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Nagaworld

Cambodia, Phnom Penh

WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship 2026

2026.08.12 - 2026.08.24 Add to Calendar

World Poker Tour

Updates Chip Counts Info

Blind level

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Entries

21/124

Total Chips

4,960,000

Average

236,190

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:59:00 PM

Gathercole Leads Day 1A Survivors With 590,000 Into Day 2

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Nathan Gathercole - Day 1A Chip Leader

After more than 12 hours of play and 14 levels, Day 1A of the $500,000 Championship Event at NagaWorld has come to an end with 21 players surviving.

Leading the field is Australia's Nathan Gathercole, who held the chip lead for most of the day and finished with 590,000 chips (118 big blinds).

With just $27,000 in total live earnings, Gathercole is now in a great position to chase a breakthrough score. However, there is still a long way to go with the tournament far from the money.

Following Gathercole is Benoit Besnardeau, who endured a rough start but steadily climbed throughout the day to bag 495,000 (99 big blinds). Another Australian, Dale Townsend, completes the top three with 412,000 (82 big blinds).

Top 10 Chip Count

Player	Chips
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	590,000(118 BB)
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	495,000(99 BB)
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	412,000(82 BB)
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	363,000(73 BB)
MH Min Ho ChoSouth Korea	347,000(69 BB)
JP Jiaxian PanChina	302,000(60 BB)
SK Shixiang KhooSingapore	290,000(58 BB)
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	289,000(58 BB)
XL Xuqian LiAustralia	253,000(51 BB)
AA Aditya AgarwalIndia	251,000(50 BB)

Lucia Martinez

Martinez Carries the Women’s Flag

Among the 21 survivors is Lucia Martinez, the only woman remaining in the field. The poker player and content creator put together a strong performance throughout the day and finished with 289,000 (58 big blinds).

Martinez was consistently involved in the action and never looked out of place among the international field, putting herself in a strong position heading into Day 2.

Ari Engel

$10M in Earnings, 90K in the Bag

One of the most notable names in the field, Ari Engel, also made it through the opening flight.

With more than $10 million in total live tournament earnings, Engel brings a wealth of experience to the table. After starting his Asia run in Incheon, he made his way straight to NagaWorld for the Championship Event.

Engel finished the day with 90,000 chips (18 big blinds). It is not the biggest stack heading into Day 2, but with his experience, he remains very much in the hunt.

Still No Money Yet

The 21 survivors are through to Day 2, but the field is not yet in the money.

All Day 1 flights will play the same 14-level structure, with the combined field returning for Day 2 on August 23, when the bubble will finally burst and the remaining players will begin the race for the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

There are still two more starting flights to come, with Day 1B tomorrow at 11:30 AM followed by Day 1C on August 22, both running under the same structure as today's opening flight.

Congratulations to all 21 Day 1A survivors, but with the money still ahead and plenty of players yet to enter, the road to the title is only beginning.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:52:31 PM

Day 1A Final Chip Counts

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Nathan Gathercole

Player	Chips
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	590,000(118 BB)
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	495,000(99 BB)
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	412,000(82 BB)
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	363,000(73 BB)
MH Min Ho ChoSouth Korea	347,000(69 BB)
JP Jiaxian PanChina	302,000(60 BB)
SK Shixiang KhooSingapore	290,000(58 BB)
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	289,000(58 BB)
XL Xuqian LiAustralia	253,000(51 BB)
AA Aditya AgarwalIndia	251,000(50 BB)
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	246,000(49 BB)
RN Rindra NorodomFrance	199,000(40 BB)
AK Andrei KostitsynRussia	168,000(34 BB)
CP Chengcai PanChina	157,000(31 BB)
JS Juhyung SonSouth Korea	120,000(24 BB)
BY Benhur YbarsabalPhilippines	104,000(21 BB)
BR Bekzhan RasulovKyrgyzstan	95,000(19 BB)
AE Ari EngelCanada	90,000(18 BB)
ES Eike StrubGermany	72,000(14 BB)
EA Edgar AntezanaSouth Africa	61,000(12 BB)
NG Neeraj GajriaIndia	58,000(12 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:48:15 PM

Day 1A Ends With 21 Survivors

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

The final three hands went by quickly, with all 21 remaining players successfully bagging their chips for Day 2.

Stay tuned for the full chip counts of the survivors and the complete Day 1A recap.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:36:53 PM

Last 3 Hands

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

With 9 minutes remaining on the clock, play was paused as Aditya Agarwal drew a 3, determining the final number of hands to be played.

That means the remaining 21 players will play three more hands before bagging their chips for Day 2.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:31:00 PM

Cho Finds One of Three Outs

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Facing a minimum raise, Frank Njau on the button made it 75,000 before big blind Min Ho Cho four-bet all in for 137,000.

