VSOP Championship V amasses over ₫18 Billion; Nguyễn Minh Hoàng wins Main Event; Lê Ngọc Khánh bags two; highlights and results inside

The Viet Nam Series of Poker advertised the biggest homegrown event in Hanoi, Vietnam and after ten days of action packed days, it more than delivered with over VN₫ 18 Billion in cash paid out. In partnership with Asia Poker League, the series ran from August 26 to September 4. Main Event champion Nguyễn Minh Hoàng emerged the wealthiest collecting a payout of over VN₫ 1.2 Billion and Lê Ngọc Khánh was the only player to lift two trophies. Also among the winners were Đặng Xuân Cảnh, Ha Mạnh Tưởng, and Julien Tràn. International players may not have secured trophies but a good showing of pros were in attendance such as Alex Lee, Yohwan Lim aka BoxeR, Norbert Koh, Ankit Jajodia, Sumit Sapra, and Chi Chung Ho to mention a few. We’ve got all the highlights down below.

*All photos courtesy of VSOP

Festival review

Festival prize pool: VN₫ 18,090,130,000 (~US$ 768,975)
Entries: 1,896
₫ Billionaires: Nguyễn Minh Hoàng VN₫ 1,230,000,000 and Nguyễn Quang Huy VN₫ 1,177,000,000
Main Event prize pool: VN₫ 5,473,401,000 (~US$ 232,630)
Main Event champion: Nguyễn Minh Hoàng VN₫ 1,230,000,000 (~US$ 52,285)
Two time winner: Lê Ngọc Khánh (APL Hanoi Dragon Cup & Rising Stars)
Most final table cashes: Phạm Thanh Bình (4), Lê Đình Hải (4), Nguyễn Quang Huy (4)

NGUYỄN MINH HOÀNG clinches the Main Event for VN₫ 1,230,000,000 (~US$ 52,285)

Nguyễn Minh Hoàng clinched his maiden victory at the Main Event and pocketed VN₫ 1,230,000,000 (~US$ 52,285). The featured tournament drew the largest crowd of 377 entries for a guarantee crushing prize pool of VN₫ 5,473,401 (~US$ 232,630). Kicking off the final day, only 71 advanced withHoàng far behind ranked 59th and Đinh Hoàng Khánh way up top. Khánh raced up to 13th place. Once the final table was reached, Hoàng faced some stiff competition in well known pros Alex Lee, Nguyễn Quang Huy and Vũ Đức Trung. Leewas eliminated in 5th place byHuy,Trung busted to Hoàng in 3rd place, andHuy’s fell to Hoàng’s queen on the board.

The newly crowned champion Hoàng walked away the richest of the series while runner up Huy finished a close second with VN₫ 1,177,000,000 (~US$ 50,030) across four cashes. These were the only two players to cross the billion dong mark.

Buy in: VN₫ 16,500,000 (~US$ 700)
Guarantee: VN₫ 4,000,000,000
Entries: 377
Prize pool: VN₫ 5,473,401,000 (~US$ 232,630)
ITM: 38 places

Final table payouts

PHẠM NGỌC QUỐC BẢO wins Vietnam National Cup for VN₫ 600,000,000 (~US$ 25,500)

Phạm Ngọc Quổc Bảo is one of the most decorated local players of Vietnam with eight titles to his name. At the series, he picked up his ninth win and first ever VSOP trophy at the Vietnam National Cup after defeating fellow Nguyen Ngoc Dai in 3rd place then Singaporean Si Yang Phua at heads up. The event drew 115 entries for surpass the guarantee for a richer VN₫ 2,252,660,000 prize pool. 14 players saw a return with Pham walking away with acareer high payout of VN₫ 600,000,000 (~US$ 25,500).

