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.

On the bubble, after raising from the button, Tan Lining called J.C. Sayo’s all-in shove from the big blind, putting Sayo at risk.

J.C. Sayo: A♦ 7♥

Tan Lining: T♣ T♥

Lining’s pocket tens held firm as the board ran out 8♥ 5♣ K♠ K♣ 2♦, eliminating Sayo as the unfortunate bubble boy of Day 1B and bringing the first day of the Won Poker Cup III Warm-Up to a close.

Suya Lee shoved all-in from the cutoff and was put at risk when Tan Lining called from the big blind, taking both players to a showdown.

Suya Lee: A♥ 7♦

Tan Lining: A♦ J♣

The flop came 2♠ A♠ A♣, giving both players trips, but Lining held the superior kicker. The turn brought the 3♣, and the river 5♦ changed nothing. With no improvement, Lee was eliminated just short of reaching the money and qualifying for the final day.

In a preflop five-bet all-in, Santiago Ramos found himself at risk against Zou Yi in a high-stakes showdown.

Santiago Ramos: J♣ J♦

Zou Yi: A♠ A♦

Ramos ran straight into pocket aces — a daunting matchup that cast an immediate shadow over his tournament hopes. The flop came 4♥ A♣ 8♣, giving Yi top set and all but sealing Ramos’ fate.

But the coup de grâce came on the turn, when the 8♥ fell, improving Yi to a full house. The Q♣ river changed nothing, and Ramos made his exit, visibly worn after a grueling day of Day 1 flights.

Under the gun, Suhendro open-shoved all-in and was called by Phan Huu Minh Tri on the button. Jo Seng Mok, in the big blind, also moved all-in. Tri called once again, putting both opponents at risk in a three-way showdown.

Suhendro: K♣ J♣

Jo Seng Mok: A♠ Q♠

Phan Huu Minh Tri: 7♥ 7♦

Although Tri was initially ahead with pocket sevens, the action was far from over. The flop came A♥ 7♠ 4♠, giving Tri a set but also giving Mok a strong flush draw. Suhendro was left needing a miracle.

The turn brought the 9♠, completing Mok’s flush and seemingly securing the pot. Suhendro was drawing dead — but the river delivered the 4♦, pairing the board and giving Tri a full house. That miracle river eliminated Suhendro and left Mok stunned, as the pot was pushed to Tri.

Tan Lining raised to 8,000, prompting Santiago Ramos to shove all-in. Lining, at risk, made the call and they went to showdown.

Tan Lining: A♥ 9♣

Santiago Ramos: 8♣ 8♥

Lining paired his nine on the flop to edge ahead of Ramos’ pocket eights. The A♣ on the turn solidified his lead with top pair, securing the double-up. The river came 6♣, and the dealer pushed the pot in Lining’s direction.

Hao Nguyen raised to 8,000 and was called by Ilya Firstov in the big blind.

The flop came 8♦ 2♦ 4♣. After a check from Firstov, Nguyen shoved all-in. Firstov called, putting himself at risk.

Ilya Firstov: 6♦ 4♠

Hao Nguyen: T♠ 8♠

Firstov had mid-pair, but Nguyen held top pair. The turn brought the 5♦, giving Firstov straight and flush outs, but the 8♣ on the river improved Nguyen’s hand to trips, ending Firstov’s tournament run.

After he raised from the hijack, Hoa Nguyen called an all-in reply from an Indonesian player, bringing the hand to a showdown.

Indonesian player: 4♥ 4♦

Hoa Nguyen: K♦ Q♥

The board ran 5♣ K♣ Q♠ 2♦ J♥, immediately giving Nguyen two pair on the flop and leaving little hope for the Indonesian player to get ahead. He left the floor as Nguyen scooped the pot.

We didn't catch the action firsthand, but Mike Takayama was eliminated in a hand against Santiago Ramos. Ramos held pocket jacks against Takayama's kings.

According to reports, the flop came jack-high, giving Ramos a set and sending Takayama to the rail.

The Won Poker Cup is back for its third edition, running from May 14 to May 21, 2025, at the luxurious Won Majestic Hotel in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Following the overwhelming success of its first two festivals, this year’s series is expected to attract even more players from around the world. Set against the stunning backdrop of a coastal city with warm beaches and scenic views, the festival promises an exciting week of top-tier poker action.

Some of the most recognizable names in the Asian poker scene are expected to hit the felt, adding intensity and flair to the tables. Among them is Henri Hinds, the defending champion of the Won Poker Cup II Main Event, who is rumored to return to defend his title. Anzhela Vasylenko of Ukraine—last year’s Ladies Event winner—is confirmed to return, bringing both charm and sharp play back to the spotlight. Indonesia’s Jhon Hendri, who took down last year’s Mystery Bounty and W High Roller, has already been spotted in the country and is expected to compete again. Meanwhile, Yunsheng Sun, winner of the Single Day High Roller Event, is also set to return for more high-stakes action.

Other notable players expected to join the festivities include Hai Ha Tran, Quang Do, Minh Thang Tran, Bien Mai, and Armon Van Wijk—all of whom promise to add even more firepower to the tournament fields.

Festival Kickoff: The Warm-Up Event

The festival opens with the Warm-Up Event, featuring a guaranteed prize pool of $50,000 for a buy-in of $565. This event offers two Day 1 flights on the same day:

Day 1A begins at 12:00 noon

Day 1B starts at 5:00 PM, local time

Both flights will play down to the money. Day 1A will feature 30-minute levels, while Day 1B will run with 30/25-minute levels. All players will begin with four time banks, giving them extra time to make critical decisions under pressure.

Late registration remains open until the start of Level 11, approximately 5:45 PM for Day 1A and 10:45 PM for Day 1B.

Stay tuned as we bring you live updates and coverage from the opening moments of the much-anticipated Won Poker Cup III.