KPC High Roller (8,000,000 KRW)

Day 1 of the KPC High Roller Event has officially wrapped up at the Les A (formely Landing) Casino in Jeju, South Korea. The KRW 8,000,000 buy-in event attracted a total of 149 players from across the globe, taking the total prize pool to KRW 1,052,180,000 (~USD 726,800).

China’s Quan Zhou leads the field of 41 surivors heading into Day 2 with a stack of 2,090,000 after a calm and consistent showing throughout the day. Ranked 14th on China’s all-time money list, Zhou already has plenty of deep runs under his belt, including two recent victories in both Vegas and Kyrenia earlier this year. With his track record and form, Zhou will be looking to carry that momentum, and his chip advantage, through to another strong finish tomorrow.

Hot on Zhou’s heels is Chenxiang Miao, bagging 1,825,000. Another seasoned Chinese player, Miao has been in fine form recently, with several podium finishes including a first-place result at Triton One here in Jeju, marking his biggest live score to date. With that kind of momentum, he’s certainly one to watch tomorrow.

Rounding out the top three is Peng Deng with 1,610,000. While he may not yet share the same resume as his two counterparts, a win here would comfortably surpass his career-best cash of USD 86,200. With plenty of chips to work with, Deng will be eager to convert his stack into a deep run.

Also advancing to Day 2 is John Juanda, who bagged up 1,395,000 chips and taking the fourth-place spot going into Day 2. No stranger to deep runs, the Indonesian veteran has already logged two major victories this year, taking down the Superstar Challenge at Poker Dream Jeju in February for USD 288,284, and the Single Day High Roller at APT Taipei in April for USD 110,628.

The action resumes tomorrow at 13:00 p.m., with the 41 remaining contenders set to play down to a champion. Only 23 will make the money, so every pot will count as the pressure ramps up. Play restarts at Level 13 with blinds at 10,000/20,000/20,000 and 40-minute levels. Join us back here at Somuchpoker for full live coverage throughout the day.

Day 1 of the KRW 8,000,000 KPC High Roller has come to a close. Stay tuned for the full end-of-day recap, including chip counts and the full list of players advancing to Day 2.

Roman Hrabec raised to 30,000 from the cutoff and found calls from Chenxiang Miao in the small blind and Guoliang Wei in the big.

The 9♦ 8♥ 5♣ flop checked through, leading to the J♣ turn where Miao bet 50,000. Hrabec called, and the two went to the river.

The 6♦ completed the board, and both players checked. Miao showed J♦ 8♣ for two pair, enough to win as Hrabec mucked.

Tony Ren Lin drew the 6♠, meaning six more hands would be played before players bagged up for the night.

Quan Zhou, Tsz Kin Heung, and Punnat Punsri checked through a flop of 4♥ 8♣ 5♦ to see the 7♦ turn. Zhou led for 35,000, picking up calls from both opponents.

The river brought the 3♠, and all three checked again. Zhou showed K♠ 7♠ for a pair of sevens, Heung revealed Q♦ 8♦ for a higher pair, but it was Punsri who scooped the pot with T♠ T♦ for pocket tens.

The total prize pool has been confirmed at KRW 1,052,180,000 (~USD 727,951). Below is the official payout breakdown, with 23 players set to earn a share of the prize money (16% of the field paid).

On a board showing A♦ 3♠ 4♦, Xiaoyu Li bet 175,000 into a pot of roughly 100,000.

After some thought, Chenxiang Mao moved all in with the covering stack of around 700,000. Li didn’t take long to call:

Xiaoyu Li: A♠ T♣

Chenxiang Mao: 4♠ 4♥

Mao’s flopped set spelled trouble for Li, who couldn’t find an ace on the K♣ 7♣ runout, sending her to the rail shortly after registration closed.

Tony Ren Lin raised to 20,000 from UTG and received calls from cutoff Chia Hsiang Ko and big blind Alexandru Papazian.

Papazian check-folded when Lin continued for 30,000 on the 5♥ 4♦ J♥ flop, while Ko stuck around with the call.

The J♦ landed on the turn, and Lin fired again, this time for 35,000. Ko called once more.

On the 7♦ river, Lin moved all in for 85,000, and Ko quickly called, tabling J♠ T♠. Lin revealed A♦ J♣ for the better kicker, giving him a full double and then some.

Registration has officially closed for KPC High Roller Day 1, with a total of 149 entries building a prize pool of just over KRW 1 billion (~USD 691,280). The payout structure and confirmed prize details will be released shortly.

Action was picked up with Roman Hrabec, Punnat Punsri, and Tony Ren Lin all in and heading to showdown:

Tony Ren Lin: T♥ 9♠

Punnat Punsri: K♥ Q♠

Roman Hrabec: A♦ 3♣

Punsri smashed the 7♣ Q♥ Q♦ flop, locking in a commanding lead that held through the T♦ 6♥ runout. The pot gave him a huge boost in chips while Lin was sent to the rail.

Iulian Blebea raised to 16,000 from middle position and was called by Jia William in the big blind.

William check-called when Blebea continued for 11,000 on the T♣ 9♠ 9♦ flop.

Both checked the 7♠ turn to see the 5♠ river, where William checked once more. Blebea fired 45,000, prompting William to move all in with the covering stack.

Blebea went deep into the tank, using almost all of his time banks before eventually folding, allowing William to scoop the pot.

A look at some of the bigger stacks as registration nears its close.

Tao Yin raised to 13,000 from middle position and Xiaochun Shi called on the button. Small blind Huu Dung Nguyen then three-bet to 51,000, and only Shi called.