The initial raiser quickly folded, and Njau snap-called.

Min Ho Cho: A♠ Q♣

Frank Njau: A♦ K♥

Cho was dominated by Njau's ace-king, but the Q♦ 5♠ 3♠ flop gave him immediate help, hitting one of his three outs to take the lead.

The 5♣ turn and 3♥ river brought no further help for Njau, allowing Cho's pair of queens to hold and securing him a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
MH Min Ho ChoSouth Korea	292,000(58 BB)	155,000
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	223,000(45 BB)	-137,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:15:00 PM

Mystery Bounty Champion Hits the Rail

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Kaoru Kishimoto

Action folded to the button, where Asylbek Nasirbekov moved all in for 23,000.

Kaoru Kishimoto then raised to 50,000, before big blind Lucia Martinez announced all in.

Kishimoto looked at his cards and made the call for his remaining stack of around 150,000, setting up a three-way all in.

Asylbek Nasirbekov: K♥ 2♣

Kaoru Kishimoto: Q♥ Q♠

Lucia Martinez: A♦ J♦

The A♠ K♣ 8♦ flop immediately gave Martinez the lead, and she remained ahead after the T♣ turn.

However, the 2♠ river changed everything. Nasirbekov paired his deuce to make two pair and secure a triple up, while Martinez's hand was still good enough to win the side pot.

The result sent the Mystery Bounty champion to the rail and brought the field down to its final 22 players.

Player	Chips	Progress
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	434,000(87 BB)	89,000
AN Asylbek NasirbekovKazakhstan	74,000(15 BB)	36,000
KK Kaoru KishimotoJapan	busted	-183,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:06:00 PM

Norodom Sends Villanueva Out

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Early position Rindra Norodom opened to 12,000 and found one caller before cutoff Renato Villanueva three-bet shoved for 45,000.

Back to Norodom, who responded with a four-bet all in for 159,500, forcing the other caller to fold.

Renato Villanueva: A♥ J♥

Rindra Norodom: Q♦ Q♥

The board ran T♥ 7♦ 6♠ 2♠ T♦.

Villanueva picked up a pair of tens on the flop, but the board ran out without improving him further. Norodom's pocket queens held to eliminate Villanueva and add another sizeable pot to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
RN Rindra NorodomFrance	229,500(46 BB)	70,000
RV Renato Villanueva JrPhilippines	busted	-40,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 3:55:00 PM

Chip Leaders!

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Nathan Gathercole

Player	Chips	Progress
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	589,000(118 BB)	53,000
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	414,000(83 BB)	-9,000
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	397,000(79 BB)	102,000
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	345,000(69 BB)
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	315,000(63 BB)	-3,000
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	298,000(60 BB)	181,000
SK Shixiang KhooSingapore	286,000(57 BB)	-81,000
JP Jiaxian PanChina	231,000(46 BB)	1,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 3:45:35 PM

Final Level of Day 1A

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

This will be the final level of Day 1A tonight.

After this level, all remaining players will bag their chips and advance to Day 2, where the Championship Event continues on August 23.

Level 14: 3,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

60 minutes

Remaining Players: 25/124

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 3:30:16 PM

Last Break for the Final 25

Break

This will be the final 15-minute break of Day 1A, with 25 players remaining.

After the break, the field will return for the last level of the day before the remaining players bag their chips for Day 2 on August 23.

One final level remains before the surviving players can secure their stacks and prepare for the next stage of the Championship Event.

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 25/124

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 3:28:00 PM

Big River Raise Pays Off

Level 13: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Lucia Martinez

Early position Lucia Martinez opened to 8,000, and both button Jiaxian Pan and big blind Asylbek Nasirbekov made the call.

The 9♣ 6♥ 3♥ flop came down, and Martinez continued for 7,000. Both Pan and Nasirbekov called.

All three players then checked the K♦ turn.

When the 3♦ river peeled, Nasirbekov led for 23,000. Martinez responded with a raise to 75,000, forcing Pan to fold.

After taking some time to consider the decision, Nasirbekov eventually made the call.

Martinez tabled A♦ K♦ for top pair, top kicker, and it was good. Nasirbekov mucked his hand as Martinez took down the sizeable pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	345,000(86 BB)	111,000
JP Jiaxian PanChina	230,000(58 BB)	-15,000
AN Asylbek NasirbekovKazakhstan	38,000(10 BB)	-90,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 3:15:00 PM

Cho’s Four-Bet Shove Gets It Done

Level 13: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Min Ho Cho

Min Ho Cho opened to 9,000 from the hijack before Rindra Norodom squeezed to 25,000 from the small blind.

Back to Cho, who responded with a four-bet all in for 103,000.

