WPT Cambodia 2026 Day 8 Spotlight: Pham Bao Takes Mystery Bounty Title

Day 8 of WPT Cambodia 2026 at NagaWorld delivered a high-octane schedule, headlined by the crowning of the Mystery Bounty champion. Beyond the hunt for hidden prizes, the floor was buzzing with action as trophies were awarded in Superstack, High Roller, and PLO formats, while the Megastack Accumulator kicked off its opening flight. With massive prize pools being shattered and local heroes rising to the occasion, the festival continues to set new benchmarks for competitive poker in Southeast Asia.

Pham Bao Claims Mystery Bounty Title at WPT Cambodia 2026

Vietnamese pro Pham Bao delivered a dominant performance to capture the Mystery Bounty title at WPT Cambodia 2026, outlasting a 265-entry field after more than seven hours of intense Day 2 action at NagaWorld.

The $1,000 buy-in event carried a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool and ultimately generated $231,345, with mystery bounties adding an extra layer of pressure and excitement as the tournament progressed. Day 2 resumed with 34 players remaining, all already in the money and eager to chase both payouts and hidden bounties as the field played down to a champion.

At the end of the day, it was Pham Bao who emerged victorious from a competitive field and lifted the trophy along with the first-place USD 34,995 prize. Bao is a rising Vietnamese professional poker player who has quickly built a strong reputation on the Asian live tournament circuit. Known for his solid strategy and fearless play, he has steadily climbed the ranks with deep runs in major regional series, including the World Poker Tour (WPT) and other leading Asian festivals. His ability to navigate large, competitive fields has made him a familiar name among top players in the region.

Bao’s consistent performance is reflected in his Hendon Mob profile, which tracks a growing list of cashes across various high-stakes events. With a total payout from his recent WPT win reaching over $55,000, including a seat to the WPT Prime Championship in Las Vegas, he is poised to take his game to the global stage. His upward trajectory makes him one of Vietnam's most promising talents to watch in the coming years.

Final Table Results

Pham Bao's Journey to the Title

From the outset, Bao positioned himself as a major threat, combining timely aggression with well-chosen spots to steadily build his stack. Once bounties came into play, the tournament turned volatile, with rapid eliminations, dramatic flips, and multiple three-way all-ins shaping the march toward the final table. Bao thrived in the chaos, scoring several knockouts and collecting bounties while maintaining his momentum deep into the day.

At the final table, Bao took full control, relentlessly pressuring the shorter stacks and capitalizing on every opportunity. One of the defining moments of the tournament came when he flopped quads to score a stunning double knockout, eliminating Ritesh Khatwani in 8th place and Wei Yan in 7th place, drawing gasps from the rail and extending his chip lead to commanding levels. Bao never looked back from there, continuing his dominant run by knocking out opponents in quick succession, including Vinay Boob in 5th placeand Valeriy Fokin in 4th place, as his stack grew to overwhelming proportions.

Three-handed play delivered another dramatic moment when Bao eliminated Francisco Sanchez in 3rd Place after rivering trips to crack Sanchez’s flopped two pair, ending the Spaniard’s run in third place. During the ensuing break, Bao further boosted his haul by drawing the second-biggest mystery bounty worth $10,000, along with an additional $1,000, strengthening his grip on the tournament as heads-up play approached.

Heads-Up

Heads-up action began with Bao holding a massive chip advantage over Kevin Ewald, though Ewald mounted a brief comeback with a series of well-timed double-ups to narrow the gap. The momentum shift was short-lived, however, as the tournament came to a close in one decisive hand. Ewald shoved with an open-ended straight draw, but Bao’s top pair held through the runout, sealing the championship and ending Ewald’s impressive run in 2nd place.

For his victory, Pham Bao captured the WPT Cambodia Mystery Bounty trophy, the $34,995 first-place prize, a $1,100 seat to the WPT Prime Championship in Las Vegas, and 11 mystery bounties worth $20,500, bringing his total payout to an impressive $55,495. With fearless play, perfectly timed aggression, and just enough help from the deck, Bao etched his name into the WPT Cambodia history books, proving once again that the Mystery Bounty format rewards players willing to seize the moment.

To see all the payouts, click here.

Megastack Accumulator Day 1A: Michael Falcon Leads Initial Flight

The opening flight of the Megastack Accumulator Day 1A at WPT Cambodia 2026 concluded with 51 players taking to the tables at NagaWorld to begin their campaign, and just 11 survivors standing still. The tournament's unique accumulator format allows players to carry forward their chip stacks from multiple Day 1 flights, adding a strategic layer to the early stages of the event.

Denmark’s Michael Falcon emerged as the chip leader for Day 1A, bagging an impressive stack of 353,000. Following closely in the counts was Wei-Chen Lin from Taiwan, who secured the second-largest stack of the flight with 218,000 chips. Rounding out the top three is Russia's Artur Akhmetzianov with also a healthy stack of 183,000 in chips.

Day 1A Survivors Chip Counts

The international field showed strong representation from across the globe, including players from the Russian Federation, France, Vietnam, and the USA. Among the mid-range stacks moving forward were Fabien Chauve (159,000), Florian Loehnert (132,000), and Joseph Magnotti (124,000). These players, along with the rest of the Day 1A survivors, will look to build upon these foundations as the tournament progresses toward its final stages.

