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.

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.