Norodom went deep into the tank but ultimately could not find the call. He folded, awarding the sizeable pot to Cho without a showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
RN Rindra NorodomFrance	168,500(42 BB)	-60,500
MH Min Ho ChoSouth Korea	136,000(34 BB)	43,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 3:00:00 PM

Table 1 Chip Counts

Level 13: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Player	Chips	Progress
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	423,000(106 BB)	146,000
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	318,000(80 BB)	1,000
RN Rindra NorodomFrance	229,000(57 BB)	-6,500
BR Bekzhan RasulovKyrgyzstan	183,000(46 BB)	-17,000
EA Edgar AntezanaSouth Africa	153,000(38 BB)	89,500
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	117,000(29 BB)	-34,000
JK Juwon KimSouth Korea	103,000(26 BB)	11,500
MH Min Ho ChoSouth Korea	93,000(23 BB)	8,000
RV Renato Villanueva JrPhilippines	68,000(17 BB)	30,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 2:49:00 PM

Khoo Flushes Out Zhang

Level 13: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Shixiang Khoo

Left with 24,000, Lei Zhang pushed all in from the cutoff before small blind Shixiang Khoo made the call.

Lei Zhang: A♦ T♦

Shixiang Khoo: A♣ Q♣

Zhang was dominated but picked up plenty of outs on the Q♦ 6♣ 3♦ flop, including a flush draw.

The 2♣ turn kept Khoo in front, and the K♣ river completed Khoo's flush. Zhang was eliminated, while Khoo continued to build his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
SK Shixiang KhooSingapore	367,000(92 BB)	32,000
LZ Lei Zhang 1China	busted	-24,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 2:40:00 PM

27 Players Remain, Gathercole Still Leads

Level 13: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Nathan Gathercole

Following the eliminations of Frederik De Linde Farrington and Win Htut Tin, the Day 1A field is now down to the final three tables, with just 27 players remaining.

Still leading the way is Nathan Gathercole, who has built a stack of 536,000, more than three times the current average.

There are now just two more levels to play before the remaining players bag their chips for Day 2, with Gathercole looking to carry his commanding stack through the final stretch of the flight.

Player	Chips	Progress
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	536,000(134 BB)	114,000
FD Frederik De Linde FarringtonDenmark	busted	-59,000
WH Win Htut TinMyanmar	busted	-96,000

Level 13: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

60 minutes

Remaining Players: 28/124

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 2:25:00 PM

Norodom Cracks Martinez’s Kings

Level 12: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Rindra Norodom

Rindra Norodom opened to 6,500 from the hijack before big blind Lucia Martinez, the only woman remaining in the field, three-bet to 22,000.

Back to Norodom, who took some time before announcing all in for 115,500. Martinez wasted no time and snap-called.

Rindra Norodom: A♥ Q♠

Lucia Martinez: K♠ K♣

Norodom hit the jackpot on the A♦ A♠ J♣ flop, finding not one but two aces to take a huge lead and leave Martinez with just two outs to survive.

The 3♦ turn changed nothing, and the 8♥ river also brought no help for Martinez. Norodom's trips held, cracking Martinez's pocket kings and earning him a big double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
RN Rindra NorodomFrance	235,500(79 BB)	145,200
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	180,000(60 BB)	-97,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 2:10:00 PM

Recent Eliminations

Level 12: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Player	Chips	Progress
SL Sid LukieCanada	busted	-175,000
AB Adrien BergerFrance	busted	-42,000
YM Yuliang MaChina	busted	-34,000
WT William TjokroprawiroIndonesia	busted	-51,500
MK Miyoung KishimotoSouth Korea	busted	-41,500
QQ Quan QiuChina	busted
DC Dhanesh ChainaniSingapore	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 2:00:00 PM

Berger’s Tens Triple Up

Level 12: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

On the very next hand after losing the previous pot, Yuliang Ma was left with 34,000 and moved all in from under the gun.

Action folded to Adrien Berger, who was next to act and also moved all in for his remaining 30,000. Hijack Frank Njau called, putting both players at risk.

Adrien Berger: T♣ T♥

Yuliang Ma: A♠ 6♥

Frank Njau: 9♥ 9♦

The board ran K♠ Q♥ 8♠ 2♥ Q♠.

Berger's pocket tens held through the runout, earning him a triple up, while Njau's pocket nines were good enough to take the side pot and eliminate Ma.

Player	Chips	Progress
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	151,000(50 BB)	-26,000
AB Adrien BergerFrance	97,500(33 BB)	67,500
YM Yuliang MaChina	busted	-34,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 1:52:00 PM

Pan Turns Up the Heat

Level 12: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Jiaxian Pan

Under the gun Jiaxian Pan opened to 6,000, then next to act Yuliang Ma made it 12,000. Pan called to see the J♠ T♦ 6♦ flop.

Ma continued for 10,000, but Pan answered with a check-raise to 21,000. After some thought, Ma made the call.

