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.

David Erquiaga limp-called Neng Zhao’s all-in shove from the big blind. With his tournament life on the line, Erquiaga revealed his hand and awaited the dealer’s verdict.

David Erquiaga: Q♦ Q♥

Neng Zhao: A♣ 9♠

Board: A♦ 5♦ 2♥ K♠ 3♦

Zhao wasted no time, spiking an ace right on the flop to take the lead and leave Erquiaga on the ropes. The turn and river brought no help, sealing Erquiaga’s fate and sending him to the rail — heartbreakingly close to the money.

David Erquiaga raised to 12,000 from under the gun and was called by Neng Zhao on the button.

On the 9♣ 5♥ K♠ flop, Zhao led out for 10,000, only to be check-raised by Erquiaga. Zhao called, and both players checked down the Q♥ turn and 6♥ river.

Erquiaga tabled A♥ 7♦ for ace-high, but Zhao revealed T♥ 6♥ for a rivered pair to take down the pot.

Tan Lining went all-in from the small blind after Neng Zhao raised to 8,000 from the button. Zhao called, putting Lining at risk.

Tan Lining: A♦ 8♣

Neng Zhao: A♠ T♥

Zhao was ahead preflop and improved further when the flop fell Q♥ Q♦ K♦, giving him a gutshot straight draw. The J♣ on the turn completed Zhao’s Broadway straight. With both players holding an ace, Lining still had a chance to chop — but the river 9♣ sealed his fate, eliminating him and giving Zhao a healthy chip boost.