Singapore’s Shixiang Khoo claimed the top spot at the most affluent Vietnamese Main Event in the history of the Asian Poker Tour (APT). The competition unfolded at the upscale Ariyana Convention Centre, part of the Furama Resort in Da Nang, where 675 players gathered to compete for the APT Summer Series Da Nang, Vietnam 2023 Main Event golden lion trophy.
By the fourth and final day of the event, only nine players from the extensive starting pool remained in the race for the grand prize, a share of the massive VND 20,624,625,000 (~USD $866,360) total pot.
Khoo, leading with a 2-to-1 chip advantage, faced off against Japan’s Shinya Maeda in a decisive 17-hand heads-up duel. Despite Maeda’s effort to level the game with an open-ended straight draw, Khoo, armed with a second pair, secured the win. This victory marked Khoo’s first tournament win, with a cash prize of an impressive VND 3,935,285,000 (~USD $165,280)!
Khoo kept his post-win comments simple and modest, stating, “I just got very lucky.” Regarding his plans for the prize money, he shared, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the money, most probably invest it or something like that.”
Finalists at the Main Event table included Daiki Shingae (Japan), Yu-Chung Chang (Taiwan), Nguyen Khac Cuong (Vietnam), Hung Manh Nguyen (Vietnam), KoangHo Lee (South Korea), The Naing (Singapore), and Tran Duc Tuan (Vietnam), all leaving with impressive sums.
The journey to victory was not smooth for Khoo. Despite having the chip lead at the start of the final table, he faced strong competition from Japan’s Daiki Shingae and Taiwan’s Yu-Chung Chang. However, a shift in the game saw Khoo making a comeback, eliminating both opponents to secure his win. Overall, the last day took 150 hands across eight 60-minute levels, with Khoo coming out on top.
The next stop of the Asian Poker Tour is already in sights, In less than 4 weeks, Incheon, South Korea will be host to another 61 events, starting on August 25.
Final Table Results
| Result | Player | Prize Won |
| 1 | Shixiang Khoo (Singapore) | VND 3,935,285,000 |
| 2 | Shinya Maeda (Japan) | VND 2,429,580,000 |
| 3 | Daiki Shingae (Japan) | VND 1,736,590,000 |
| 4 | Yu-Chung Chang (Taiwan) | VND 1,330,290,000 |
| 5 | Nguyen Khac Cuong (Vietnam) | VND 1,053,920,000 |
| 6 | Hung Manh Nguyen (Vietnam) | VND 820,860,000 |
| 7 | KoangHo Lee (South Korea) | VND 598,110,000 |
| 8 | The Naing (Singapore) | VND 408,780,000 |
| 9 | Tran Duc Tuan (Vietnam) | VND 323,810,000 |
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