The 8♦ turn brought another flush possibility, and Pan announced all in.

Ma took some time to consider the decision but eventually folded, giving Pan the pot without a showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
JP Jiaxian PanChina	251,000(84 BB)	30,000
YM Yuliang MaChina	34,000(11 BB)	-35,500

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 1:40:00 PM

Chip Leaders!

Level 12: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Nathan Gathercole

Player	Chips	Progress
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	422,000(141 BB)	52,000
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	317,000(106 BB)	107,000
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	295,000(98 BB)	152,000
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	277,000(92 BB)	-24,000
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	277,000(92 BB)	-10,000
AK Andrei KostitsynRussia	274,000(91 BB)	88,000
KK Kaoru KishimotoJapan	273,000(91 BB)	21,500
XL Xuqian LiAustralia	253,000(84 BB)	58,000
JP Jiaxian PanChina	221,000(74 BB)	6,000
BR Bekzhan RasulovKyrgyzstan	200,000(67 BB)	125,000
SK Shixiang KhooSingapore	199,000(66 BB)	2,000

Level 12: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

60 minutes

Remaining Players: 34/124

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 34/124

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 1:06:00 PM

Zhang Survives Against Queens

Level 11: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Lei Zhang

Juwon Kim opened to 5,000 from early position before Lei Zhang, seated on his left, three-bet shoved for 48,000.

With the action still pending on the big blind, Kim accidentally called out of turn. The big blind subsequently folded, and Kim's call stood.

Lei Zhang: A♠ 5♠

Juwon Kim: Q♣ Q♦

The A♣ J♣ J♠ flop gave Zhang the lead, leaving Kim with just two outs to survive.

The 6♠ turn and 5♣ river brought no help for Kim, allowing Zhang's aces and jacks to hold and securing him a much-needed double up.

Kim was then issued a one-hand penalty for the out-of-turn action.

Player	Chips	Progress
LZ Lei Zhang 1China	102,500(41 BB)	54,500
JK Juwon KimSouth Korea	91,500(37 BB)	-48,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 12:53:00 PM

Table 2 Chip Counts

Level 11: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Player	Chips	Progress
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	370,000(148 BB)	94,000
JP Jiaxian PanChina	215,000(86 BB)	175,000
SK Shixiang KhooSingapore	197,000(79 BB)	89,000
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	167,000(67 BB)	-22,000
WH Win Htut TinMyanmar	96,000(38 BB)	-12,000
DL Dong LyuChina	73,000(29 BB)	-11,000
YM Yuliang MaChina	69,500(28 BB)	29,500
AB Adrien BergerFrance	42,000(17 BB)	-32,000
RV Renato Villanueva JrPhilippines	38,000(15 BB)	-55,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 12:42:00 PM

“Turn Is Good Enough”

Level 11: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

William Tjokroprawiro

With 15,500 remaining, William Tjokroprawiro moved all in from under the gun, and Asylbek Nasirbekov made the call.

Small blind Xuqian Li then raised to 65,500, forcing Nasirbekov to fold and leaving Tjokroprawiro heads-up against Li.

William Tjokroprawiro: A♠ 8♣

Xuqian Li: Q♠ Q♣

Before the dealer revealed the flop, Tjokroprawiro looked toward the dealer and said, “Ace on the river, please.”

The K♠ J♠ 6♦ flop changed nothing, with Li's pocket queens still in front.

Then came the A♣ on the turn. Tjokroprawiro jumped into the lead and simply said, “Turn is good enough.”

The J♦ river missed Li's outs, allowing Tjokroprawiro's ace to hold. He successfully tripled up, turning a short stack into a much healthier position.

Player	Chips	Progress
XL Xuqian LiAustralia	195,000(78 BB)	-15,500
AN Asylbek NasirbekovKazakhstan	104,000(42 BB)	-15,500
WT William TjokroprawiroIndonesia	51,500(21 BB)	36,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 12:28:00 PM

Ari Engel Brings $10M Resume to Day 1A

Level 11: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Ari Engel

One of the biggest names in the Day 1A field in terms of live tournament earnings is Ari Engel, who has amassed more than $10 million in live earnings throughout his career.

Engel is currently sitting with 103,000, just below the average stack, but still in a comfortable position with plenty of play remaining.

With years of experience and countless deep runs under his belt, Engel knows exactly how to navigate these stages of a tournament. For now, he continues to grind his stack while looking to build momentum before the flight reaches the end of Level 14.

With the money still a Day 2 concern, Engel's immediate goal is simple: survive Day 1A and put himself in position to make a deep run.

