Viet Nam, InterContinental Halong Bay ResortEVENT #1

2026.05.19 - 2026.05.21Add to Calendar

U Series Of Poker

Blind level

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Entries

44/347

Total Chips

10,410,000

Average

236,591

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 3:15:50 PM

Duy Anh Pham Leads 44 Survivors Of Day 1C

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Duy Anh Pham, Madness Kickoff Day 1C Chip Leader

The USOP Vietnam Ha Long Bay 2026 continued its march on its second day with three Day 1 flights on offer for the Madness Kickoff VND 10 billion (~USD 380,000) guaranteed. There were a total of 347 entries that stormed the poker tables in the world-class InterContinental Ha Long Bay Convention Center to compete for 44 ITM slots that secure an advance to the Day 2 final.

Cards were shuffled and dealt at 10:00 AM local time with blind levels increasing every 30 minutes. The exciting tournament action went on until the 20th level when the bubble burst on Tuan Huy Nguyen of Vietnam courtesy of China's Chengshan Wu.

The Bubble Hand Where Tuan Huy Nguyen Fell As The Bubble Boy

When the bubble burst and the chips were counted, it was Vietnam's Duy Anh Pham who took the chip leader title, bagging an impressive 639,000 chips. Within an arm's length was Australia's Neng Zhao, who finished with 577,000 chips.

Rounding up the top three was Hoai Nam La of Vietnam, sitting with 548,000 chips.

These were the top ten chip counts of Flight 1C:

Player	Chips
DA Duy Anh PhamViet Nam	639,000(64 BB)
NZ Neng ZhaoAustralia	577,000(58 BB)
HN Hoai Nam LaViet Nam	548,000(55 BB)
TX Tianlong XinChina	451,000(45 BB)
DQ Dang Quyen AnhViet Nam	394,000(39 BB)
QS Quang Son NguyenViet Nam	386,000(39 BB)
SY Sangwook YimSouth Korea	361,000(36 BB)
HL Hoang Linh NguyenViet Nam	332,000(33 BB)
ZY Zhifan Ye (2)China	308,000(31 BB)
VT Van Tam VuViet Nam	282,000(28 BB)

The 44 Day 1C survivors will be joining the 22 Day 1B survivors (out of 174 entries) and the 21 Day 1A survivors (out of 162 entries).

At the time of this report, flight Day 1D registered a total of 327 entries and will be playing down to 49 survivors. flight Day 1E is also still underway with registration still open and the final numbers yet to be determined.

Click HERE to view the complete Day 1C survivor chip counts.

Among the notable survivors to also make it through to Day 2 from flight Day 1C were the likes of Ilia Timofeev (220,000), Ivan Lukianov (181,000), Junjie He (138,000) and Yuanxi "Wesley" Chen (50,000).

There were a lot of women who also joined the flight, such as The Poker Queens from Taiwan, though none of them were able to move on to Day 2.

Among the women that did advance were Qian Wang (309,000), Zhiying Zhou (169,000) and Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet (166,000).

Xianling Feng, one of The Poker Queens from Win Win Poker

Day 2 will continue tomorrow at 12:00 noon local time and will play until a champion is crowned. The total prize pool and complete payouts will also be determined and announced tomorrow upon the completion of the remaining Day 1 flights.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 2:08:24 PM

Aces Holds Against Big Slick on the Bubble

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

It only took two hands before the bubble finally burst. Under the gun Chengshan Wu opened the action, and Tuan Huy Nguyen moved all-in for his remaining 66,000. Wu didn't hesitate, instantly hitting the snap-call button to put Nguyen at risk on the absolute stone bubble.

Tuan Huy Nguyen: A♠ K♥

Chengshan Wu: A♦ A♣

Both players woke up with premium hands, but Wu was in dominant shape while Nguyen found himself at risk of bubbling the tournament.

It was a nightmare scenario for Nguyen, running his big slick directly into Wu's pocket aces. The J♦ 6♥ 4♦ flop offered no help, leaving Nguyen practically drawing dead. The J♣ on the turn sealed the deal, locking up the pot for Wu and sending Nguyen to the rail as the official bubble boy.

With Nguyen's elimination, play has officially concluded for the night. The remaining 44 players from the Day 1C field have successfully locked up a minimum-cash and punched their ticket to Day 2.

Congratulations to the 44 survivors who made the money!

Stay tuned for a full recap and the official end-of-day chip counts coming up shortly.

Player	Chips	Progress
TH Tuan Huy NguyenViet Nam	198,000(20 BB)
CW Chengshan WuChina	busted	-42,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 2:07:00 PM

Ye Doubles On The Bubble

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Haibiao Ye raised to 100,000 from under the gun and left 10,000 behind. Action fell to Duc Hai Vu on the small blind, who declared "All in!", covering the stack of Ye.

Ye eventually threw in his last 10,000 and made the call, risking his tournament life on the bubble.

Haibiao Ye: T♥ T♠

Duc Hai Vu: A♣ K♥

The board ran 2♣ 2♦ 4♠ Q♠ T♦

Ye avoided the overcards of Vu and even spiked a set on the river to give a triumphant double up ,while leaving Vu damaged.

Player	Chips	Progress
HY Haibiao YeChina	235,000(24 BB)	105,000
DH Duc Hai VuViet Nam	72,000(7 BB)	-104,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 1:51:16 PM

Bubble Time!

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

It is officially bubble time at the Madness Kickoff. Just 45 players remain in the field, with only 44 guaranteed a minimum-cash and a bag for Day 2.

Every hand now carries huge pressure, as the next elimination will officially burst the bubble and send the remaining players into the money.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 1:48:22 PM

Soft Bubble Ends for Van

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Action folded to the button where Dinh Nam Van raised to 45,000, leaving himself with just a single 1,000 chip behind. Leandro Dirlewanger defended from the big blind to take the hand to a flop.

The board came Q♦ T♣ 3♠ , and Van committed his final chip into the middle. Dirlewanger quickly made the call.

Dinh Nam Van: K♥ 7♥

Leandro Dirlewanger: Q♥ J♠

Van was already in rough shape and needed to improve against Dirlewanger’s top pair and straight draw. However, the 2♦ turn and T♦ river offered no help, ending Van’s run on the soft bubble while Dirlewanger added another knockout to his growing stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
LD Leandro DirlewangerSwitzerland	250,000(25 BB)	59,000
DN Dinh Nam VanViet Nam	busted	-45,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 1:31:17 PM

Tran Builds More

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Yuanxi "Wesley" Chen opened for 20,000 from under the gun. Ngon Huy Tran matched from the hijack.

Both blinds - Duy Anh Pham on the small blind and Xuan Trung Tran on the big blind - also joined the party.

The four players were shown a flop of 9♥ 4♥ 3♥ and all four checked in chorus to open a 6♦ on the turn.

Action checked over to Ngon Huy Tran who bet 32,000.

Pham and Xuan Trung stepped out of the way.

Chen threw in a time bank token and gave it much consideration, but eventually considered the wiser option to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
NH Ngon Huy TranViet Nam	482,000(48 BB)	100,000
DA Duy Anh PhamViet Nam	390,000(39 BB)	-50,000
YC Yuanxi ChenSingapore	101,000(10 BB)	-92,000
XT Xuan Trung TranViet Nam	81,000(8 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 1:27:22 PM

Chip Leaders At The Break

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

The tension in the room is reaching its peak as the money bubble is officially in sight. With 47 players remaining in the field, only 3 more eliminations are needed to secure a min-cash and bring a conclusion to Day 1C.

Here are the current frontrunners leading the charge into the business end of the day:

Top 10 Chip Count

Player	Chips	Progress
HN Hoai Nam LaViet Nam	548,000(55 BB)	48,000
NZ Neng ZhaoAustralia	501,000(50 BB)	446,000
TX Tianlong XinChina	479,000(48 BB)	436,700
DA Duy Anh PhamViet Nam	440,000(44 BB)	67,000
NH Ngon Huy TranViet Nam	382,000(38 BB)
QS Quang Son NguyenViet Nam	371,000(37 BB)	-66,000
DQ Dang Quyen AnhViet Nam	370,000(37 BB)
ZY Zhifan Ye (2)China	360,000(36 BB)
VD Van Dat NgoViet Nam	353,000(35 BB)	82,000
AT Anh Tuan LuongViet Nam	348,000(35 BB)	200,000

Level 20: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 47/347

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 47/347

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 1:15:00 PM

Yim's Big Slick Wins a Three Way

Level 19: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

There were three cards on their backs with Ko Zaw Ko and Sangwook Yim risking all their chips against Haibiao Ye to build a pot of 255,000.

