Player of the Year race leaders and past champions in action at WPT Cambodia
WPT Cambodia has been underway since November 16 and in just a couple of days, the tables will open for the highly anticipated US$ 250K guaranteed US$ 1,100 buy-in Main Event. This is the first time the tour brings its prestigious brand of poker to the world class NagaWorld Resort in Phnom Penh. A large crowd has already descended for some early practice with more on the way. Among them are previous WPT Asia Pacific Player of the Year champions and current front runners. With all of them expected to hit the felt for the big one, it will surely be an exciting race for Player of the Year points.
Let’s have a look at the POY standings, the structure, who’s up top, the prizes, and the evolution of the race.
Season XVIII WPT Asia Pacific POY details and standings
Season XVIII WPT Asia Pacific kicked off in September in Vietnam and will host its season-ender in Taiwan SAR on April 2020. To earn Player of the Year points, players must cash at any of the Nine (9) WPT Asia Pacific Main Events. This is a significant jump in point-generating events since the inception of the race two seasons prior.
At Season XVI, there were four events to accrue points, bumped up to six events in Season XVII, and now nine for the current season. Five events have already completed with four more to go which includes WPT Cambodia.
Upcoming events:
WPT Cambodia – Main Event – November 21 to 25
WPT Philippines – Main Event – February 14 to 17
WPT Vietnam – Main Event – March 17 to 21
WPT Taiwan SAR – Main Event – April 1 to 5
Winners and points:
WPT Australia – Hari Varma – 1500
WPT Vietnam – Hamish Crawshaw – 1500
WPT India – Ashish Munot – 1000
WPT Korea – Tadashi Takei – 900
WPT Japan – Situ Junheng – 500
According to WPT Live Events Specialist, Danny McDonagh, race leader Hari Varma will attend WPT Cambodia. Sharing the top spot is Hamish Crawshaw who is already in action at the side games, and so is Ashish Munot currently ranked 9th. We have yet to know if Situ Junheng and Tadashi Takei will make the trip.
Expected in the coming days is defending POY champion Vincent Chauve (Season XVII WPT Asia Pacific). Chauve is having an incredible run this year. He won WPT Vietnam in March, placed 2nd at the WSOP 2019 Monster Stack, 2nd at the APT Vietnam Main Event, then won the APT Vietnam Championships Event just days ago. He currently has 60 POY points.
A couple of players already seen were Pete Yen Han Chen (Season XVI WPT Asia Pacific POY champion) and Dhaval Mudgal, WPT Vietnam Main Event champion back in September 2018. As usual, Chen is tearing up the felt this year with cashes galore which includes a Super High Rollers win at APT Korea Incheon. As for Mudgal, he is running well in his homeland and recently finished 3rd at the APT Vietnam Championships Event. Both players are looking to get on the POY board.
While we are still a ways away from determining who will take the POY title, it is good to know what the winners will receive.
1st place: $10,000 WPT Passport – can be used at any Season XIX global WPT event; complimentary accommodation and ground transportation at select WPT APAC events; special WPT APAC POY Trophy
2nd place: $3,500 WPT Passport – can be used at any Season XIX global poker WPT event
3rd place: $1,500 WPT Passport – can be used at any Season XIX global poker WPT event
WPT Cambodia Main Event takes place from November 21 to 25. Players have three starting days to enter followed by Day 2 and the Final Day.
Somuchpoker is onsite and will bring you updates on the progress of these fine champions throughout the Main Event.