Player	Chips
AE Ari EngelCanada	103,000(41 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 12:16:00 PM

Table 9 Chip Counts

Level 11: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Player	Chips	Progress
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	301,000(120 BB)	70,000
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	189,000(76 BB)	74,700
AK Andrei KostitsynRussia	186,000(74 BB)	58,000
AE Ari EngelCanada	103,000(41 BB)	63,000
DL Dong LyuChina	84,000(34 BB)	44,000
EA Edgar AntezanaSouth Africa	63,500(25 BB)	23,500
DC Dhanesh ChainaniSingapore	61,500(25 BB)	21,500
BY Benhur YbarsabalPhilippines	44,500(18 BB)	16,500
RA Roman AltynikovRussia	20,500(8 BB)	-22,400

Level 11: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

60 minutes

Remaining Players: 42/124

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 12:05:00 PM

One-Card Request Before the Fold

Level 10: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Adrien Berger

Adrien Berger opened to 4,000 from early position before button Sid Lukie three-bet to 8,500.

Back to Berger, who came back with a four-bet to 20,000, putting the decision back on Lukie.

Lukie went deep into the tank before telling Berger, “You got a really strong hand there.”

Looking close to folding, Lukie then asked Berger, “Would you show one card when I fold?”

Berger simply shook his head.

Lukie put his card protector back on his cards and appeared ready to let the hand go. After a little more thought, he eventually folded, giving Berger the pot without a showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
SL Sid LukieCanada	175,000(88 BB)	-31,500
AB Adrien BergerFrance	74,000(37 BB)	26,800

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 11:55:00 AM

Recent Eliminations

Level 10: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Some players have already bid farewell to Day 1A, with their tournament runs coming to an end.

With registration now closed, unfortunately, there is no re-entry option for those eliminated from this flight. Players looking to get back into the Championship Event will have to return for one of the remaining starting flights.

Player	Chips	Progress
MO Micheal OneillIreland	busted	-40,000
NM Nengyu MaoChina	busted	-97,600
HK Hao Kai WuTaiwan	busted	-40,000
MF Michael FalconDenmark	busted	-138,000
SL Shuixiang LaiChina	busted	-93,800
QQ Qilong QiuChina	busted	-124,200

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 11:40:00 AM

Day 1A Registration Closes at 124 Entries

Level 10: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Day 1A Registration Closes at 124 Entries

Registration has officially closed for Day 1A of the Championship Event, with the field reaching 124 entries after nine levels of registration.

With the registration window now closed, the blind levels will increase from 40 minutes to one hour per level, giving players more room to maneuver through the final stages of the flight.

Day 1A will not play down to the money. Instead, the field will continue until the end of Level 14, with all remaining players then bagging for Day 2.

There are currently 50 players remaining, and from this point forward, every elimination is permanent for Day 1A, with no more opportunity to re-enter this flight.

However, players still have two more chances to join the Championship Event, with Day 1B tomorrow and Day 1C the following day.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 11:25:00 AM

Chip Leaders!

Level 10: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Top 10 Chip Count

Sid Lukie

Top 10 Chip Count

Player	Chips	Progress
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	276,000(138 BB)	108,800
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	231,000(116 BB)	161,900
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	210,000(105 BB)	81,000
SL Sid LukieCanada	206,500(103 BB)	6,500
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	203,000(102 BB)	-4,000
XL Xuqian LiAustralia	193,000(97 BB)	43,200
KK Kaoru KishimotoJapan	161,000(81 BB)	50,000
JS Juhyung SonSouth Korea	146,500(73 BB)	106,500
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	143,000(72 BB)	68,100
AZ Aleksei ZhukovRussia	127,500(64 BB)	87,500

Level 10: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

60 minutes

Remaining Players: 62/124

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 10:59:42 AM

Break Time!

Break

Players are now on their 15-minute break.

Once the break is over, registration will officially close, and the tournament will move into the deeper part of the Day 1A structure.

From the next level onward, blind levels will increase to 60 minutes per level through Level 14, giving players more time to maneuver as the flight moves toward the end of the day.

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 59/121

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 10:50:00 AM

Martinez Leads the Field

Level 9: 800 / 1,600 ante: 1,600

Lucia Martinez

Lucia Martinez is one of the few women in the field and is now sitting at the top of a stacked Day 1A field.

Martinez has built her stack to 207,000, more than five times the starting stack, and continues to climb with registration set to close in around 30 minutes.

She may not have found a major result in her most recent series, but Martinez is already showing plenty of promise here at NagaWorld. With the field still growing and plenty of play ahead, she will be looking to turn this strong start into a big score in Cambodia.

Player	Chips	Progress
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	207,000(129 BB)	55,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 10:33:00 AM

Anderson Can’t Get There

Level 9: 800 / 1,600 ante: 1,600

Dakota Anderson

Dakota Anderson was already all in from the small blind for 49,400 into a pot of 37,400, with the board showing K♣ T♠ 7♣ T♦.