Ko Zaw Ko: K♥ J♠

Sangwook Yim: A♣ K♦

Haibiao Ye: K♣ J♦

Yim was ahead and dominated both hands.

The board ran 9♣ 7♣ 2♥ T♠ A♥

Ko was already out from his seat before the river landed.

Yim gave an exalted fist pump when the ace landed to assure his double up.

Ye stood away from the table and didn't return for the hand after.

Player	Chips	Progress
SY Sangwook YimSouth Korea	255,000(32 BB)	115,000
HY Haibiao YeChina	130,000(16 BB)
KZ Ko Zaw KoMyanmar	busted	-132,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 1:08:42 PM

Give Me Five!

Level 19: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Five more eliminations to go until the remaining 44 survivors are in the money and will advance to the Day 2 final for a higher place up the payout ladder.

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 1:01:58 PM

Li Rockets To A Huge Double

Level 19: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Trung Kien Nguyen was on the big blind. Shankui Li was on the hijack and Van Lam Nguyen was on the button.

The three players had built a pot of 55,000 and were shown a flop of T♠ 2♠ K♦

Trung Kien checked his option to Li, who fired a bet of 25,000.

Van Lam checked out his cards, but eventually decided to step away.

Trung Kien took a look at his cards and just before the clock ran out, decided to move all in with his stack, covering Li.

Trung Kien didn't even let go of the stack he pushed in and Li already threw a chip to call.

Trung Lien Nguyen: K♣ 6♣

Shankui Li: A♠ A♦

Nguyen had a pair of kings and was distraught when he saw the pocket aces of Li.

The turn threw in a 3♦ and the river J♥ closed out the win for Li, doing much damage to Trung Kien.

When the chips were counted, Trung Kien Nguyen had to ship 105,000 to Li.

Player	Chips	Progress
SL Shankui LiChina	265,000(33 BB)	235,000
TK Trung Kien NguyenViet Nam	46,000(6 BB)	-189,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 12:59:46 PM

Early Chip Leader Crashes Out

Level 19: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

With around 70,000 already building in the middle, the board read 9♠ 5♣ 2♥ 2♦ . Early chip leader Ngoc Cuong Huynh fired out a bet of 25,000, and Taeil Kim check-called to see a river.

The 5♠ peeled off on the end, prompting another check from Kim. This time, Huynh moved all-in for his remaining 79,000. The massive bet sent Kim into a deep tank, burning through three of his four remaining time bank cards before finally finding the call.

Ngoc Cuong Huynh: 3♠ 3♣

Taeil Kim: A♠ 9♣

Huynh was pulling the trigger on a bluff with pocket threes, but Kim delivered the bad news, tabling top pair to take down the pot. With that massive call, the former chip leader was sent packing just eight eliminations short of the money.

Player	Chips
TK Taeil KimSouth Korea	435,000(54 BB)
NC Ngoc Cuong HuynhViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 12:49:36 PM

Yim Finds A Two-Outer To Stay Alive

Level 19: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Action folded to Sangwook Yim on the button who shoved his last 50,000 all in.

Ko Zaw Ko was on the big blind and made the call.

Sangwook Yim: 6♦ 6♠

Ko Zaw Ko: A♦ 5♦

The flop came A♥ Q♣ J♦ to give Ko a pair of aces to overtake Yim and threaten his tournament life.

However, the joy was short-lived when the poker gods threw a two-outer 6♣ on the turn to give Yim a set of sixes.

The 7♣ made it formal, doubling up Yim in a critical way, while adding a huge dent to the stack of Ko.

Player	Chips	Progress
SY Sangwook YimSouth Korea	140,000(18 BB)	-151,000
KZ Ko Zaw KoMyanmar	132,000(17 BB)

Level 19: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 52/347

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 12:41:54 PM

Vu Finds Miracle River To Avoid Elimination

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

Action folded around to the blinds.

Van Tam Vu was on the small blind and limped for 6,000.

Zhiying Zhou was on the big blind and raised to 27,000.

Vu thought hard, looked at the clock, at his chips, at his cards, then threw in a time bank chip to think some more. Vu wondered if there really was such a thing as fairy dust that could make you fly, then eventually pushed all his chips all in.

Zhou didn't even ask for a count and pushed her stack forward to make the call.

Van Tam Vu: K♦ J♥

Zhiying Zhou: A♣ Q♥

Vu was completely dominated, but had live cards.

The flop of 3♦ 4♥ 8♣ still maintained the lead for Zhou. The turn 9♣ made it harder for Vu to breath.

And then, the poker gods threw in a K♣ on the river, giving Vu a pair of kings to avoid elimination and score a huge double up.

When the chips were counted, Zhou had to ship 138,000 to Vu.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Tam VuViet Nam	282,000(47 BB)	178,000
ZZ Zhiying ZhouChina	155,000(26 BB)	-108,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 12:32:58 PM

Every Pot Matters Near the Money

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

Action folded to the cutoff, where Leandro Dirlewanger opened the pot to 12,000. Sitting in the small blind, Ngoc Khanh Nguyen decided to apply some pressure, squeezing with a three-bet to 38,000. The action came right back to Dirlewanger, who answered by four-bet shoving all-in for 141,000 total.

Nguyen went deep into the tank, burning through two time bank cards before eventually letting his hand go.

With only 10 more eliminations needed to burst the money bubble and end the day, every single decision carries immense weight.

Player	Chips	Progress
LD Leandro DirlewangerSwitzerland	191,000(32 BB)
NK Ngoc Khanh NguyenViet Nam	121,000(20 BB)	116,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 12:20:29 PM

Just 14 Away From the Money

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

The field is continuing to shrink quickly, with only 58 players left in today’s flight. The pressure inside the room is definitely building as the money bubble gets closer, with just 44 players guaranteed a minimum-cash and a bag for Day 2 tomorrow at 12:00 PM local time.

For players who busted earlier or missed Day 1C, Day 1D is currently running and has already drawn 175 entries midway through registration. Meanwhile, the final chance to qualify comes later tonight with Day 1E Turbo kicking off at 9:30 PM.

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 58/347

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 12:12:00 PM

Nguyen Doubles In Battle Of The Blinds

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

Action folded to the blinds with Chengshan Wu on the small blind, raising for 10,000. Trung Kien Nguyen was on the big blind when he shoved all in for 121,000.

Wu tanked and assessed the move, then took a look at his cards and decided to make the call.

Trung Kien Nguyen: A♣ J♦

Chengshan Wu: A♥ 9♦

Wu immediately shook his head when he saw Nguyen's cards.

The flop came 2♥ 3♦ A♦ with both making top pair. However, the jack kicker of Nguyen was still alive.

The 3♣ on the turn gave both two pair and Wu needed a 9 to win or something better than a jack to split the pot.

But then, the poker gods threw in a 5♣ brick, awarding Nguyen a massive double up while putting Wu in critical condition.

Player	Chips	Progress
TK Trung Kien NguyenViet Nam	235,000(47 BB)	124,000
CW Chengshan WuChina	42,000(8 BB)	-75,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 12:11:39 PM

No Help for Pham

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

Action folded around to the cutoff, where a short-stacked Hoang Minh Pham moved his final 35,000 chips into the middle. It looked like he was about to successfully steal the blinds, but Van Dat Ngo looked him up from the big blind to put him at risk.

Hoang Minh Pham: A♦ 3♦

Van Dat Ngo: A♥ 9♥

Ngo had Pham heavily dominated with the superior kicker. Pham found no help on the Q♠ 8♣ 6♠ 7♠ 5♥ runout, sending the pot to Ngo and bringing the field one step closer to the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
VD Van Dat NgoViet Nam	271,000(54 BB)	168,500
HM Hoang Minh PhamViet Nam	busted	-30,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 12:11:00 PM

He Takes Out Min

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

Jinhee Min of South Korea had all her 43,000 chips in the middle and was all in on the hijack. Junie He was on the small blind and made the call.

Jinhee Min: A♣ 3♣

Junjie He: 9♥ 9♦

The flop of 6♠ 9♠ J♠ improved He to a set of nines, extending his lead and dimming the chances of Min.

The 2♥ on the turn had Min drawing dead and the 7♠ river was a formality to end her campaign.

Junjie He sits with over USD 870,000 in total live earnings and is a former APT Main Event champion.

Player	Chips	Progress
JH Junjie HeChina	270,000(45 BB)	80,000
JH Jin Hee MinSouth Korea	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 12:05:46 PM

Two Hands Change Everything for Zhou

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

It only took two hands for Zhiying Zhou, one of the few remaining female players in the field, to suddenly jump near the top of the chip counts.

