Poker Dream may be new in the circuit but it has already shown what sets it apart. Just like its debut in Malaysia, the brand’s inaugural stint in Hoi An, Vietnam has witnessed mass participation by Asia-Pacific’s creme de la creme that you’d think it was a Triton series.
Since the start, the festival’s high roller events have generated bloated prize pools making every low to mid ranged player wish they had the bankroll to join the big action. Even more so at the recently concluded Super High Roller where a staggering 92 runners coughed up the costly ₫230,000,000 (~$9,400) buy in for a jaw dropping prize pool of ₫19,699,960,000 (~$805,000). To emphasize the enormity of this pot, its min cash is higher than several side event prize pools. This is also within range of its debut in Malaysia where the SHR gathered a slightly larger pot of US$ 826K.
Among the players seen rubbing elbows were Sung Are Joo Hyun, Kartik Ved both had arrived just in time for the big game, Danny Tang who had already played every high roller event offered since the start, Abhinav Iyer and poker figure Paul Phua both carrying the biggest stacks into Day 2, and Elton Tsang and Devan Tang, rarities in the Asian circuit. In the end the title went to Malaysia’s Ewe Eng Soon for first first ever live poker title. Ewe shipped the coveted ₫5,230,000,000 (~US$ 214,400) first prize and the brand’s custom designed high roller trophy.
Bubble time recap
On the ninth hour of play, it was bubble time with eventual champion Soon seen all in nearly back to back, and both times he doubled up through Ewe Eng Siang. The first hand was 
standing firm against 
followed by 
ahead of 
.
The bubble burst on the lone Filipino remaining, Lester Edoc who shoved his last 8 BB with 
into newly crowned Short Deck High Roller champion Yeu Wei Hsiang’s 
. From there saw the fast fall of the short stacks. New Zealand’s Hamish Crawshaw was credited for two knockouts, Chi Jen Chu (13th) and Wai Leong Chan (10th) to form the final table
Buy in: ₫230,000,000 (~$9,400)
Entries: 92
Prize pool: ₫19,699,960,000 (~$805,000)
ITM: 13 places
Payouts
| 1st | Ewe Eng Soon | Malaysia | ₫5,230,000,000 |
| 2nd | Devan Tang | Hong Kong | ₫3,634,000,000 |
| 3rd | Hamish Crawshaw | New Zealand | ₫2,403,000,000 |
| 4th | Danny Tang | Hong Kong | ₫1,882,000,000 |
| 5th | Tzer Chiuan Lim | Malaysia | ₫1,516,000,000 |
| 6th | Pham Tien Dung | Vietnam | ₫1,182,000,000 |
| 7th | Yeu Wei Hsiang | Malaysia | ₫935,960,000 |
| 8th | Zhi Yi Ning | Malaysia | ₫729,000,000 |
| 9th | Ewe Eng Siang | Malaysia | ₫552,000,000 |
| 10th | Wai Leong Chan | Malaysia | ₫424,000,000 |
| 11th | Kartik Ved | India | ₫424,000,000 |
| 12th | Ferdinand Putra | Indonesia | ₫394,000,000 |
| 13th | Chi-Jen Chu | Taiwan | ₫394,000,000 |
You can watch the final table race via the Poker Dream social media channels or read on for the brief recap below.
The final table opened with three players dwarfing the rest – Danny Tang, Crawshaw, and Soon. Three players were quickly dusted Siang (9th), Zhi Yi Ning (8th), and Hsiang (7th). Out next was Vietnam’s last hope, Pham Tien Dung, who couldn’t bring up his stack and took a stand with 
that missed against Crawshaw’s pocket Nines. It took some time before another tumbled, Tzer Chiuan Lim, who also went down at the hands of Crawshaw.
While Crawshaw seemed to be cruising, Devan Tang survived multiple shoves to rise from just 3 BB. The biggest pot of the table came down between Soon and Danny Tang with the former winning the race with 
holding against 
on a board 
. Tang plunged to 3 BB and was later put out of his misery in 4th place by Crawshaw.
Despite having railed half of his final table opponents, Crawshaw had it rough at three-handed. He lost two showdowns against Devan Tang then fell in 3rd place to Soon to bring about heads up. Soon was ahead 82 BB to Tang’s 25 BB. On the second hand, Tang was all in with to Soon’s 
. The final board ran 
.
Stick with us here at Somuchpoker as we bring you full coverage of the festival from start to finish. Poker Dream Vietnam has been ongoing since October 14 and will run through October 23 at the Grand Hall of Hoiana Hotel & Suites.
Live Updates page
Poker Dream Player Guide
Daily event pics – Somuchpoker fb page
Main Event info
Article links:
Poker Dream releases Hoi An full schedule
Poker Dream makes landfall in Hoi An, Vietnam
Poker Dream kicks off
Poker Dream: Day 1 recap
Poker Dream: First four trophies awarded
Poker Dream: Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand lift trophies
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