The USOP Danang 2024 Main Event concluded with Malaysia’s Ian Lee clinching the prestigious title and a prize of VND 7,120,000,000 (USD 287,677), the largest main event prize awarded by USOP so far!
The event had a buy-in of 30,000,000 (~USD 1,235) and a guaranteed prize pool of 15,000,000,000 (USD 614,500). Running from March 28th to April 1st, 2024, it drew an impressive field of 1,702 participants across four starting flights. The strong turnout for the event resulted in a staggering prize pool of 44,575,300,000 (~USD 1,800,000), distributed among the top 213 players.
Team India Performance at USOP Danang 2024 Main Event
Also on the final table was India’s Alok Birewar who exited in ninth place for VND 712,800,000 (INR 2,394,590). Apart from him, Rishi Mehra (60th, VND 110,600,000), Nishant Kishanlal Sharma (126th, VND 72,300,000), Amit Kaushik (155th, VND 58,900,000), Dhaval Mudgal (159th, VND 58,900,000), Manish Lakhotia (162nd, VND 58,900,000), and Pradeep Nudurumati (189th, VND 52,100,0000) were the other Indians who cashed the main event.
USOP Danang 2024 Main Event Final Day
On the final day of the tournament, only 13 contenders returned to vie for the coveted top prize and title. Among them, New Zealand’s Thomas Ward, (9,600,000) began as the chip leader, and India’s Alok Birewar started the day with the third largest stack with 5,460,000 chips. The eventual champion Lee held the fifth largest stack with 4,225,000 in chips and started off well by delivering back to back eliminations of Chang Xiang Guang (18th place – VN₫ 302,300,000) and Jun Ma (17th – VN₫ 302,300,000), who were followed by Tae Hyoeng Kim (16th – VN₫ 302,300,000), Seung Hun Ko (15th – VN₫ 389,400,000), Hyo Seok Park (14th – VN₫ 389,400,000), Le Ngoc Minh (13th – VN₫ 389,400,000), Le Giang Nam (12th – VN₫ 501,300,000) & Do Tuan Phong (11th – VN₫ 501,300,000).
The final table was reached after the elimination of Anthony Lewis (10th – VN₫ 501,300,000). India’s Alok Birewar who started the table as one of the shortest stacks was the first casualty from the final table. He held pocket eights against the pocket queens of Chun Hao Zhang and lost on the board of Kd Jh 3d Ad 5s. He walked away with VN₫ 712,800,000 (~USD 28,800) for his deep run.
Birewar was followed by Buyu Sakurai (eighth), Truong Vu Tran Khanh (seventh), Chun Hao Zhang (sixth). The next player to fall was Fan Ying Kun who was eliminated by Lee. The former shoved with AJ against pocket kings of Lee. While he flopped a jack pair, it was no good against Lee’s pocket kings.
Lee then eliminated Thomas Ward whose Qd Jd lost to Lee’s Ks 10h. The next knockout was scored by Phan Quang Thai who sent Gabriel Carter to the rail in third place to enter the heads-up against Lee.
The heads-up saw Ian Lee holding 47,000,000 (78 bb) over Phan Quang Thai’s 21,000,000 (35 bb). The heads-up lasted for over four hours with chips oscillating between the two players as they fiercely contested for supremacy. Finally, it was Lee who emerged victorious to win the coveted title. On the final hand, Lee had Ad 10s and Thai held Ks 7s. The board ran out 2d Jd Qs 4d 5c, giving Lee the title.
Final Table Payouts (VND)
1-Ian Lee – VN₫ 7,120,000,000 (~USD 287,677)
2-Phan Quang Thai – VN₫ (prize money not specified)
3-Gabriel Carter – VN₫ 3,422,000,000 (~USD 138,263)
4-Thomas Ward – VN₫ 2,504,200,000(~USD 101,180)
5-Fan Ying Kun – VN₫ 1,877,100,000 (~USD 75,842)
6-Chun Hao Zhang – VN₫ 1,512,000,000 (~USD 61,091)
7-Truong Vu Tran Khanh – VN₫ 1,230,700,000 (~USD 49,725)
8-Buyu Sakurai – VN₫ 960,300,000 (~USD 38,800)
9-Alok Birewar – VN₫ 712,800,000 (~USD 28,800)
Other Indians Who Made Waves at USOP Danang 2024
Coming back to Team India performances, Pocket52 Team Pro Dhaval Mudgal was the only player to win a title at the USOP Danang 2024. He shipped a Mystery Rush Bounty and took a pay cheque of VND 293,000,000. Another Indian pro and World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, Abhinav Iyer took the fourth position in the Super High Roller tournament, securing a payday of VND 1,223,900,000 ($49,371).
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Image Credit: USOP and SMP