The first hand started with Zhou opening to 10,000 before quickly calling off after Zicong Jiang shoved for 37,000.

Zicong Jiang: 7♣ 7♦

Zhiying Zhou: A♥ 8♥

It was a flip, but Zhou connected right away on the 8♠ 5♣ 4♣ flop to take the lead. Jiang was left needing one of the two remaining sevens, but the 9♦ turn and K♠ river changed nothing, ending his run.

Just one hand later, Zhou was back in action again after opening from under the gun. This time, Anh Tai Do moved all-in from the small blind for 101,000, and Zhou instantly called once more.

Anh Tai Do: A♠ Q♥

Zhiying Zhou: A♦ K♦

Zhou started the hand in great shape, but the Q♠ T♥ 4♦ flop gave Do the lead with a pair of queens. The 8♣ turn was no help for Zhou, leaving her with just a few outs heading to the river. Then the J♦ landed, completing a gutshot straight and stunning the table.

Do could only shake his head after the brutal river, while Zhou stacked another huge pot to move among the chip leaders late in the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
ZZ Zhiying ZhouChina	263,000(53 BB)	232,000
ZJ Zicong JiangChina	busted
AT Anh Tai DoViet Nam	busted

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 80/347

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 11:43:00 AM

Nguyen's Hooks Snag Le's Last Chips

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

Quang Son Nguyen opened for 8,000 from the hijack. Dam Nhat Linh Le pushed his last 77,000 all in from the button.

When action fell back to Nguyen, he didn't hesitate to call.

Dam Nhat Linh Le: A♠ Q♠

Quang Son Nguyen: J♠ J♣

The flop came 6♥ 7♦ J♦, giving Nguyen a set and leaving Le to find a miracle runner-runner to survive.

The 4♣ on the turn had Le drawing dead and the K♠ on the river formally ended his Madness Kickoff run in this flight.

Player	Chips	Progress
QS Quang Son NguyenViet Nam	437,000(109 BB)
DN Dam Nhat Linh LeViet Nam	busted	-29,400

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 11:41:01 AM

Alt’s “That’s Poker” Moment

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

Van Tam Vu moved all-in for his last 47,000, and Dinesh Alt shoved right next to him for 59,000 to isolate. Everyone else folded, setting up a massive premium pair showdown.

Van Tam Vu: T♥ T♣

Dinesh Alt: K♣ K♥

Alt was in great shape, leaving Vu drawing to just two outs. But the poker gods delivered a gut punch on the T♠ 6♦ 6♣ flop, spiking one of those two tens to give Vu a full house. Alt needed a king to save him, but the 9♠ turn and 2♥ river changed nothing.

The brutal beat left Alt with just three big blinds, and he was eliminated a few hands later. Still, he took it like a true professional, walking away with a smile and simply saying, "That's poker."

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Tam VuViet Nam	104,000(26 BB)
DA Dinesh AltSwitzerland	busted	-76,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 11:34:46 AM

River Rescue

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

Action folded to the button, where Van Viet Tong raised to 12,000. Win Htut Tin shoved from the big blind, and Tong snap-called for his last 71,000.

Van Viet Tong: 6♦ 6♣

Win Htut Tin: A♠ 7♠

The K♦ K♥ Q♦ flop gave Tin a bunch of extra backdoor outs to go with his overcards. The 3♣ turn was a brick, but the A♥ spiked on the river, giving Tin top pair to win the flip and send Tong to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
WH Win Htut TinMyanmar	175,000(44 BB)	56,500
VV Van Viet TongViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 11:34:41 AM

Nguyen's Sixes Good Enough

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

Anh Tuan Luong was in early position against Duc Hoa Nguyen on the button.

Both players were competing for a pot of around 40,000 chips.

The board read T♠ 7♥ 7♠ 2♣

Both players checked to show a 9♦ on the river.

Once again, both players decided to play conservatively with a check.

Luong opened a formidable A♦ J♣, but it wasn't enough to defeat the 6♥ 6♣ of Nguyen, who scooped the decent pot.

Nguyen was the bubble boy on flight Day 1A and will look to cross the line this time to advance to the Day 2 final.

Player	Chips	Progress
DH Duc Hoa NguyenViet Nam	170,000(43 BB)	170,000
AT Anh Tuan LuongViet Nam	148,000(37 BB)	-24,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 11:25:57 AM

Chip Leaders At The Break

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

With the clock winding down, the Day 1C field has been trimmed to just 99 players. The pressure inside the tournament room is starting to build, as only 44 players will make the money and secure their spot for Day 2.

Currently leading the pack is Van Thanh Nguyen, who has built an impressive stack of 425,000 to stand well ahead of the field.

Here are the current top stacks in the room:

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	425,000(106 BB)	397,000
DA Duy Anh PhamViet Nam	373,000(93 BB)	48,000
SY Sangwook YimSouth Korea	291,000(73 BB)	185,500
YN Yuxin NiuChina	260,000(65 BB)	43,500
NC Ngoc Cuong HuynhViet Nam	256,000(64 BB)	82,000
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	237,000(59 BB)	-22,500
NT Nguyen Thi Anh TuyetViet Nam	231,000(58 BB)	146,200
TA Tuan Anh Tran (2)Viet Nam	230,000(58 BB)	190,200
YC Yuanxi ChenSingapore	193,000(48 BB)
JH Junjie HeChina	190,000(48 BB)	-11,000
AT Anh Tuan LuongViet Nam	172,000(43 BB)	87,600

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 11:24:43 AM

Lukianov Pressures Bui

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

Ivan Lukianov

A sizable pot of around 36,000 was in the middle beside a board that showed 6♠ 3♠ A♦ 8♠.

Ivan Lukianov was on the big blind against Huy Nam Bui on the button.

Lukianov was first to act and fired 15,000 across the betting line.

Bui stared down Lukianov, who remained stoic and unfazed. Bui used up a time bank token and looked down at his cards, wondered if horses with wings still gallop when they fly through the air, then eventually flicked his cards back to the dealer before the clock ran out to cost him another time bank chip.

Player	Chips	Progress
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	270,000(68 BB)	33,000
HN Huy Nam BuiViet Nam	94,000(24 BB)	51,500

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 11:15:00 AM

Meanwhile...

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

Day 1D of the Madness Kickoff is already on its second hour with a total of 111 entries in the field so far at Level 5. Registration for that flight is still open and will close at approximately 10:00 PM local time.

The Turbo Day 1E with 20-minute blind levels is still set to start at around 9:30 PM local time.

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 99/347

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 101/347

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 11:02:22 AM

Nguyen Gets Some From Alt

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

Dinesh Alt was on the big blind against Trung Ha Nguyen on the lowjack.

Both players had a juicy pot of around 33,500 in the middle with a completed board that showed 3♦ 5♣ 2♦ 9♦ Q♣

Alt was the first to act and decided to tap his option over to Nguyen. Nguyen took his time and counted off a bet of 14,000.

Alt then went into the tank, assessed his own chip stack, took a look at his cards and eventually pushed in the chip to call.

Nguyen opened A♠ 9♣ for a pair of nines. Alt mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
TH Trung Ha NguyenViet Nam	122,000(41 BB)	84,700
DA Dinesh AltSwitzerland	76,000(25 BB)	-12,500

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 10:58:55 AM

Table 40 Loaded With Big Stacks and Big Names

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

Table 40 has quickly become one of the toughest tables in the room, packed with both huge stacks and accomplished players. While the average stack in the field is still below 100,000, four players at this table have already crossed the 200,000 mark. Leading them all is current overall chip leader Duy Anh Pham, who continues to build one of the biggest stacks in the tournament.

The danger at Table 40 isn’t just about chips, it’s also the experience sitting behind them. The lineup includes WSOP bracelet winner Guoliang Wei, USOP Hai Phong Grand Finale runner-up Ledong Zhou, reigning APT Incheon Main Event champion Junjie He, and experienced Australian regular Neng Zhao. With so much firepower gathered at one table, it has easily become one of the featured spots on the tournament floor.

Here are their current chip counts:

Player	Chips	Progress
DA Duy Anh PhamViet Nam	325,000(108 BB)	15,000
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	259,500(87 BB)	-12,500
YN Yuxin NiuChina	216,500(72 BB)
JH Junjie HeChina	201,000(67 BB)
TL Thanh Long BuiViet Nam	81,000(27 BB)	43,800
GW Guoliang WeiChina	72,500(24 BB)
LZ Ledong ZhouChina	69,000(23 BB)	-19,500
NZ Neng ZhaoAustralia	55,000(18 BB)
HN Huy Nam BuiViet Nam	42,500(14 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 10:48:44 AM

Niu Sniffs Out Massive River Bluff

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

With a hefty 63,000 already sitting in the middle, the complete board read Q♣ 9♠ 2♥ 7♥ 5♥. It was a blind-versus-blind battle between small blind Yuxin Niu and big blind Guoliang Wei, the latter notably being the only player in today's field holding a coveted WSOP bracelet.