Freezeout Mastery: Mitja Rudolf Clinches Superstack Title

The

$250

Superstack Freezeout

at WPT Cambodia 2026 proved to be a popular draw at

NagaWorld

, attracting a field of 

118 entries

. The tournament generated a total prize pool of 

$24,922

, with the top 

17 players

 finishing in the money. As a freezeout event, players had only a single chance to navigate the field, adding an extra layer of strategic tension to every hand played.

The title was ultimately claimed by Slovenian player Mitja Rudolf, who delivered a commanding performance to secure the top prize of $6,479. Rudolf outlasted a diverse international field, eventually defeating Rindra Norodom in heads-up play. Norodom earned a respectable $4,012 for his runner-up finish, while Richard Marquez from the Philippines rounded out the top three with a payout of $2,629.

Final Table Results

The final table featured a strong representation from across the globe, highlighting the international appeal of the WPT Cambodia stop. Notable deep runs included India’s Digvijay Lamba and Deepankur Gupta, who finished in 4th and 5th place, respectively. Other finalists included Pang Kok Yong (6th), Corentin Chantelot (7th), Masatoshi Yokota (8th), and Fabio Meloni (9th), all of whom secured a portion of the nearly $25,000 prize pool.

High-Speed Stakes: Quan Qiu Conquers the Survivor Bounty High Roller

The

Event #29 Survivor 4K Bounty HR 30 Sec

at WPT Cambodia 2026 concluded with a total

prize pool of $126,100

. The high-stakes event drew

65 entries

, with the

top 9 players

successfully reaching the money. This fast-paced High Roller format combined significant bounty rewards with a 30-second shot clock, ensuring intense action throughout the tournament.

Chinese player

Quan Qiu

emerged as the champion, delivering a top-tier performance to secure the

first-place prize of $22,229

. Qiu navigated a difficult final table to claim the trophy, ultimately defeating

Imran Bhojani

from Mauritius in heads-up play. Bhojani earned

$14,079

for his second-place finish, while fellow Chinese player Yunsheng Sun took home $9,262 for third.

Final Table Results

The final table showcased a highly diverse international field, with several notable professional players securing deep runs.

Chengcai Pan

finished in 4th place for

$7,040

, followed by South Africa's

Ahmed Karrim

in 5th for

$5,743

. Other finishers included

Shixiang Khoo

(6th),

Norbertas Popa

(7th), well-known German pro

Marvin Rettenmaier

(8th), and Japan's

Kaoru Kishimoto

, who rounded out the payouts in 9th place.

PLO Action: Kurtis Ruhl Claims Victory in 5 Card Omaha

The $400 5 Card PLO at WPT Cambodia 2026 attracted a solid field of 97 entries, creating a total prize pool of $33,523. The competition was fierce, with only the top 13 players securing a spot in the money. This variant of Omaha continues to be a favorite for players looking for high-action gameplay and strategic complexity.

Canadian player Kurtis Ruhl emerged as the champion, putting on a dominant performance to claim the WPT trophy and the top prize of $9,301. Ruhl navigated a challenging final table and ultimately defeated Russia's Anton Iakimenko in heads-up play. Iakimenko earned a respectable $5,783 for his runner-up finish, while Ireland’s Shaun Conroy took home $3,771 for third place.

Final Table Results

The final table was a truly international affair, featuring representatives from eight different countries. Notable deep runs included Ashton Nikzad from the United States, who finished in 4th place for $2,984, and Latvia's Ingus Arajs, who secured 5th place for $2,313. Other finalists who made the top nine included Daniil Shalaev (6th), Udo Erlei (7th), Tsani Minchev (8th), and Joel Gaffney (9th).

Daily Megastack Dominance: Will Kwok Triumphs in Fast-Paced Finale

The $250 Daily Megastack 30 Sec at WPT Cambodia 2026 provided a high-intensity testing ground for players at NagaWorld, featuring a 30-second shot clock that kept the action moving rapidly. The event drew a compact but competitive field of 40 entries, generating a total prize pool of $8,448. With only the top 7 players qualifying for a payout, every elimination near the bubble carried significant weight.

Will Kwok from Hong Kong emerged as the champion, delivering a precise performance to secure the top payout of $2,788 and the WPT trophy. Kwok navigated a diverse final table, ultimately defeating Italy's Alessandro Oppicini in heads-up play. Oppicini earned $1,774 for his second-place finish, while Zeyu Sun from China claimed the third-place prize of $1,183.

Final Table Results

The remaining payouts were distributed among an international group of finalists, including Chon Fong from Macao, who finished in 4th place for $929, followed by Win Htut Tin from Myanmar in 5th with $676. The final two cashes went to Spain's Santiago Guemes, who earned $591 for 6th place, and the Philippines' Junnie Pamplona, who rounded out the results in 7th place with a $507 payout.

As the festival moves into its second week, the momentum at NagaWorld shows no signs of slowing down. From the fearless aggression displayed by the day's trophy winners to the strategic positioning in the new starting flights, Day 8 perfectly outlined the diversity and prestige of the World Poker Tour. With the Main Event on the horizon and several high-value side events still to come, players and fans alike can expect even more record-breaking action as the hunt for WPT glory intensifies in Phnom Penh.