanh Long BuiViet Nam	30,000(300 BB)
JN Johnni NielsenSweden	30,000(300 BB)
KH Kevin HunterUnited Kingdom	30,000(300 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/19/2026, 3:05:30 AM

Blast Off!

Level 1: 100 / 100

Cards are in the air and the USOP Ha Long Bay 2026 is officially underway with Flight A of the Madness Kickoff getting the ball rolling.

Stay tuned for live updates.

Level 1: 100 / 100

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 19/19

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/19/2026, 1:00:00 AM

USOP Vietnam Halong Bay Kicks Off Today at InterContinental Halong Bay Resort

The wait is almost over. Day 1A of the Madness Kick Off is about to begin, marking the highly anticipated return of the USOP to Vietnam. The tables are set inside the InterContinental Halong Bay Resort, where players will get to look out at the famous green islands and clear waters of Halong Bay while they play.

This opening event features a buy-in of VND 11,000,000 (~USD 420) and a massive VND 10,000,000,000 (~USD 380,000) guaranteed prize pool. Everyone will start the day with 30,000 chips, and the blinds go up every 30 minutes. Late registration stays open for the first 11 levels, giving players until about 4:00 PM to jump into the action.

The plan for today is to play down to the final 12.5% of the field, with everyone making it through securing a cash. On top of that, there is an extra VND 30,000,000 (~USD 1,140) bonus waiting for whoever bags the chip lead at the end of the flight.

For those who miss the morning start or need to fire another bullet, Day 1B kicks off later today at 4:00 PM.

Follow Somuchpoker for today's live updates and action straight from the tournament floor.

Event starts 10:00 local time..