WARM-UP ($565)

Vietnam’s Hoang Duy Nguyen closed out Day 1 of the Won Poker Cup III Warm-Up event as the runaway chip leader, bagging a commanding 796,000 chips. He leads the 22 players who have secured seats for the final day—12 qualifiers from Day 1A and 10 from Day 1B.

With 95 entries recorded for Day 1A and 82 more for Day 1B, the event attracted a total of 177 entries, surpassing its guarantee and pushing the prize pool to $85,845.

Nguyen’s dominance was built on a foundation of strategic aggression and well-timed shoves that kept opponents off balance. His disciplined yet daring play allowed him to steadily grow his stack and separate himself from the rest of the field.

Trailing him are Jin Lin (395,000), the Day 1B chip leader, and Mr. Zou (389,000). Both players hold less than half of Nguyen’s stack, putting him in a commanding position heading into the final stretch.

The Day 1A field, though compact, featured several notable names, making it a minefield for anyone hoping to advance. Among them was Anzhela Vasylenko, the defending WPC II Ladies Tournament Champion, who showcased fearless play and well-timed pressure against her tablemates. She capped off her run by eliminating Jian Lin in a late pot, possibly leaving him with the false hope of sneaking into the money.

Day 1B offered an even stiffer challenge. With rising blinds and mounting pressure, players were forced into action at a much faster pace. Unfortunately for J.C. Sayo, he became the Day 1B bubble boy after his shove with A♦ 7♥ couldn’t crack Tan Lining’s pocket tens, ending his run just short of the money.

Other players advancing to the final day include Quang Huy Nguyen (146,000) and Khayal Abbasov (197,000), both well-positioned to make deep runs as the tournament reaches its conclusion.

Jian Lin opened to 8,000 from the lowjack and was called by Chao Luong in the cutoff. But in the small blind, Sacha Bayard pulled the trigger, shoving all-in. His move was quickly met with a call from his co-blind Hoang Duy Nguyen, putting himself at risk.

Lin and Luong wisely stepped aside, leaving the blinds to battle it out.

Hoang Duy Nguyen: A♣ A♠

Sacha Bayard: A♥ 3♥

Bayard’s shove backfired the moment Nguyen tabled pocket rockets. The board ran out 2♣ 6♥ 7♠ 2♦ 4♣, offering no escape.

Nguyen’s bullets hit their mark, cutting down Bayard’s stack and earning him a crucial double-up.