Niu checked the river over to the champion, prompting Wei to fire a massive, over-pot bet of 70,000. The sheer size of the wager sent Niu deep into the tank. He burned through every single one of his remaining time bank cards, agonizing over the decision before finally finding the courage to make the call.

Wei reluctantly tabled K♣ J♣ for just king-high, having missed his backdoors. Niu then turned over 8♣ 7♣ for nothing more than a pair of sevens. It was a spectacular hero call from Niu, successfully sniffing out the bracelet winner's bluff to scoop a massive pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
YN Yuxin NiuChina	216,500(72 BB)	103,000
GW Guoliang WeiChina	72,500(24 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 10:42:51 AM

Nguyen Sends Le Sailing With A Boat

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

Quang Truong Le shoved his last 15,500 all in from the hijack. Van Hien Nguyen was on the big blind and had a big enough stack to make the call to defend.

Quang Truong Le: T♥ 8♥

Van Hien Nguyen: 6♥ 5♥

It seemed that Le had the heart advantage and two over cards against Nguyen. However, the poker gods had other ideas.

The flop came 5♣ 3♦ 3♣ to immediate give Nguyen two pair.

The turn was a Q♦ that didn't improve Le and the 5♠ on the river was a final stab to Le, giving Nguyen a full house to put an emphatic stamp on Le's exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
VH Van Hien NguyenViet Nam	133,500(45 BB)	54,600
QT Quang Truong LeViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 10:39:56 AM

Lin Continues To Build

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

Cesar Da Silva

Wencheng Lin opened for 6,000 on the cutoff and Cesar Da Silva defended his big blind with a call.

The dealer fanned a flop of 7♦ 2♦ Q♦

Da Silva tapped over to Lin, who continued with a bet of 7,500.

Da Silva folded, mindful of his short stack.

Player	Chips
WL Wencheng LinChina	145,000(48 BB)
CD Cesar Da SilvaBrazil	26,000(9 BB)

-

Remaining Players: 121/347

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 10:28:47 AM

Big River Barrel Forces Fold

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

The action was picked up on the turn with a healthy 32,000 already sitting in the middle.

The board read A♦ J♠ 8♦ Q♣ .

Quang Huy Nguyen, currently sitting 9th on the Vietnam All-Time Money List with nearly $1.8 million in live earnings, led out with a bet of 15,000. Dinh Hieu Nguyen took a moment before making the check-call to see a river.

When the 4♦ peeled off on the river, Dinh Hieu checked a final time. Quang Huy wasted no time applying maximum pressure, firing a final bullet by announcing all-in for his last 33,000. Dinh Hieu went deep into his tank, burning through two time bank cards before ultimately deciding to lay his hand down.

Player	Chips	Progress
QH Quang Huy NguyenViet Nam	95,000(38 BB)	30,400
DH Dinh Hieu NguyenViet Nam	50,000(20 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 10:20:02 AM

Le Shuts Down the Action

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

Action folded around to the cutoff, where Sangwook Yim opened with a raise to 5,000. Zhiying Zhou looked him up from the small blind, turning up the heat with a three-bet to 17,000. However, the action didn't stop there.

Dinh Hai Le woke up in the big blind and cold four-bet to 40,000. The massive show of strength completely shut down the action, forcing quick folds from both Yim and Zhou as Le collected the pot without seeing a flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
DH Dinh Hai LeViet Nam	121,000(48 BB)
SY Sangwook YimSouth Korea	105,500(42 BB)	-26,500
ZZ Zhiying ZhouChina	31,000(12 BB)	12,500

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 136/347

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 10:00:21 AM

Runner-Runner Saves Nguyen in Wild Spot

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

Under the gun Trung Kien Nguyen opened the action to 4,000, and hijack Jinkwan Kim came along with a call. The cutoff and big blind also defended to create a four-way pot.

The dealer spread an A♦ 9♦ 6♠ flop, prompting a 7,500 continuation bet from Nguyen. Kim responded by turning up the heat with a massive raise to 40,000. After the other two players quickly folded, Nguyen used a single time bank card before committing his remaining 46,000. Kim snap-called.

Trung Kien Nguyen: A♣ J♥

Jinkwan Kim: A♠ 6♥

Kim was well out in front with his flopped two pair against Nguyen’s top pair. The T♠ turn offered Nguyen a few counterfeit outs, and the poker gods answered on the T♦ river. The board pairing on the end counterfeited Kim's lower two pair, allowing Nguyen's ace-jack to lock up a superior aces and tens two-pair for a wild runner-runner double-up.

Player	Chips
TK Trung Kien NguyenViet Nam	111,000(56 BB)
JK Jinkwan KimSouth Korea	90,500(45 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 9:55:33 AM

Wu Cripples Kim

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

There was already a board that showed 6♣ 7♦ 3♣ 8♠ and a juicy pot worth around 35,000 in the middle.

In contention were Chengshan Wu on the big blind and Jinkwan Kim under the gun.

Wu and Kim had nearly identical stacks and both had their chips in the middle with Wu at risk.

When the cards were on their backs...

Chengshan Wu: A♠ Q♥

Jinkwan Kim: A♥ 4♦

Wu released a sigh of "yes" when he found that he was ahead. The T♣ on the river made Wu add a fist pump to win the massive pot.

Meanwhile, Kim shook his head in disbelief.

Player	Chips	Progress
CW Chengshan WuChina	117,000(59 BB)
JK Jinkwan KimSouth Korea	28,500(14 BB)	-62,000

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 9:37:26 AM

Alt On The Felt

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

Swiss poker pro Dinesh Alt has been making moves on the felt at Day 1C of the Madness Kickoff. Alt just came from an impressive run during the recently concluded APT Taipei 2026 where he cashed in 6 events that include 2 championships and 3 final tables.

Alt has over USD 2.3 million in total live earnings and a WSOP Circuit ring to his name.

It's the first time Alt has been to Vietnam and the firs time he's participated in a USOP series.

Good luck!

Player	Chips
DA Dinesh AltSwitzerland	88,500(44 BB)

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 154/347

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 9:20:28 AM

Huge Turnout for Madness Kickoff Day 1C

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

Registration for Day 1C of the Madness Kickoff is now closed, with a huge 347 entries recorded. That number alone surpasses the combined turnout from Day 1A (162 entries) and Day 1B (174 entries), showing just how quickly the field has picked up pace. After three starting flights, the total field now stands at 683 entries, with two more flights still to come.

From the 347 entries today, 173 players are still in contention. Play will continue tonight until the field is trimmed down to the final 44, who will all secure a spot in the money. Those survivors will return tomorrow at 12:00 PM local time to compete for the USOP trophy and a share of the VND 10 Billion (~USD 380,000) guaranteed prize pool.

For those who missed out on Day 1C, there are still two last chances to qualify for Day 2. Day 1D is already underway with registration open until around 10:00 PM, while the final turbo flight, Day 1E, starts at 9:30 PM with late registration running until 1:40 AM.

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 9:15:29 AM

Who's In

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

Quang Thang Do

With 173 players still with chips and a seat, some of the more notable figures still playing include the likes Kyle Diep of Vietnam. Diep has total live earnings of nearly USD 600,000 and has just been on a winning streak.

Diep won the Olympians event during the Gods of Poker Phnom Penh last March and followed that up with another victory in the Mini High Roller during GLPC IV Hanoi just last April.

Also on the tables are Quang Thang Do of Vietnam, who has over 112,000 in total live earnings. Do is a familiar face in the USOP, making final tables during USOP Hai Phong 2024 and the USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong 2024.

China's Ledong Zhou is still also on his seat. With over USD 827,000 in total live earnings, Zhou made his mark in the USOP by finishing as the runner-up of the Main Event during the USOP Grand Final Hai Phong, where he banked a career best cash of over USD 243,000.

