
Day 1B
Neng Zhao Tops Day 1B, Eyes Back-to-Back Titles at Won Poker Cup III

Day1B of the Won Poker Cup III Mystery Bounty is officially in the books, and it's Neng Zhao who leads the survivors after amassing a towering 1,019,000 in chips.
Out of 119 total entries, only 15 players made it through to Day 2, joining the survivors from previous flights. This puts the running total at 194 entries, with Day 1C still underway and sure to push the field even higher.
Zhao, fresh off his victory in the Won Poker Cup III Warm-Up, is in prime position to capture a second trophy. His stack more than double Day 1A chip leader Khayal Abbasov, who bagged 410,000, and falls behind Kim Long Lam, who bagged 510,000 chips.
Zhao showcased a masterclass in chip accumulation throughout the day—building patiently, applying pressure at the right moments, and exploiting spots where others faltered. Once he established control, he wielded his stack with surgical aggression, often forcing opponents into uncomfortable folds or ill-timed shoves.
Fittingly, Zhao closed the flight with a bang—bursting the bubble when his queens held against Thai Cong Huan’s ace-jack, sending Huan to the rail just short of the money.
Several other notable names from Day 1B are also through to the final day, ready to chase bounties and glory.
With Day 1C still ongoing, the field will grow—but the question is:
Can Zhao hang on to the top spot and run it back for a second title in the same series?
Day 1B Chip Counts
Player | Chips |
---|---|
NZ Neng Zhao | 1,019,000(127 BB) |
LK Lam Kim Long | 511,000(64 BB) |
MT Minh Thang Tran | 378,000(47 BB) |
CJ Craig Jones | 317,000(40 BB) |
HN Hoang Nam Nguyen | 179,000(22 BB) |
SK Sergey Kharitonov | 176,000(22 BB) |
PN Pham Ngoc Tuan | 175,000(22 BB) |
SA Sheng An | 159,000(20 BB) |
OT Oleg Titov | 159,000(20 BB) |
HT Hai Tan Pham | 145,000(18 BB) |
LT Lining Tan | 82,000(10 BB) |
NH Nguyen Huu Cao Tri | 74,000(9 BB) |
NG Nikolai Guliaev | 55,000(7 BB) |
KH Kinh Huyen Nguyen | 38,000(5 BB) |
Aces Uncracked: Jones Sends Kevin Packing
Craig Jones opened the action with a raise to 15,000, and Kevin answered with a shove. Without hesitation, Jones made the call, putting Kevin on the brink of elimination.
Craig Jones: A♥ A♠
Kevin: A♣ Q♥
It was a classic cooler, and Kevin needed a miracle. But the board ran out 4♥ 7♣ 2♣ 2♥ K♥, offering no lifeline. Jones’ rockets stood tall, and Kevin’s tournament journey came to an abrupt end.
Jones, cool and composed, raked in the pot as another contender hit the rail.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
CJ Craig Jones | UTG+1 | 230,000(38 BB) |
Tri Topples Jones with a Turn Hit
Craig Jones made the call on Phan Huu Minh Tri’s open-shove from his immediate right, risking his tournament life in the process.
Jones was relieved to see he had A♣ J♥, a strong favorite against Tri’s K♦ 7♦. But the poker gods had other plans.
The flop of T♥ Q♣ 3♥ kept Jones ahead, but when the 7♣ landed on the turn, the tide turned sharply in Tri’s favor. The river 4♠ sealed Jones’ fate, sending him to the rail, visibly disheartened, as Tri collected the pot with a timely pair of sevens.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
NH Nguyen Huu Cao Tri | UTG | 74,500(19 BB) |
CJ Craig Jones | UTG+1 | 173,500(43 BB) |