Xuqian Li went deep into the tank, taking around two minutes before eventually calling for a clock. With the countdown running out, Li finally made the call.

Dakota Anderson: Q♣ 9♣

Xuqian Li: A♦ K♥

Li's call was ahead with top two pair, while Anderson had a straight and flush draw with plenty of ways to turn the hand around.

The 4♠ river missed all of Anderson's outs, however, and Li's top two pair held to eliminate Anderson.

It was a tense decision from Li, but the call paid off and sent Anderson to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
XL Xuqian LiAustralia	149,800(94 BB)	70,200
DA Dakota AndersonUnited States of America	busted	-68,200

Level 9: 800 / 1,600 ante: 1,600

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 62/116

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 10:15:00 AM

Agarwal Gets There on River

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Aditya Agarwal

Early position Benoit Besnardeau opened to 2,400, then small blind Aditya Agarwal three-bet shoved for 17,100. Besnardeau made the call.

Aditya Agarwal: J♥ T♥

Benoit Besnardeau: A♦ J♣

Besnardeau had Agarwal dominated preflop, leaving Agarwal with just three outs. The K♦ 4♦ 2♦ flop kept Besnardeau firmly ahead, while the 9♥ turn added a few more outs for Agarwal.

The T♠ river was one of them, giving Agarwal the pair he needed to take the pot and secure a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	74,900(62 BB)	-17,100
AA Aditya AgarwalIndia	36,500(30 BB)	19,400

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 9:51:00 AM

Altynikov Finds Straight for Triple

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Early position Shuixiang Lai opened and button Michael Falcon called. Big blind Roman Altynikov then announced all in for 13,800, with both Lai and Falcon making the call.

The 8♠ 5♦ 4♥ flop came down, and Lai led for 3,000, with Falcon making the call.

Both players checked the 7♥ turn before the 8♥ river completed the board. Lai checked again, and Falcon fired 6,000. Lai took his time before making the call.

Roman Altynikov: A♣ 6♠

Michael Falcon: K♦ T♥

Shuixiang Lai: A♦ J♠

Altynikov had the best of the three with a straight, earning a much-needed triple up. Lai's ace-high was still good enough to beat Falcon, however, allowing him to take down the side pot with the hero call.

Player	Chips	Progress
SL Shuixiang LaiChina	93,800(78 BB)	-4,800
MF Michael FalconDenmark	87,800(73 BB)	-22,800
RA Roman AltynikovRussia	42,900(36 BB)	29,100

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 69/108

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 9:27:00 AM

River Set Rewards Lai

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Shuixiang Lai

Shuixiang Lai is back in action after finishing runner-up in the Championship Warm Up, and he opened from the hijack.

On his left, Kyle Bao Diep three-bet to 6,000, and Lai made the call to see the J♣ 8♣ 4♠ flop.

Diep continued for 5,200, and Lai check-called. Both players then checked the T♥ turn.

When the 3♠ river arrived, Lai took some time before leading for 15,000. Diep made the call, but Lai turned over 3♥ 3♣ for a river set. Diep mucked his hand, awarding Lai the healthy pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
SL Shuixiang LaiChina	80,600(81 BB)	28,700
KB Kyle Bao DiepViet Nam	44,000(44 BB)	-26,200

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 9:10:00 AM

Chip Leaders

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Top 10 Chip Count

Win Htut Tin

Top 10 Chip Count

Player	Chips	Progress
WH Win Htut TinMyanmar	143,400(143 BB)	103,400
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	140,700(141 BB)	63,000
MF Michael FalconDenmark	130,300(130 BB)	90,300
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	129,000(129 BB)	-7,100
QQ Qilong QiuChina	124,200(124 BB)	84,200
SL Sid LukieCanada	115,900(116 BB)	75,900
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	114,300(114 BB)	35,300
NM Nengyu MaoChina	97,600(98 BB)	57,600
QQ Quan QiuChina	96,500(97 BB)	83,200
RN Rindra NorodomFrance	90,300(90 BB)	50,300

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 71/101

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 70/98

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 8:40:00 AM

Tjokroprawiro Bluffs Into Full House

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

William Tjokroprawiro

The board showed J♠ 5♠ 3♣ 3♥, with 12,000 already in the middle. Kai Perng Heng bet 6,000, and William Tjokroprawiro check-called.

The J♥ river paired the board again, and Tjokroprawiro announced all in after Heng took some time to consider his decision. Heng eventually called for his remaining 14,500.

Kai Perng Heng: 5♦ 5♣

William Tjokroprawiro: 6♣ 4♣

Tjokroprawiro was bluffing with just a straight draw, while Heng had already made a full house with his pocket fives. The call was good, giving Heng the pot and a much-needed double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
WT William TjokroprawiroIndonesia	59,200(74 BB)	19,200
KP Kai Perng HengMalaysia	38,500(48 BB)	-1,500

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 8:25:00 AM

Zhang Takes It Down

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Lei Zhang

Lei Zhang opened to 1,600 from the hijack and the cutoff called. Button Shixiang Khoo then three-bet to 5,000.