Player	Chips
LZ Ledong ZhouChina	88,500(59 BB)
QT Quang Thang DoViet Nam	46,500(31 BB)
KB Kyle Bao DiepViet Nam	9,000(6 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 9:09:27 AM

Chip Leaders At The Break

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

Player	Chips	Progress
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	204,000(136 BB)	136,300
DH Duc Hai VuViet Nam	176,000(117 BB)
NC Ngoc Cuong HuynhViet Nam	174,000(116 BB)	-6,000
DA Duy Anh PhamViet Nam	173,000(115 BB)
VK Van Khoa HoangViet Nam	137,500(92 BB)	-24,500
TH Thi Hoa MacViet Nam	135,000(90 BB)	28,600
NQ Nguyen Quang SonViet Nam	133,000(89 BB)
SY Sangwook YimSouth Korea	132,000(88 BB)	34,500
DM Dinh Minh NguyenViet Nam	130,500(87 BB)
VV Van Viet PhamViet Nam	126,000(84 BB)	96,000
MK Mai Kim PhuongViet Nam	121,500(81 BB)
BK Binbin KangChina	119,000(79 BB)
WH Win Htut TinMyanmar	118,500(79 BB)	88,500
BC Bui Cong TuanViet Nam	117,500(78 BB)
DD Duc Do NguyenViet Nam	115,500(77 BB)	55,700
YN Yuxin NiuChina	113,500(76 BB)

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 177/344

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 178/344

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 8:51:44 AM

Nguyen Wins A Huge Win

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

The flop showed 3♣ 7♠ 2♣ beside a pot of nearly 20,000

According to the conversation, there was some bet, some raising and eventually all three players had their chips in the middle.

In the hand were Thi Minh Hong Pham, who had covered both Van Lam Nguyen and Yihao Li

Van Lam Nguyen: 3♦ 3♠

Yihao Li: 9♠ 9♥

Thi Minh Hong Pham: A♥ T♦

Pham was the most disappointed to make the call and see her chances turn dark and drawing dead against Nguyen.

The turn gave an A♣ and the river threw a J♥.

The entire pot was shipped Nguyen's way. Li exited and Pham was left crippled.

Player	Chips	Progress
VL Van Lam NguyenViet Nam	88,300(74 BB)
TM Thi Minh Hong PhamViet Nam	10,100(8 BB)	-13,900
YL Yihao LiChina	busted	-13,300

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 8:46:43 AM

Flip Goes to Tran

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

Following an under-the-gun open, Van Duc Tran three-bet to 10,000. Action then fell on Poker Queen Xiangling Feng, who applied maximum pressure by four-bet shoving. The initial raiser quickly folded, leaving Tran with a massive decision. He hesitated for a brief moment before finally committing his remaining 25,900.

Van Duc Tran: J♣ J♥

Xiangling Feng: A♣ K♣

It was a preflop race, but this time around, the pocket pair held up. Tran comfortably faded Feng's overcards on a clean 9♦ 8♥ 5♣ 7♥ 8♦ runout to secure a full double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
VD Van Duc TranViet Nam	57,600(48 BB)	-10,100
XF Xiangling FengTaiwan	32,000(27 BB)	5,700

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 8:43:20 AM

Black Jacks Triple Up Dinh

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

Duc Trung Dinh had his last 3,800 chips in the middle and was matched by Sangwook Yim and Khoi Nguyen.

Sangwook Yim and Khoi Nguyen didn't fire a bet and checked down all the way to the river on a board of Q♣ 9♠ 6♣ 3♦ 4♣

When the cards were shown, Yim tabled K♠ T♥, Nguyen showed T♣ 7♥ and Dinh showed the winning J♠ J♣

Dinh's black jacks earn a crucial triple up and some breathing room.

Player	Chips	Progress
SY Sangwook YimSouth Korea	97,500(81 BB)
KN Khoi NguyenViet Nam	54,500(45 BB)	-12,500
DT Duc Trung DinhViet Nam	14,400(12 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 8:35:58 AM

Huge Turn Sweat, Clean River for Nguyen

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

Facing a min-raise, Trung Ha Nguyen three-bet shoved for 15,900 from the hijack. Action folded to Yihao Li on the button, who looked him up with a four-bet shove of his own to isolate.

Trung Ha Nguyen: 9♥ 9♦

Yihao Li: A♦ J♦

The flop fell K♦ Q♠ 3♣ , giving Li some backdoors to go with his overcards. The real sweat came on the Q♦ turn, which opened up a broadway straight draw and a royal flush draw for Li.

Nguyen had to dodge a mountain of outs on the river, and he did exactly that when the 9♣ peeled off. The river safe-card actually improved Nguyen to a full house, securing him a hard-fought double-up.

Player	Chips
TH Trung Ha NguyenViet Nam	37,300(31 BB)
YL Yihao LiChina	13,300(11 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 8:28:48 AM

No Return

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

There are still 187 players with seats from the 323 (237 unique) total entries. Some of those who are unlikely to return include the likes of...

Player	Chips	Progress
DD Dinh Dung LeViet Nam	busted	-30,000
BL Bao Long BachViet Nam	busted	-30,000
NN Ngoc Nam PhamViet Nam	busted
XW Xiaomeng WangChina	busted	-30,000
LS Lei SongChina	busted
XZ Xinxin ZhengChina	busted	-30,000
YI Yonghwi ImSouth Korea	busted	-30,000
YS Yixuan SunChina	busted
SK Siddharth KariaIndia	busted
NC Nattapon ChaimungkhunThailand	busted	-15,700
LZ Lei ZhouChina	busted	-9,500
HA Hong Anh NguyenViet Nam	busted	-22,400
YH Yu Han CaiChina	busted	-27,600
TM Thi My Phuong NguyenViet Nam	busted	-31,200
XW Xiaomeng WangChina	busted	-30,000
KS Kimura ShumaJapan	busted	-55,300

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 8:22:14 AM

Last Chance to Enter: Registration Closing Soon

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

This marks the final level for players to jump into the action. Registration will officially close at the conclusion of this level and the subsequent 10-minute break.

The field has climbed to a massive 321 entries for this flight, with 193 players still seated and battling for a spot on Day 2.

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 194/321

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 8:17:01 AM

Ace on Flop Seals It for Ngo

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

From middle position, Van Dat Ngo opened the action with a raise to 2,000. Action folded to Nguyen Tuan Hung, who moved all-in for his remaining 20,200. Ngo didn't hesitate, making a snap-call to put Hung at risk.

Nguyen Tuan Hung: 8♣ 8♠

Van Dat Ngo: A♥ Q♥

It was a flip, but Ngo pretty much locked it up on the A♦ K♣ J♣ flop. The ace left Nguyen drawing to just two outs. The K♦ turn and 6♦ river changed nothing, and Nguyen was eliminated.

Player	Chips
VD Van Dat NgoViet Nam	102,500(103 BB)
NT Nguyen Tuan HungViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 8:13:52 AM

Rettenmaier Doubles From Bui

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

The cards were already on their backs with Marvin Rettenmaier at risk for his last 28,500 on the small blind against Thanh Long Bui on the big blind.

Marvin Rettenmaier: 5♠ 5♦

Thanh Long Bui: T♣ 9♣

The flop arrived 5♣ 3♦ 3♠ to immediately give Rettenmaier a full house and having Bui drawing dead.

The 7♦ turn and 3♣ river were just a formality to complete Rettenmaier's double up.

Player	Chips
MR Marvin RettenmaierGermany	59,500(60 BB)
TL Thanh Long BuiViet Nam	37,200(37 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 8:09:48 AM

Huynh May Be Sitting On Chip Leader Throne

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

Ngoc Cuong Hyunh

A quick walk around the spacious and comfortable poker area showed that Ngoc Cuong Hyunh may be the chip leader with a massive stack of 180,000 chips. Also equally impressive was the stack of Van Khoa Hoang with around 162,000.

These aren't officially the largest stacks, but these sure stand out in a room full of stacks.

Player	Chips	Progress
NC Ngoc Cuong HuynhViet Nam	180,000(180 BB)	107,800
VK Van Khoa HoangViet Nam	162,000(162 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 8:03:50 AM

Fan Applies Flop Heat

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

Action folded around to the small blind, where Yingkun Fan limped in. Sitting in the big blind, Jongwan Lee raised the price to 4,500, and Fan came along with a call.

The dealer spread an intriguing flop of A♥ 9♥ 7♣ . Lee maintained his aggression, firing out a continuation bet of 5,000. However, Fan slammed the door shut by executing a massive check-raise to 33,000. Lee was forced deep into the tank to weigh his options before eventually laying his hand down.

Player	Chips
YF Yingkun FanChina	48,400(48 BB)
JL Jongwan LeeSouth Korea	22,000(22 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 8:01:58 AM

Hou Banks A Triple

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

Van Thanh Nguyen opened for 2,000 from under the gun. Yuxuan Hou then moved all in on the next seat for his last 7,700.

