Poker Dream 10 Vietnam: Another Grand Spectacle Awaits in Hoi An
Fresh off the record-breaking Poker Dream 9 Malaysia stop, the up and coming live poker operator in Asia is heading for another small milestone. The tenth edition of Poker Dream is set to take place from April 29 to May 5, 2024 at the luxurious Hoiana Resort & Golf just outside of the picturesque village of Hoi An in Vietnam. It is the third time the tour is taking place at this very location. Rex Cheong, CEO of Poker Dream, is already looking forward to the next challenge ahead.
“Hoi An masterfully blends the old with the new and the classic with the modern, offering both excitement and relaxation. I am particularly fond of this location because stepping outside the tournament venue at dawn surrounds you with lush greenery and the nearby beach. During this event, we will also hold a ceremony to unveil our new logo and brand image. Supported by Lucky Poker, Top Joy Poker Vietnam, Singapore Poker League, Isabelle and Grand Loyal Poker Club, I am confident that this event will be both successful and enjoyable.”
It isn’t the first time Poker Dream has partnered up with other operators from other Asian countries. Chinese brand Top Joy Poker Tour was just heavily involved in the stop in Malaysia, for example. Lucky Poker previously supported the Crown Poker Series in Da Nang, fewer than one hour by car away from Hoi An, whereas the SPL ventured to Taiwan in April 2023.
For the upcoming tenth edition, the number of events has been trimmed down by a notch to 23 tournaments in which the golden Poker Dream dragon trophies are up for grabs. Disregarding the opening Freeroll which serves as a satellite, the buy-ins commence for as little as VN₫ 2.7 million (~USD 108) for milestone satellites and as high as VN₫ 180 million (~USD 7,213) in the Super High Roller.
Key Events on the Schedule
- Vietnam Open: VN₫ 8 or 12 million buy-in, VN₫ 1.5 billion gtd
- Mystery Hunter: VN₫ 15 million buy-in, VN₫ 4 billion gtd
- Main Event: VN₫ 24 or 36 million buy-in, VN₫ 20 billion gtd
- Monster Stack: VN₫ 10 or 15 million buy-in, VN₫ 1.5 billion gtd
- Mystery Hunter High Roller: VN₫ 80 million buy-in, VN₫ 5 billion gtd
Poker Dream 10 Vietnam Main Event
Instead of the usual three buy-in levels, there are only two available for the Poker Dream Main 10 Vietnam Main Event this time. Three of the flights cost VN₫ 24 million (~USD 962) to enter and play down to the top 10% of the field, of which all survivors will lock up a cash prize. Another five Day 1 flights come with a buy-in of VN₫ 36 million (~USD 1,442) and will bag up once the top 15% of each field have been reached.
In case players bag up in more than one of the eight starting days, they automatically take advantage of the Dream Bonus promotion and earn an extra cash prize for their efforts. The most recent stop in Malaysia, for example, saw 14 players bag up multiple times boost their bankroll further. Day 1A kicks off on April 30, 2024 while the last chance to run up a stack is Day 1h Hyper Turbo on May 3, 2024.
During the brand’s first outing, Minh Anh Nguyen (pictured above) ensured a triumph for the local crowd when he topped a field of 822 entries in the VN₫ 25 Million Main Event after denying Brandon Koh a chip and a chair comeback story. Nguyen earned VN₫ 3,378,000 (~USD 139,077) for his efforts, his largest live poker score to date.
Last year, Thi Bao An Nguyen stunned the crowd winning both the Poker Dream costume contest then days later took down the Main Event. She earned a career high VN₫ 2,344,965,500 (~USD 96,160).
Other Key Events
The opening Vietnam Open features three flights on the very first day of the series with the first two Day 1 playing down to the top 15% of the field on a buy-in of VN₫ 12 million (~USD 480). Day 1C is a Flipout in which 1 out of 10 advances to the money stages, all survivors then play to a winner the next day.
That’s when the first two flights of Event #5 Mystery Hunter kick off. Both come with a price tag of VN₫ 15 million (~USD 600), another two regular heats and the same Flipout heat then take place on May 1. The tournament boasts a guarantee of VN₫ 4 billion (~USD 160,000).
The most expensive tournament on the entire schedule is the VN₫ 180 million (~USD 7,213) Super High Roller. Players can enter for the first three levels on the final day, which is on May 2. Last year, this event cost a heftier VN₫ 250 million to enter and attracted a field of 97 entries. Poker icon John Juanda defeated Malaysian Victor Chong and collected the VN₫ 6 Billion (~USD 245,800) top prize.
On the final two days of the series on May 4 and 5, Event #17 Monster Stack and Event #18 Mystery Hunter High Roller go from start to finish in rapid fashion. The former costs VN₫ 15 million (~USD 600) to enter and features a VN₫ 1.5 billion (~USD 60K) guarantee whereas the hunt for knockout bonuses will be a two-day affair. Deeper pockets are needed as it costs VN₫ 80 million (~USD 3,200) to enter and at least VN₫ 5 billion (~USD 200,300) in prize money will be up for grabs.
Milestone satellites are available for the Vietnam Open, Mystery Hunter, Main Event, Monster stack and the Mini Main Event on the final day. Notable Side Events include a Ladies Event on April 30, a Mystery Hunter Turbo, two Short Deck tournaments and a Teams Event.
Special hotel rates and High Roller packages have not been announced yet but that will certainly be the case in the days and weeks to follow. After all, we are just three weeks away from yet another exciting Poker Dream stop at a stunning location.
*Article by Christian Zetzsche