Back to Zhang, who responded with a four-bet to 14,500, leaving only Khoo to make the call.

Both players checked the K♣ J♣ 5♥ flop before the K♦ landed on the turn. Zhang led with a bet, and it was enough to force Khoo to fold, awarding Zhang the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
LZ Lei Zhang 1China	75,400(94 BB)	35,400
SK Shixiang KhooSingapore	35,100(44 BB)	-4,900

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 65/82

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 8:02:00 AM

Qiu’s Set Gets Washed Away

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Quan Qiu

Quan Qiu moved all in preflop, and Patrik Selin called all in for his remaining 18,600.

Patrik Selin: A♠ T♠

Quan Qiu: 9♣ 9♥

The Q♠ 4♠ 2♥ flop gave Selin a flush draw, putting plenty of sweat on Qiu's pocket nines.

The 9♠ turn completed Selin's flush but also improved Qiu to a set. Qiu still had a chance to regain the lead, as any paired river would give him a full house.

The 5♠ river missed Qiu's outs, however, and Selin's flush held to secure the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
PS Patrik SelinSweden	39,600(66 BB)	21,000
QQ Quan QiuChina	13,300(22 BB)	-18,600

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 7:53:00 AM

More Players Continue to Join Day 1A

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Oliver Lirio

Player	Chips
OL Oliver LirioPhilippines	40,000(67 BB)
RV Renato Villanueva JrPhilippines	40,000(67 BB)
AA Amir AbbasAustralia	40,000(67 BB)
KZ Ko Zaw KoMyanmar	40,000(67 BB)
AB Adrien BergerFrance	40,000(67 BB)
RN Rindra NorodomFrance	40,000(67 BB)
AB Adrien BergerFrance	40,000(67 BB)
BG Brian GreenUnited States of America	40,000(67 BB)
HU Hendrik UiboEstonia	40,000(67 BB)
SS Shane SaitoUnited States of America	40,000(67 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 7:40:00 AM

Lucia Martinez Brings Her Poker Journey to Asia

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Lucia Martinez, a poker player and YouTube creator known for sharing her experiences on and away from the felt, has been building her own poker journey across Asia.

Her latest stop is Cambodia, where she arrived at NagaWorld today and wasted no time getting into action at the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship 2026 Championship Event.

Martinez began her current Asia grind in the Philippines, before continuing to Vietnam and now making her way to Cambodia. Rather than taking time to settle in after arriving, she went straight to the poker room and joined Day 1A of the Championship Event.

Her journey from the Philippines to Vietnam and now Cambodia also gives her plenty of new content to bring to her YouTube audience, while at the same time giving her a chance to compete against another international field at NagaWorld.

For Martinez, the Asia grind continues - and this time, the action begins in Cambodia.

Player	Chips
LM Lucia MartinezSpain	40,000(67 BB)

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 59/73

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 7:12:00 AM

Ho Ho Ho

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

With 8,300 already in the middle on the completed 5♣ 3♣ 3♠ J♣ 4♥ board, Asylbek Nasirbekov led for just 3,000.

Fabrice Ho responded with a pot-sized raise to 11,000, putting Nasirbekov in a tough spot. After taking some time to consider his options, Nasirbekov eventually folded, giving Ho the pot without a showdown.

Player	Chips
AN Asylbek NasirbekovKazakhstan	65,200(130 BB)
FH Fabrice HoFrance	40,000(80 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 6:55:00 AM

Chip Leaders!

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

Erwann Troncay

Player	Chips	Progress
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	136,100(272 BB)	54,000
SB Stephen BergenholtzUnited States of America	79,500(159 BB)	13,500
FN Frank NjauTanzania, United Republic of	79,000(158 BB)	10,700
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	77,700(155 BB)	-6,800
MW Michael WhykesAustralia	72,500(145 BB)	72,500
DT Dale Townsend (2)Australia	69,100(138 BB)	29,100
MS Mangalam SeksariaSingapore	68,300(137 BB)	28,300
AN Asylbek NasirbekovKazakhstan	65,200(130 BB)	25,200

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 58/64

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 6:17:00 AM

Falcon Runs Into Aces

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

With 11,300 remaining, Michael Falcon moved all in from under the gun. The action folded around to small blind Stephen Bergenholtz, who reshoved, forcing the big blind to fold.

Michael Falcon: 5♥ 5♦

Stephen Bergenholtz: A♥ A♠

Falcon was in bad shape with only two outs to survive. The 9♣ 8♥ 7♣ flop gave him a few more outs, but the K♦ turn and A♦ river both missed. The ace on the river even improved Bergenholtz to top set, sending Falcon to the rail.

