'What a turn card!': Magic ending for first-time WSOPC champ in Cherokee Main

“What a turn card! What a f***ing turn card!!”

These were the words from Tuyen Dieu and his rail as they celebrated the new WSOP Circuit Main Event champion’s victory. And yes, what a f***ing turn card it was.

After a king-10-10 flop was checked through, the ace of diamonds fell on the turn, which Dieu bet. When he was check-raised all-in by Boas, who had a 10, Dieu called and turned over pocket aces for a full house. In that moment, only one thought was in his head:

“I’m a champion now. Here we go, I’m rich! Finally, I’m rich!”

Dieu certainly is, claiming $287,230 and his first WSOP Circuit ring for topping the 1,224-entry field. Though it sounds like the wealth will spread among a group of loyal friends. 

It’s an unlikely win for the cash game player from Vietnam who moved to the United States when he was 18. He said this was just his third-ever live tournament, and the friends who 'take all my money' convinced him to join them in playing the Main Event.

Tuyen Dieu made his friends very, very happy.

Never a dull moment

According to the champ, those friends are the biggest beneficiaries of his win.

“They have a lot of percent of me. A lot. I’m not happy about that right now.”

Dieu’s final table journey to winning his friends a bunch of money was an eventful one, as he had to overcome a murderer’s row of WSOP bracelet and Circuit ring winners to claim the title. That task was especially challenging, given that he started the day seventh of the nine players.

Fortune smiled on him early in the day as seven-handed and needing a double-up, Dieu picked up his favorite hand, ace-queen, to double through Boas in a flip against the eventual runner-up’s pocket tens.

As critical as that hand was for Dieu, shortly after was the hand that gave him his shot at the title. Dieu induced a river bluff from sixth-place finisher John Shepherd, which Dieu called with top pair, top kicker to take the chip lead. “I knew I’m trapping him. I knew he was going to do that. So yeah, snap-call him.”

From there, Dieu battled with Joshua Palmer for the chip lead until three-handed play saw Boas overtake Palmer. Dieu performed the finishing blow to set the heads-up match with Boas.

Toby Boas was the last obstacle for Dieu and his first WSOPC ring.

Don't let Mom see the banner

With this substantial boost to the bankroll, Dieu says he may play some more tournaments, including the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas, where he says, “I hope I can win one more time.”

As much as the money (however much he has left after paying his friends their share) or the ring means to him, it's a unique aspect of becoming a Main Event champion here at Cherokee that had him most excited when he learned about it.

Dieu's name will also be alongside every WSOP Circuit Main Event champion on a banner hanging inside the Cherokee Exhibition Hall, but it’s an honor he may have to prepare his mother for.

“My name’s gonna be up there? Are you for real? Wow, I (didn’t) even know that. Maybe if my Mom sees that, she’s gonna kill me, she’s over here a lot.”

WSOPC Cherokee Main Event final table results

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