Action then fell on Vaibhav Temani on the big blind, who raised it to 12,700. Nguyen looked like he wanted to jam, but just made the call instead to build a 10,000 side pot between him and Temani.

The flop came A♠ J♦ 5♥. Temani and Nguyen checked that down along with the 2♠ turn and the 6♦ river.

When the cards were opened. Temani showed a Q♠ Q♣.

Nguyen peeled open 8♠ 8♥

Hou then showed K♥ K♠ to take down the main pot and triple up, also happy none of his opponents had an ace to knock him out.

Temani scooped the side pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Vaibhav TemaniIndia	86,400(86 BB)	-11,600
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	28,000(28 BB)	-47,600
YH Yuxuan HouChina	24,600(25 BB)

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

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 196/294

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 7:49:57 AM

Poker Queen Feng Flexes Her Skills Early

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Upon the arrival of the Poker Queens, team member Yi Ping Feng wasted no time showcasing her skills on the felt.

With a pot of around 8,000 already brewing on a board of K♣ 9♣ 2♣ 3♠ , big blind Tuan Anh Tran fired out a bet of 3,200. Feng, unphased by the action, made the call to see a river.

When the 7♣ fell on the river, putting four clubs on the board, Tran checked over to his opponent. Recognizing the opportunity, Feng announced a bold all-in wager. The massive show of strength was more than enough to get the job done, forcing an immediate fold from Tran.

Player	Chips	Progress
TA Tuan Anh Tran (2)Viet Nam	39,800(50 BB)
YP Yi Ping FengTaiwan	25,400(32 BB)	-4,600

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 7:40:59 AM

Poker Queens Join a Growing Day 1C Field

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

The Day 1C action in the Madness Kickoff is picking up as more players continue to arrive and take their seats. Local players, regional regulars, and international visitors are all competing for a chance to move on to Day 2.

Adding extra life to the field today is the arrival of the Poker Queens. They are part of Win Win Poker, a new live poker venue in Taiwan, and currently have 13 members. Most of them are still early in their poker journeys, but a few already have live tournament experience, making them an interesting group to follow in this series.

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 7:35:15 AM

Cai Puts A Pinch To Pick Up Pot

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Fubin Wan opened for 1,600 in middle position. Yu Han Cai matched on the hijack and Chuan Feng also completed on the cutoff.

The three players were treated to a flop of Q♠ 2♦ 3♠

Wan tapped over to Cai, who threw in 2,000 past the betting line. Feng met the bet and Wan stood down.

The turn showed a K♥, which both players checked to reveal a 5♠ on the river.

Cai put in a small bet of 4,000 and Feng didn't bother to compete.

Player	Chips	Progress
CF Chuan FengChina	29,800(37 BB)
YH Yu Han CaiChina	27,600(35 BB)	-2,700
FW Fubin WanChina	23,800(30 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 7:28:22 AM

Nguyen's Big Slick Doubles From Lukianov

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Tien Dat Dang opened for 1,600 from under the gun. Ba Quan Nguyen three-bet raised to 5,000 on the hijack. Ivan Lukianov then four-bet to 9,000 from the cutoff.

Dang stood out of the way and Nguyen decided to move all in for his last 18,400.

Lukianov made the snap call.

Ba Quan Nguyen: A♥ K♠

Ivan Lukianov: Q♥ Q♦

Lukianov was ahead with a pair of red ladies and just had to fade Nguyen's out to score an elimination.

However, the flop showed K♣ 4♠ 3♠ to give Nguyen the overtake with a pair of kings.

The 5♦ turn and 7♦ river didn't improve Lukianov and maintained for Nguyen to double.

Player	Chips	Progress
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	67,700(85 BB)	-14,700
TD Tien Dat DangViet Nam	44,800(56 BB)
BQ Ba Quan NguyenViet Nam	41,500(52 BB)

Level 9: 400 / 800 ante: 800

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 189/263

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 189/263

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 7:01:20 AM

Bubble Pain Continues for Nguyen

Level 8: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Middle position Duc Hoa Nguyen limped into the pot, and after another player followed suit, current chip leader Ngoc Duy Tran raised it up to 6,000. Tran had been actively building his stack by aggressively raising the majority of his hands. Action folded back to Nguyen, who moved all-in, and Tran quickly made the call.

Duc Hoa Nguyen: 9♥ 9♣

Ngoc Duy Tran: A♠ 8♥

The flop came 5♣ 3♥ 2♦ , offering Tran additional straight outs alongside his overcard. The 7♣ turn changed nothing, keeping Nguyen’s pocket nines in the lead, but the 4♠ river completed a straight for Tran to lock up the pot.

It was a heartbreaking exit for Nguyen, who was the sole bubble boy last night on Day 1A and fell short once again.

Player	Chips	Progress
ND Ngoc Duy TranViet Nam	169,000(282 BB)	94,500
DH Duc Hoa NguyenViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 7:00:00 AM

Roses In Bloom

Level 8: 300 / 600 ante: 600

The field has grown to 248 entries with 180 players still with chips and a seat. There are a few roses among the thorns and this is how they stack up.

Player	Chips	Progress
TH Thi Hoa MacViet Nam	106,400(177 BB)	76,400
NT Nguyen Thi Anh TuyetViet Nam	84,800(141 BB)
YM Yin Myint HtetMyanmar	56,300(94 BB)	56,300
TM Thi My Phuong NguyenViet Nam	31,200(52 BB)
YH Yu Han CaiChina	30,300(51 BB)
YP Yi Ping FengTaiwan	30,000(50 BB)
QW Qian WangChina	27,700(46 BB)
XF Xiangling FengTaiwan	26,300(44 BB)
TM Thi Minh Hong PhamViet Nam	24,000(40 BB)	-2,300
HA Hong Anh NguyenViet Nam	22,400(37 BB)
ZZ Zhiying ZhouChina	18,500(31 BB)
NC Nattapon ChaimungkhunThailand	15,700(26 BB)	-14,300

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 6:50:57 AM

Lukianov Rivers To Show Nguyen The Exit

Level 8: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Nguyen Tra Nguyen defending his big blind against Ivan Lukianov who was under the gun.

Both players had a pot of roughly 20,000 beside a board that showed 2♥ 7♣ 9♥ 8♣

Nguyen had shoved his last 14,500 in the middle and Lukianov matched.

Nguyen Tra Nguyen: J♣ 9♣

Ivan Lukianov: A♥ K♥

Nguyen had top pair with a club flush draw, while Lukianov was drawing to overcards and a heart flush draw.

Eventually, the poker gods threw in a 3♥ to point the win in Lukianov's direction, eliminating a frustrated Nguyen in the process.

Player	Chips	Progress
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	82,400(137 BB)	52,400
NT Nguyen Tra NguyenViet Nam	busted	-30,000

Level 8: 300 / 600 ante: 600

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 175/219

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 6:38:47 AM

Vu Gives It Up on the River

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

With a pot of 20,300 already built, the board read 3♣ 6♥ 6♣ 6♠ 5♠ in a heads-up clash between Minh Hai Vu and Vaibhav Temani.

Vu led out with a river bet of 8,000, shifting the pressure onto Temani. After spending some time in the tank, Temani responded with a hefty raise to 20,000. Action went back to Vu, who weighed his options for a bit before ultimately folding his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Vaibhav TemaniIndia	98,000(196 BB)	68,000
MH Minh Hai VuViet Nam	8,400(17 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 6:29:15 AM

Top Pair vs Over Pair

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

With a scattered pot of around 25,000 in the middle and the board showing T♦ 5♥ 2♣ 9♣ , Tran Cong Sang fired a bet of 8,000. Van Thanh Nguyen responded with a check-raise all-in, prompting Sang to snap-call for the rest of his chips.

Tran Cong Sang: Q♥ T♣

Van Thanh Nguyen: K♥ K♣

Sang had snap-called with top pair, but he was trailing Nguyen's premium overpair. The K♦ river only improved Nguyen to a top set, sealing the pot and sending Sang to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	75,600(151 BB)	45,600
TC Tran Cong Sang	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 6:23:56 AM

Guo Dares Nguyen

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

Ngoc Khanh Nguyen and Kongming Guo had a pot of over 10,000 in front of them with a board that showed Q♦ A♦ 4♣ K♥

Nguyen was on the small blind and tapped his option over to Guo, who led out for a bet of 2,500.

Nguyen then raised it to 5,200, leaving a solitary 5,000 chip behind.

Guo had a quizzical look on his face and found the move rather odd, so he raised it to 10,200, daring Nguyen to spend his last chip.

