Running from November 29 to December 11, 2024, at the stunning Pullman Grand Hotel in Hai Phong in Vietnam, the U Series of Poker (USOP) Grand Finale shattered several records for Vietnam poker. Right from the start, the festival drew massive turnouts across its 13-day run, making it a record-breaking festival.
Wrapping the series in style was the High Roller Championship, which saw a record 1,059 entries and crowned a champion in John Matsuda of the Philippines, who walked away with $98,600 for his grand victory.
The highlighted event of the series was the Main Event, which also set a new benchmark, drawing a record-breaking 1,958 total entries and generating a prize pool of VND 57,976,380,000 ($2,283,660). Choi Hun Tae of Korea emerged victorious to make history by winning the biggest payout in Main Event history to the tune of VND 9.2 Billion ($362,705). Interestingly, this was the first live cash for Tae, a recreational player.
Nikolai Babushkin Wins The Player of the Series Title
The festival’s conclusion also marked the awarding of the USOP Grand Finale Player of the Series (POTS). Russia’s Nikolai Babushkin claimed the coveted title and took home an 18-karat electroplated gold USOP ring with 80 Mozambique diamonds embellished into it. Babushkin showcased unwavering determination, skill and grit, scoring several final table finishes, including two championships in the Win The Button and the 5-card PLO events. Here is a quick look at some of his prominent scores:
>5th for VND 13,012,000 – Event 9: Win The Button – Hyper Turbo
>2nd for VND 29,260,000 – Event 14: Double Board – Single Winner
>4th for VND 11,800,000 – Event 20: Run It Twice
>6th for VND 14,000,000 – Event 24: NLH Turbo
>7th for VND 41,000,000 – Event 41: No Limit Hold’em
>1st for VND 93,818,000 – Event 59: Win The Button
Taiwan’s Tao-Wei Chang Claims The Player of the Year Title
The USOP Grand Finale had a dream ending for Taiwan’s Tao-Wei Chang, who claimed the coveted USOP Player of the Year title with an undeniable lead. Chang had been scoring points since the inaugural USOP event in Taiwan and remained ahead by the finale. Chang ended the recent series with plenty of deep runs, including five final table finishes and a victory in the Bubble Rush. He collected 6,395 points, over 2,000 points more than his closest challenger. For his incredible achievement, Chang took home an 18-karat electroplated gold bracelet embellished with 312 Mozambique diamonds. Here is a look at Chang’s USOP Grand Finale performances.
>55th for VND 134,500,000 – USOP Grand Finale Main Event
>14th for VND 240,000,000 – Event 11: Superstar Challenge
>2nd for VND 40,000,000 – Event 4: 7-Handed Hyper Turbo
>5th for VND 19,700,000 – Event 6: Weekend Event
>2nd for VND 74,000,000 – Event 23: PLO Big Buy-in
>1st for VND 235,000,000 – Event 35: Bubble Rush
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Image Credit: USOP & SOMUCHPOKER
