After three days of play, Vietnam’s own Ha Manh Tuong was crowned champion of the biggest Main Event to land in the country. The local pro outlasted the 1,020-entry field and bagged the lion’s share of the VN₫ 17,809,200,000 (~US$ 751,126) prize pool amounting to VN₫ 3,226,200,000 (~US$ 136,069) for his impressive run.
Ha’s journey to the final table was a lengthy one with his tournament life at risk several times through Day 2. Cards ran in his favor, enabling him to scoop up massive pots and keep moving on through the end. One of his most crucial spots was where he almost bubbled final table after getting in his 15 big blind stack with pocket Jacks against then chip leader, Kartik Ved’s pocket Queens. With luck on his side, Ha carried his good run all the way to the final table and delivered four eliminations to eventually seal the coveted victory.
Winner Interview
SMP: Congratulations on your win! How does it feel to capture your first major live tournament?
Ha Manh Tuong: I feel normal.. Just normal.
SMP: This was the biggest main event in Vietnam history, what does the victory mean to you?
Ha: This victory is all about family, my father, mother, wife and son. They have supported me for four years to make this poker dream come true.
SMP: Coming into the final table you were surrounded by several high rollers and pros, did you have a strategy?
Ha: I practice poker everyday and I track all my opponents’ previous hands. I’ve written down a lot of hands even from other tournaments to help my game.
SMP: Who did you feel was your toughest opponent and why?
Ha: All the players from India are very tough opponents and the hardest to play against.
SMP: The tables turned after you four-bet jam with King-Seven offsuit in heads up. What was going on in your head when you made this play?
Ha: I think about 40% of his three-bets there are bluffs, especially in heads up where there are many hands. All through the tourney I four-bet twice not all-in against the Indian players but lost both pots, so I just four-bet all-in as a re-steal.
SMP: How will you celebrate your win?
Ha: I will take a break for a week and definitely play more poker.
SMP: Thank you Ha Manh Tuong and we wish you good luck on your poker career moving forward!
Buy in: VN₫ 20,000,000 (~US$ 843)
Guarantee: VN₫ 8,000,000,000 (~US$ 338,087)
Prize Pool: VN₫ 17,809,200,000 (~US$ 751,126)
Total Entries: 1,020
ITM: 128 players
Day 1A – 187 entries
Day 1B – 292 entries
Day 1C – 356 entries
Day 1D Turbo – 185 entries
WPC-SEAPT Main Event Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Flag | Prize (VN₫) |
| 1st | Ha Manh Tuong | Vietnam | 3,226,200,000 |
| 2nd | Kartik Ved | India | 2,000,000,000 |
| 3rd | Nguyen Quang Minh | Vietnam | 1,450,000,000 |
| 4th | Eric Wasylenko | Canada | 1,080,000,000 |
| 5th | Jason Lau | Malaysia | 820,000,000 |
| 6th | Nguyen Quang Huy | Vietnam | 620,000,000 |
| 7th | Deepak Bothra | India | 480,000,000 |
| 8th | Hao Seo | Vietnam | 375,000,000 |
Visit Grand Loyal Poker Club’s official Facebook page to watch the full recap of the Main Event Final Table. Day 2 action is also available on our live updates page for a full view of how the 128-player field played down to its final 8 players.
WPC-SEAPT Schedule & Structures
Event Photos
Stay tuned to Somuchpoker for more on the ongoing World Poker Championship at Grand Loyal.
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