Nguyen tanked and made use of a two bank tokens before taking a last look at his cards, then saying goodbye to them.

Player	Chips
KG Kongming GuoChina	60,400(121 BB)
NK Ngoc Khanh NguyenViet Nam	5,000(10 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 6:17:37 AM

Day 1C Field Surpasses Previous Flights with 177 Entries

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

The field for Day 1C continues to grow at a rapid pace, officially eclipsing the field sizes of both Day 1A (162 entries) and Day 1B (174 entries).

The tournament clock currently shows 177 entries for this flight, and with five more levels of late registration still to go, that number is set to rise significantly before the cages close at the start of Level 12.

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 6:13:49 AM

How They Stack Up

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

A quick tour around the room revealed a few big stacks. Of course, this is not an official chip leader board. This is just some of what was found.

Player	Chips	Progress
WD Wenqing DongChina	114,200(228 BB)	84,200
AT Anh Tuan LuongViet Nam	84,400(169 BB)
ND Ngoc Duy TranViet Nam	74,500(149 BB)
NC Ngoc Cuong HuynhViet Nam	72,200(144 BB)	34,300
VD Van Duc TranViet Nam	67,700(135 BB)	43,400

Level 7: 300 / 500 ante: 500

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 149/177

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 6:06:38 AM

Set of Aces No Good

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Action folded to the hijack where Van Hien Nguyen opened to 900, and was called by Thanh Long Nguyen from the cutoff.

The flop came A♥ T♥ 9♠ , and Van Hien fired a 1,600 continuation bet, which Thanh Long called. The 8♦ turn saw another bet from Van Hien for 2,800, but this time Thanh Long raised to 8,300. Action back on Van Hien, he announced all-in, and Thanh Long made the call for his remaining 21,300.

Thanh Long Nguyen: A♠ A♣

Van Hien Nguyen: Q♣ J♥

Thanh Long was visibly frustrated when Van Hien tabled his straight on the turn, completely crushing his top set of aces. The Q♦ river changed nothing, sealing a brutal elimination for Thanh Long.

Player	Chips
VH Van Hien NguyenViet Nam	78,900(197 BB)
TL Thanh Long NguyenViet Nam	busted

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 6:06:24 AM

Shuma Shoves To Pressure Van

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

The flop showed 3♠ 7♣ 8♥ beside a juicy pot of nearly 20,000.

Japan's Kimura Shuma had the option to act first from early position and shoved all in for around 35,000.

Dihn Ham Van was on the hijack and tanked, carefully studying Shuma. Shuma didn't budge. Van looked at the board then at his hand, then back again at Shuma.

Van then wondered if there really are lost cities drowned underneath all that ocean, then decided to finally let go of his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
KS Kimura ShumaJapan	55,300(138 BB)	25,300
DN Dinh Nam VanViet Nam	45,000(113 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 5:57:59 AM

Nguyen's Two Pair Catches A Bluffer

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

A pot of 6,000 was in the middle with a board that showed A♦ 8♦ Q♣ 9♣

In the hand were Lei Zhou in early position against Quang Huy Nguyen on the button.

Zhou pushed in a bet of 2,800, which was matched by Nguyen to show a 4♠ on the river.

Zhou then fired a bet of 8,500, almost half his remaining stack. Nguyen studied the board for a moment to assess in case he missed something. Eventually, he threw in a chip to call.

Zhou showed K♥ 7♥ for nothing while Nguyen tabled Q♥ 9♥ for two pair to scoop the pot and leave Zhou with crumbs.

Player	Chips
QH Quang Huy NguyenViet Nam	64,600(162 BB)
LZ Lei ZhouChina	9,500(24 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 5:55:34 AM

King-Queen Bests King-Jack

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Under the gun Minh Tu Nong opened to 1,000, and middle position Trung Chien Nguyen made the call, as did the big blind.

The flop came K♠ 8♣ 3♠ , prompting a continuation bet of 2,200 from Nong. Only Nguyen stayed in the hand to see the 7♥ turn. Nong slowed down with a check, allowing Nguyen to fire out a bet of 5,000. Nong made the call.

The 7♣ paired the river, and Nong checked one last time. Nguyen put out a bet of 15,000, and Nong used a time bank before eventually calling off his remaining 11,200.

Minh Tu Nong: K♣ J♠

Trung Chien Nguyen: K♥ Q♣

Nong was disappointed to see that both players had rivered two pair, but Nguyen held the superior queen-kicker. With his stack completely decimated, Nong was sent heading straight back to the registration desk.

Player	Chips
TC Trung Chien NguyenViet Nam	52,100(130 BB)
MT Minh Tu NongViet Nam	busted

Level 6: 200 / 400 ante: 400

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 131/147

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 5:40:03 AM

Yesterday’s Full Recap and Highlights

Level 5: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Catch up on all of yesterday’s biggest moments, standout performances, chip leaders, and side event winners with Somuchpoker’s full recap coverage from USOP Vietnam Ha Long Bay 2026.

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 5:25:24 AM

Femme Fatales On The Felt

Level 5: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Thi Minh Hong Pham during USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong

Some female players have also found their way into flight Day 1C of the Madness Kickoff.

Thailand's Nattapon Chaimungkhun is a familiar face in the USOP. She has participated in USOP Da Nang 2024 and USOP Hai Phong 2024. Her biggest career cash comes from a 39th place finish in the Main Event in Da nang, where she pocketed over USD 5,000.

Myanmar's Yun Myint Htet is fresh to the poker scene, having started her career just last year. Her most significant achievement was a final table appearance in the Daily Megastack side event during WPT Cambodia 2026.

Thi Hoa Mac of Vietnam has a modest total live career earnings of over USD 8,000, earned from her success in low to mid stakes events. Her best score was a 20th place finish during the GLPC II -Powered by USOP festival, where she banked over USD 2,000.

Last, and certainly not least, is Thi Minh Hong Pham of Vietnam. Pham is based in the UK, but frequently comes to Asia to participate in festivals here. Pham's biggest achievement was winning the Main Event during the UK Poker Championships by GG Poker earlier this year. She scored an astounding USD 136,348 top prize and boosted her total live earnings to pass the USD 500,000 mark.

Pham is no stranger to the USOP, having played in the USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong 2024. In that series, Pham scored four cashes, which include a 5th place finish in the Madness Kickoff and a 12th place finish in the Main Event.

Level 5: 200 / 300 ante: 300

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 92/103

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 5:05:33 AM

First Break Brings 100-Entry Mark

Break

The players are now on their first scheduled 10-minute break of the day. After a relatively quiet start, the field has quickly filled out, officially surpassing 100 entries.

Late registration and unlimited re-entries remain open until the start of Level 12, which will be at approximately 4:00 PM local time, giving players plenty of time to get in on the action.

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 85/96

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 5:02:00 AM

Vo's Persistence Takes From Pham

Level 4: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Thi Minh Hong Pham opened for 700 from early position and Minh Tai Vo defended his big blind.

Vo check-called the 800 continuation bet of Pham on a flop of 9♥ 5♣ K♦

Vo did the same thing on the J♠ turn, but this time for 2,200.

The river threw down a 9♣ and both players checked.

Vo revealed a 9♠ 4♣ for trip nines while Pham mucked her cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
MT Minh Tai VoViet Nam	33,500(112 BB)
TM Thi Minh Hong PhamViet Nam	26,300(88 BB)	-3,700

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 4:59:17 AM

Xin Stands His Ground

Level 4: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Facing an early position raise, Tianlong Xin three-bet to 2,000 from the cutoff. Action then moved to his left, where Van Duc Tran bumped the price up with a four-bet to 5,500. The initial raiser folded, and Xin made the call to see a flop.

The dealer spread Q♦ 5♣ 3♦ , and Tran fired a continuation bet of 4,500. However, Xin countered by check-raising to 12,000. The big move put the pressure back on Tran, who burned through two time banks before eventually folding his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
TX Tianlong XinChina	42,300(141 BB)
VD Van Duc TranViet Nam	24,300(81 BB)	-10,500

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 4:43:50 AM

Pocket Rockets Hold Strong

Level 4: 200 / 300 ante: 300

With around 8,000 already in the pot and a flop of J♣ 9♥ 6♣ showing, Yin Myint Htet was all-in for 17,700 against Duc Do Nguyen, who held the covering stack.

Yin Myint Htet: Q♠ J♠

Duc Do Nguyen: A♠ A♥

Htet had flopped top pair, but Nguyen was firmly in the lead with pocket aces. The turn and river ran out 7♦ 7♥ , keeping the overpair ahead and sealing the elimination of Htet.