Falcon wasted no time after the elimination, heading straight back to registration and quickly re-entering the event.

Player	Chips	Progress
SB Stephen BergenholtzUnited States of America	66,000(165 BB)	12,200
MF Michael FalconDenmark	40,000(100 BB)	-11,400

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 6:04:00 AM

Njau Cracks Kings to Scoop Pot

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Frank Njau

Three players built a pot of 11,400 and saw the 9♠ 6♦ 3♥ A♠ flop. Action checked through to button Frank Njau, who bet 3,500, with both Nathan Gathercole and Ron Hoffman making the call.

The J♠ river completed the board, and all three players checked. Gathercole mucked his hand before Hoffman tabled K♣ K♥.

Njau then revealed A♣ T♥ for top pair, cracking Hoffman's pocket kings and scooping the healthy pot.

Player	Chips
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	84,500(211 BB)
FN Frank Njau	68,300(171 BB)
RH Ron HoffmanIsrael	31,300(78 BB)

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 43/46

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 5:48:00 AM

Player-Friendly Structure After Registration

Level 2: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Additional Information!

Once registration closes before the start of Level 10, the blind levels will increase from 40 minutes to 60 minutes for Levels 10 through 14.

The longer levels will give players more time to play deeper stacks without the blinds increasing as quickly, providing a more player-friendly structure as Day 1A moves toward the end of the flight.

The same structure will apply to all Day 1 flights.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 5:41:00 AM

Besnardeau Fires Again, Bagci Takes Pot

Level 2: 200 / 300 ante: 300

After firing his first bullet, Benoit Besnardeau quickly re-entered and was back in the action.

The board was already complete T♠ T♣ 5♥ 3♠ Q♦, with 15,200 in the middle. Ali Bagci was all in for 4,200, and after some time in the tank, Besnardeau laid his hand down, awarding the pot to Bagci.

Player	Chips
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	32,200(107 BB)
AB Ali BagciTurkey	19,400(65 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 5:20:00 AM

Two Players Already Out

Level 2: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Two players have already been eliminated during the opening level of Day 1A.

Neither has been seen heading back to the cashier for a re-entry just yet, but there is still plenty of time for both players to jump back into the field.

Player	Chips	Progress
ET Erwann TroncayFrance	82,100(274 BB)	42,100
MW Michael WhykesAustralia	busted	-40,000
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	busted	-40,000

Level 2: 200 / 300 ante: 300

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 27/25

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 5:00:00 AM

Day 8 Highlights Before Championship Action

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Hyunkyou Park

Before the Day 1A action gets deeper, catch up on the biggest stories from Day 8 of WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship 2026.

From Kaoru Kishimoto’s Mystery Bounty victory to Hyunkyou Park claiming his third trophy, plus titles for Linh Tran and Dakota Anderson, there was plenty happening at NagaWorld.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:45:00 AM

Early Birds Take Their Seats

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Player	Chips
SL Sid LukieCanada	40,000(200 BB)
HL Haowei LiChina	40,000(200 BB)
XY Xingbing YangChina	40,000(200 BB)
YM Yuliang MaChina	40,000(200 BB)
NG Nathan GathercoleAustralia	40,000(200 BB)
SB Stephen BergenholtzUnited States of America	40,000(200 BB)
JX Jianfeng XuChina	40,000(200 BB)
AB Ali BagciTurkey	40,000(200 BB)
FH Fabrice HoFrance	40,000(200 BB)
MK Morten KaspersenDenmark	40,000(200 BB)
NG Neeraj GajriaIndia	40,000(200 BB)
BB Benoit BesnardeauFrance	40,000(200 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 4:35:00 AM

Shuffle Up and Deal!

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Day 1A of the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship 2026 Championship Event is now underway at NagaWorld, with 14 players already seated as the opening cards hit the felt.

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 14/14

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/20/2026, 3:26:39 AM

$500K Guaranteed Championship Event Begins Today at 11:30 AM

The wait is almost over at NagaWorld, with Day 1A of the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship 2026 Championship Event set to begin at 11:30 AM local time.

The $1,300 buy-in event features a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool, with players set to battle through 14 levels today before bagging for Day 2.

Registration will remain open until the start of Level 10, giving players plenty of time to join the field. Surviving players from Day 1A will return for Day 2 alongside the qualifiers from Day 1B and Day 1C.

The eventual champion will take home the trophy, top prize and a coveted transferable 2026 $10,400 World Championship Entry.

Somuchpoker is on the floor at NagaWorld and will bring you live updates, chip counts, key hands and all the important action throughout Day 1A.

Stay tuned as the road to the Championship begins.

Event starts 11:30 local time..