Buy in: VN₫ 22,000,000 (~US$ 935)
Guarantee: VN₫ 2,000,000,000
Entries: 115
Prize pool: VN₫ 2,252,660,000 (~US$ 95,750)
ITM: 14 places

Final table payouts

LÊ NGỌC KHÁNH bags two events

Decorated Vietnamese pro Lê Ngọc Khánh outshined at the festival becoming the only player to claim more than one event. Khánhfirst won one of the three APL events, the Hanoi Dragon Cup for VN₫ 250,000,000 (~US$ 10,625), then five days later, he closed out the Rising Stars event for VN₫ 140,000,000 (~US$ 5,950).

A familiar face in the Asian live circuit, Khánh these were his first ever VSOP and APL titles which he adds to the long list of deep runs and titles in his resume. At the APL Hanoi Dragon Cup, the 173 entries was more than plenty to obliterate the guarantee and nearly double the prize pool to VN₫ 996,400,000 (~US$ 42,355). Out of the 22 players that dipped in the pot, it was Khánh going up against another highly decorated Vietnamese pro Nguyễn Quang Huyfor the glory. Khánh persevered for his first series title.Following that win, Khánh brought his winning feeling to the Rising Stars event and successfully bested the 80 entry field.

APL Hanoi Dragon Cup

Buy in: VN₫ 6,600,000 (~US$ 280)
Guarantee: VN₫ 500,000,000
Entries: 173
Prize pool: VN₫ 996,400,000 (~US$ 42,355)
ITM: 22 places

Final table payouts

Rising Stars
Buy in: VN₫ 6,600,000 (~US$ 280)
Guarantee: VN₫ 500,000,000
Entries: 80
Prize pool: VN₫ 524,601,000 (~US$ 22,300)
ITM: 10 places

Payouts

Mystery Bounty: HÀ MẠNH TƯỞNG – VN₫ 384,000,000 (~US$ 16,320)

The Mystery Bounty event was the most popular side event with 366 signing up to absolutely crush and double up the advertised guarantee for a sweeter VN₫ 2,107,800,000 prize pool. Earning the most kills and the title was Ha Mạnh Tưởng with eight bounties claimed amounting to VN₫ 84,000,000 and the top cash prize of VN₫ 300,000,000. In total, he collected VN₫ 384,000,000 (~US$ 16,320), the largest takedown of his poker career.

Interestingly, the next three players down the rung Quấch Tuấn Anh (2nd), Huỳnh Ngoc Cường (3rd), and Ngô Khoa Anh (4th), each drew one of the three top mystery bounty prizes worth VN₫ 105,000,000. As a result, their total winning bumped up significantly. Quấch pocketed a total of VN₫ 360,400,000, Huỳnh took home VN₫ 305,600,000, and Ngô earned VN₫ 212,900,000.

Buy in: VN₫ 6,600,000
Guarantee: VN₫ 1,000,000,000
Entries: 366
Prize pool: VN₫ 1,405,400,000
Bounty pool: VN₫ 702,400,000
ITM: 46 places

Final table payouts (excluding bounties)

Monster Stack: ĐẶNG HOÀNG VIỆT – VN₫ 250,000,000 (~US$ 10,625)

Buy in: VN₫ 8,800,000 (~US$ 375)
Guarantee: VN₫ 600,000,000
Entries: 125
Prize pool: VN₫ 960,000,000 (~US$ 40,800)
ITM: 16 places

Final table payouts

High Rollers events

Super Stars Challenge: ĐẶNG XUÂN CẢNH – VN₫ 930,000,000 (~US$ 39,530)

Đặng Xuân Cảnh is a rare sight in the live tournament scene. In fact, he only has three live cashes to his name, one of them a victory at the 2018 APT Ho Chi Minh Main Event. His return could not be any grander, taking down the most expensive buy in tournament, the Super Stars Challenge.

The event produced a 63 strong field to drive the prize pool six times the guarantee. Among the attendees were Pham Tien Dung, Florent Remi, Dao Minh Phu, Yohwan Lim aka BoxeR, Jeffry Kurniawan, however all failed to cash.

