HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – Poker mania has officially swept Vietnam’s most populous city with the first event of the APT Vietnam Ho Chi Minh, the NLHE Warm-Up (Flight A), garnering (as of this writing) 239 registrants with a total of 59 re-entries. This pumps up the total prize pool to 1.673B VND (almost US$72,000.00), shattering the original guaranteed prize pool of 1B VND (US$43.000.00) at the Saigon Poker Club here.
Registration for Flight A is still open until before Level 13. Unlimited re-buys are also available until then. Flight A is presently at Level 10.
Flight B now commences with only three available tables and a phalanx of alternates now waiting to be seated. Both Flights will played until the end of Level 15.
“This is a phenomenal start,” exclaimed Lloyd Fontillas, APT General Manager and Executive Tournament Director. “This is a great indication that the poker community here is hungry for action and that it also could be a precursor to what could be a record turnout in the Main Event. We eclipsed the guarantee for the Warm-Up as early as the fourth level and this could be the trend for all our slated events here in the coming days.”
It is also due to this overwhelming turnout that the first of five Main Event satellites has been cancelled owing to the Warm-Up event occupying all the tables at this venue.
The 7B VND (US$301,000.00) Guaranteed Main Event kicks off on Thursday, August 11 with three Day 1s.
See the complete event schedule here