The last Poker Dream event of the calendar year wrapped up at Hoiana Resort & Golf with games taking place from September 29 to October 8, 2023 in Hoi An, Vietnam. The event was just as lucrative as promised paying out over ₫91.8 Billion (~US$ 3.7 Million) in prizes across 23 events. This was the richest Poker Dream festival of the year. Here are the highlights. 

Festival review

Festival prize pool: ₫91,837,645,400(~US$ 3,766,160)
Trophy Events: 23
Largest prize pool: Main Event – ₫22,639,945,500 (~US$ 927,866)
Super High Roller prize pool: ₫22,576,750,000 (~US$ 925,276)
Biggest Single Event winner: John Juanda – ₫6,000,000,000 (~US$ 246,000)
Main Event champion: Nguyen Thi Bao An – ₫2,830,000,000 (~US$ 116,000)
Dream Player of the Year: You Jun Hong
Biggest Earner: John Juanda – ₫6,000,000,000 (~US$ 246,000)
Multi-winner: Foo Tuck Wai – Event 6: Mystery Hunter Turbo, Event 15: Win The Button Turbo
Most final table cashes: Sun Kai Yi (5), Raina Chakshu Deep (4)
Most cashes: Raina Chakshu Deep (9), Ho Duy Manh (8)
Trophy by Flag: Vietnam (8), Malaysia (4), Hong Kong (3), China (2), South Korea (2), Japan (1), USA (1), Thailand (1), Philippines (1)

Poker Dream 7 Vietnam – Festival Results
Poker Dream 7 Vietnam – Coverage

You Jun Hong clinches Dream Player of the Year

Since last year, players began earning points towards the Dream Player of the Year (DPOY) race. The last chance to accrue points was at Poker Dream 7 Vietnam. Malaysia’s You Jun Hong entered as race leader with several players at his tail. However, Hong proved difficult to catch. He quickly earned points at the Opener for 14th place. In total, Hong earned in four events to clinch the first ever DPOY title. For his achievement, he was awarded a special DPOY trophy and US$ 15,000 in 2024 Poker Dream tournament credits.

List of cashes at the PD7VN festival:

113th – Main Event
14th – Vietnam Open
38th – Mystery Big Hunter
22nd – Mystery Hunter High Roller

Main Event: NGUYEN THI BAO AN

Early in the festival, Nguyen Thi Bao An wowed the crowd with her stunning Halloween Costume to win a free entry to the Main Event. In an even more impressive follow up, Nguyen turned that winning ticket to maiden victory and a sweet payout deal of ₫2,830,000,000 (~US$ 116,000). She is also the first female to win the Poker Dream Main Event. 

The Main Event amassed a prize pool of ₫22,639,945,500 (~US$ 927,866) with 144 players earning a share. The final three players struck an ICM deal payout and played for the trophy.

Main Event – Live Updates

Most cashes: RAINA CHAKSHU DEEP

A long list of players reached ITM multiple times and out-cashing them all was India’s Raina Chakshu Deep with an incredible nine trips to the cage. Deep also ranked second in the most final table cashes. In total, Deep earned ₫332,700,000 (~US$ 13,640).

2nd – Mystery Hunter Turbo – ₫39,000,000
5th –  Deepstack – ₫128,200,000
6th – Pot Limit Omaha Turbo – ₫11,400,000
7th – Win the Button Turbo – ₫17,800,000
13th – Mystery Hunter Turbo – ₫8,600,000
17th – Vietnam Open – ₫24,900,000
17th – Mini Main Event – ₫13,900,000
32nd – Mystery Big Hunter – ₫9,900,000
37th – Main Event – ₫79,000,000

Also needing recognition was USA’s Ho Duy Manh who was a close second with 8 cashes of which two were final table finishes. His largest cash was at the Mystery Big Hunter for ₫367,200,000 (~US$ 15,000). In total, Ho earned ₫518,900,000 (~US$ 21,280). 

Biggest Score: JOHN JUANDA

Known to attract the biggest names in the industry, Poker Dream’s Super High Roller event saw famous Asian players light up the felt: Punnat Punsri, Wai Kin Yong, Danny Tang, Webster Lim, Victor Chong, Phachara Wongwichit, Marc Rivera, John Tech. In a rare treat, elite player John Juanda made an appearance and stole the spotlight not just for his presence but also by taking it down for his first ever Poker Dream title.

The event saw 97 runners cough up the ₫250,000,000 (~USD 10,779) buy in for a prize pool of ₫22,576,750,000 (~US$ 925,276). This surpassed last year’s prize pool by over $100K. The top 13 places earned a portion. Juanda claimed the whopping lion’s share ₫6,000,000,000 (~US$ 246,000), making him the largest earner at the series. 

Multiple Wins: FOO TUCK WAI

Prior to the festival, Malaysia’s Foo Tuck Wai only had three cashes to his name and no win. At the end of the series, he achieved the difficult task of winning not one but two events to walk away with two trophies! Foo won  Event 6: Mystery Hunter Turbo and Event 15: Win The Button Turbo. 

Most Final Table Cashes: SUN KAI YI

China’s Sun Kai Yi may not have brought home a trophy but he did cash at five events, each one were final table finishes. He earned a combined ₫133,500,000 (~US$ 5,475).

3rd – NLH Turbo – ₫32,200,000
3rd – PLO Turbo – ₫24,300,000
3rd – 6-Handed – ₫42,600,000
5th – Mystery Hunter Turbo – ₫15,500,000
6th – Mystery Hunter Turbo – ₫18,900,000