Slipping in the money round was Nguyễn Quang Huy in 9th place, Mystery Bounty 4th placer Ngô Khoa Anh also took 4th in this event, while Cảnhoutgunned to claim the coveted VN₫ 930,000,000 (~US$ 39,530) first prize.

Buy in: VN₫ 55,000,000 (~US$ 2,340)
Guarantee: VN₫ 500,000,000
Entries: 63
Prize pool: VN₫ 3,024,000,000 (~US$ 128,545)
ITM: 9 places

Payouts

APL High Roller Shot Clock: JULIEN TRÀN – VN₫ 370,000,000 (~US$ 15,728)

Buy in: VN₫ 22,000,000 (~US$ 935)
Guarantee: VN₫ 400,000,000
Entries: 65
Prize pool: VN₫ 1,248,000,000 (~US$ 53,000)
ITM: 10 places

Payouts

Bounty Events

APL K.O Bounty Special: NGUYỄN ANH DŨNG – VN₫ 75,400,000

Buy in: VN₫ 4,500,000
Guarantee: VN₫ 300,000,000
Entries: 121
Prize pool: VN₫ 290,400,000
Bounty pool: VN₫ 181,500,000
ITM: 18 places

Final table payouts (excluding bounties)

Head Hunter: ĐẶNG THANH LƯƠNG – VN₫ 63,000,000

Buy in: VN₫ 4,500,000
Guarantee: VN₫ 300,000,000
Entries: 40
Prize pool: VN₫ 272,629,000
Bounty pool: VN₫ 60,000,000
ITM: 11 places

Final table payouts (excluding bounties)

Super Bounty Hunter: NGUYỄN ĐÌNH HÙNG – VN₫ 50,400,000

Buy in: VN₫ 3,400,000
Guarantee: VN₫ 200,000,000
Entries: 95
Prize pool: VN₫ 182,400,000
Bounty pool: VN₫ 95,000,000
ITM: 14 places

Final table payouts (excluding bounties)

Bounty Hunter 1: LÊ VIỆT HÙNG – VN₫ 33,900,000 (excluding bounties)

‘Buy in: VN₫ 2,300,000
Guarantee: VN₫ 100,000,000
Entries: 82
Prize pool: VN₫ 118,000,000
Bounty pool: VN₫ 41,000,000
ITM: 12 places

Final table payouts (excluding bounties)

Other Events

No Limit Hold’em 1: NGUYỄN MẠNH CẦM – VN₫ 14,400,000

Buy in: VN₫ 1,800,000
Entries: 20
Prize pool: VN₫ 28,800,000
ITM: 3 places

Payouts

No Limit Hold’em 2: MAI BIỂN – VN₫ 24,000,000

Buy in: VN₫ 2,300,000
Entries: 33
Prize pool: VN₫ 63,300,000
ITM: 5 places

Payouts

Super Stack Turbo: NGUYỄN PHƯƠNG NGỌC – VN₫ 30,200,000

Buy in: VN₫ 2,300,000
Entries: 50
Prize pool: VN₫ 96,000,000
ITM: 8 places

Payouts

Speed Racer 1: NGUYỄN THU NGÂN – VN₫ 14,000,000

Buy in: VN₫ 1,200,000
Entries: 44
Prize pool: VN₫ 42,200,000
ITM: 7 places

Payouts

Speed Racer 2: PHƯƠNG HOÀNG LINH – VN₫ 11,400,000

Buy in: VN₫ 1,800,000
Entries: 28
Prize pool: VN₫ 40,300,000
ITM: 4 places

Payouts

*Heads up deal

The Closer: NGUYỄN TRƯỜNG GIANG – VN₫ 18,200,000

Buy in: VN₫ 2,300,000
Entries: 19
Prize pool: VN₫ 36,400,000
ITM: 3 places

Payouts