Player	Chips	Progress
DD Duc Do NguyenViet Nam	59,800(199 BB)
YM Yin Myint HtetMyanmar	busted	-30,000

Level 4: 200 / 300 ante: 300

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 53/60

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 4:30:45 AM

Back-to-Back Losses Lead to Hsiao’s Sudden Exit

Level 3: 100 / 200 ante: 200

After building up a healthy stack early on, Shun Hsin Hsiao suffered a quick pair of losses that ultimately led to his elimination.

In his final hand, Hsiao opened the action from early position to 500 and found a caller. Action then folded to big blind Khoi Nguyen, who three-bet to 2,500. Not content with just calling, Hsiao fought back with a four-bet to 7,500. The middle caller folded, leaving only Nguyen to make the call.

The flop fell T♣ 9♣ 4♦ , and Hsiao fired a continuation bet of 5,000, which Nguyen quickly check-called. Both players chose to check the 6♣ turn, bringing the 4♠ on the river. Nguyen shook things up by leading out with an all-in shove. Hsiao hesitated for a moment before committing his remaining 15,100 stack.

Shun Hsin Hsiao: Q♠ Q♥

Khoi Nguyen: T♠ T♦

Nguyen turned over top set, and a stunned Hsiao could only sit up in his chair as his overpair was completely crushed, sending him straight to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
KN Khoi NguyenViet Nam	67,000(335 BB)	37,000
SH Shun Hsin HsiaoTaiwan	busted	-56,400

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 4:20:04 AM

Safe River Sends Tran Up

Level 3: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Facing an initial raise, Van Phuc Tran three-bet to 2,900, and original raiser Zhifan Ye made the call.

The flop fell T♦ T♠ 8♦ , and Tran fired a continuation bet of 3,500. Ye pumped it up to 10,000, prompting Tran to announce all-in for 14,300 total. Ye made the quick call to put Tran at risk.

Van Phuc Tran: J♦ J♠

Zhifan Ye: 9♣ 8♣

Tran held an overpair to the board, while Ye was trailing with bottom pair. The 7♠ turn gave Ye additional straight outs to catch up, but the 5♠ river bricked out, allowing Tran to secure a full double up early in the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
ZY Zhifan YeChina	40,200(201 BB)	-2,300
VP Van Phuc TranViet Nam	34,800(174 BB)

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 4:13:40 AM

Le Busts Shuma

Level 3: 100 / 200 ante: 200

The SMP live reporting team caught the tail end of the action when the chips of Japan's Kimura Shuma were being shipped the way of Shun Hsin Hsiao from Taiwan.

Hsiao had 5♠ 5♣ in front of him on a dry board, probably suggesting he won a flip against some over cards.

Nevertheless, Hsiao boosts his stack significantly, while Shuma was last seen at the cashier, firing another bullet to re-enter.

Player	Chips	Progress
SH Shun Hsin HsiaoTaiwan	56,400(282 BB)
KS Kimura ShumaJapan	30,000(150 BB)	500

Level 3: 100 / 200 ante: 200

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 35/38

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 3:54:37 AM

Huynh Takes It Down on the Turn

Level 2: 100 / 100 ante: 100

A preflop battle between button Zhifan Ye and small blind Ngoc Cuong Huynh built an early pot of 6,700.

On the Q♠ 8♣ 5♦ flop, Huynh led out with a bet of 5,000, which Ye quickly called. The action escalated on the 3♠ turn when Huynh moved all-in, pushing his remaining chips into the middle. The big bet was enough to get the job done, forcing an immediate fold from Ye.

Player	Chips	Progress
ZY Zhifan YeChina	42,500(425 BB)	12,500
NC Ngoc Cuong HuynhViet Nam	37,900(379 BB)	7,900

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 3:36:28 AM

More Notable Names On The Felt

Level 2: 100 / 100 ante: 100

Some notable poker pros of Asia have also taken a seat in Day 1C of the Madness Kickoff.

China's Wenqing Dong, with over USD 77,000 in total live earnings, has jumped in with a fresh starting stack. Dong has made all of his earnings playing festivals in Jeju, South Korea. Just last month, Dong made three significant cashes during the RDPT Plus Jeju 2026, which included two final table appearances. His best result on that series was a 3rd place finish in the Dragon Awakening event, where he pocketed a career best USD 23,300.

China's Zhifan Ye is one of the more prominent pros in the field with over USD 500,000 in total live earnings. Ye has had a stellar career playing in major festivals around the world. His last participation with USOP dates back to the USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong 2024, where he cashed in five highlight events, such as the Madness Kickoff, the Mini Main Event, the Main Event and the Championship event.

Level 2: 100 / 100 ante: 100

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 23/23

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 3:15:27 AM

Some Familiar Faces

Level 1: 100 / 100

Vaibhav Temani

Some familiar faces from yesterday's Madness Kickoff flights are back today for another crack at Day 2 advancement.

India's Vaibhav Temani is one of those who jumped in yesterday's Day 1A flight, did pretty well to start off his campaign, but failed to find a bag by the end of the night. Temani cashed in the Mini Main Event during USOP Da Nang 2023, and will look to make a deeper run and find better success in this event and series.

Russia's Ivan Lukianov was also one of yesterday's casualties, but is back again today for a fresh start. Lukianov's recorded poker career just began in November 2024 and has a modest total live earnings of over USD 8,000. Most of his career cashes have come from events during the USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong 2024. His most significant cash was a 21st place finish in the Mini Main Event of that series for just over USD 4,700.

Vietnam's Van Than Nguyen ran deep yesterday, but was eliminated just a few spots shy of ITM during the Day 1A flight. Hopefully, Nguyen will get to cross the line today to advance to the Day 2 final.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 3:10:33 AM

Slow Start for Day 1C with Small Early Field

Level 1: 100 / 100

It is a quiet start to the morning for Day 1C, with just 7 players currently seated at the tables as the tournament clock gets ready to tick down. Despite the slow early turnout, the field is expected to swell significantly as the day progresses and players continue to stream into the tournament area.

Here is the current list of early birds in their seats:

Player	Chips
WD Wenqing DongChina	30,000(300 BB)
NV Nguyen Van DoanViet Nam	30,000(300 BB)
VT Van Thanh NguyenViet Nam	30,000(300 BB)
VT Vaibhav TemaniIndia	30,000(300 BB)
NC Nattapon ChaimungkhunThailand	30,000(300 BB)
IL Ivan LukianovRussia	30,000(300 BB)
TP Trung Phong NguyenViet Nam	30,000(300 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

5/20/2026, 3:02:02 AM

Madness Kickoff Day 1C Begins

Level 1: 100 / 100

Cards are now in the air at USOP Vietnam Ha Long Bay 2026 as Day 1C of the Madness Kickoff gets underway inside the luxurious InterContinental Ha Long Bay Resort. Players are battling for a Day 2 seat and a share of the massive VND 10 Billion guaranteed prize pool.

Good luck to all the players taking their shot today. May the cards be with you!

Level 1: 100 / 100

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 7/7

JJ DuqueJJ Duque

5/20/2026, 12:47:22 AM

Final Day 1 Flights of Madness Kickoff Take Center Stage

The USOP Vietnam Ha Long Bay 2026 charges onto its second with the Madness Kickoff playing out its final set of Day 1 flights today at the impressive InterContinental Ha Long Bay Convention Center.

The opening day already saw two Day 1 flights conclude. Day 1A brought in 162 entries with 21 moving on to the Day 2 final scheduled for tomorrow. Vietnam's Hai Ha Tran topped the flight as the chip leader with a whopping 812,000 chips to set the bar. Tran was also awarded a VND 30 million bonus for his chip leader achievement. Click HERE for the Day 1A survivor chip counts.

Day 1B played later in the afternoon and saw 174 entries with 22 advancing to the Day 2 final. Topping that flight was Myanmar's Naing Khant with 644,000. Khant also earned a chip leader bonus for VND 25 million. Click HERE for the Day 1B survivor chip counts.

Day 1C will shuffle up and deal at 10:00 AM local time with more players expected to compete for a share of the VND 10 billion (~USD 380,000) guaranteed prize pool. The buyin is set at VND 11 million (~USD 420) with multiple re-entries available while registration remains open before the start of Level 12, which will be at approximately 4:00PM local time.

Meanwhile, the last two remaining Day 1 flights - Day 1D and Day 1E - will commence at 4:00 PM and 9:30 PM local time respectively.

Day 1C and Day 1D will have 30-minute blind levels, while Day 1E will be at a faster pace with 20-minute blind levels.

Stay here for all the live reports and updates.

Event starts 10:00 local time..