Nguyen continued for 20,000 on the 7♣ 7♦ J♠ flop, and Shi moved all in for 130,000. Nguyen quickly called:

Huu Dung Nguyen: T♥ T♦

Xiaochun Shi: K♥ J♥

Shi’s flopped jack kept him ahead and secured Nguyen’s elimination on the Q♣ 3♣ runout.

UTG Tom Verbruggen raised to 10,000 and received two calls from cutoff Ryan Plant and big blind Chang He.

He check-called when Verbruggen fired 14,000 on the 8♠ A♠ 5♥ flop, and Plant got out of the way.

He check-called again on the 7♥ turn, this time for 45,000.

He checked a third time on the 4♦ river but folded to Verbruggen's 100,000 bet.

In the next hand, UTG Punnat Punsri made a “no-look” raise to 10,000, but cutoff Tony Ren Lin three-bet to 25,000. He called, and Punsri let it go, sending the two heads-up to the flop.

He check-called Lin’s 10,000 bet on the Q♠ Q♣ 5♠ flop.

Both checked the 7♠ turn, and Lin moved all in on the A♠ river. He called, tabling T♥ T♠ for a flush, but was sent to the rail when Lin revealed J♠ T♣ for the higher flush.

Joseph Cheong opened to 8,000 and picked up calls from Jianfeng Sun and Dinesh Alt.

Both opponents folded when Cheong continued for 10,000 on the K♦ Q♦ T♠ flop.

In the following hand, button Nevan Chang raised to 8,000 and was called by Cheong in the big blind.

They checked through the K♦ 8♦ Q♣ 2♦ board, and Cheong led for 20,000 on the 6♣ river to take it down after a quick fold from Chang.

Soon after, UTG short stack Haogen Huang moved all in for around 85,000 and was called by Sun.

Haogen Huang: 9♠ 9♥

Jianfeng Sun: Q♦ Q♥

Sun’s queens stayed ahead on the 2♣ 3♥ 8♠ 3♦ T♠ runout to eliminate Huang. A few hands later, Ryan Plant followed him to the rail from the same table.

With registration open through the end of Level 9, there’s still time for players to join the action and take a shot at the KRW 631,722,000 (and counting) prize pool.

Hand 1

Cutoff Meng Ling Lin raised to 6,000 and called after small blind Hugues “Hugo” Girard three-bet to 25,000.

On the 6♦ 7♥ 4♠ flop, Girard check-shoved over Lin’s 15,000 bet, and Lin snap-called:

Meng Ling Lin: T♠ 9♠

Hugues “Hugo” Girard: T♣ T♥

Lin needed an eight to stay alive, but the 7♣ 6♣ runout brought no help, giving Girard a healthy boost to his stack.

Hand 2

Big blind George Tomescu made it 3,000 to go, and hijack Yiheng Luo three-bet to 6,000. Both opponents folded when small blind Tsz Kin Heung four-bet to 23,000.

Hand 3

Cutoff Martin Sedlak raised to 6,500 and folded when button Heung three-bet to 19,000.

Hand 4

Christian Harder had just sat down in seat 3, replacing Lin with a fresh stack of 200,000.

UTG Luo opened to 6,000 and called next-seat-over Girard’s three-bet to 18,000.

Luo check-called Girard’s 15,000 continuation bet on the 2♣ 3♠ 5♥ flop. Both checked the 4♥ turn, and on the 6♥ river, Luo moved all in for 85,000. Girard tanked before eventually folding, remarking they both likely held an ace; Luo’s ace-six would indeed have come out ahead.

Lin rebought and was back at another table shortly after.

Hand 1

Button Trung Hieu Nguyen raised to 5,000 and was called by big blind Yaoyu He.

Both checked the 3♠ 2♦ 6♣ flop to see the K♥ turn, where He check-folded to Nguyen’s 4,500 bet.

Hand 2

Button Dong Chen raised to 10,000 and was called by big blind John Juanda.

Juanda check-called the 7♠ K♠ 9♥ flop after Chen bet 5,000. On the 7♣ turn, Juanda led for 10,000, only for Chen to raise to 27,000, forcing Juanda to fold.

Hand 3

Chi Ngong Tang opened to 5,000 UTG and was called by big blind Punnat Punsri.

Punsri check-folded the A♠ Q♠ K♠ flop after Tang continued for 5,000.

Hand 4

Nguyen raised to 5,000 from early position and got calls from button Juanda and big blind Tang.

Tang checked the T♣ 2♥ 2♠ flop, and Nguyen bet 6,500 to take it down.

Hand 5

Chen opened to 5,500 from early position and was called by big blind Florian Duta.

Both checked the 5♠ 7♣ 3♠ flop and 2♠ turn. On the 3♦ river, Duta check-called a 10,000 bet from Chen, who showed A♥ 2♥ for the winner.

Hand 6

Hijack Juanda raised to 5,500 but folded when Tang three-bet to 15,500.

Hand 7

Cutoff Tang raised to 5,000 and was called by big blind Chen.

Chen check-called Tang’s 8,000 bet on the T♣ 4♣ Q♠ flop. Both checked the 8♦ turn, and on the T♥ river Chen led for 5,000. Tang called and saw Chen table pocket eights for a full house.

Liang Dong opened to 4,000 from early position and picked up calls from button Dong Chen and small blind Yaoyu He.

Big blind Johnson (John) Juanda then squeezed to 20,000, forcing quick folds from all three opponents to take down the pot preflop.

UTG Jinjiang Zhang opened to 6,000 and found calls from hijack Iulian Blebea and big blind Yiheng Luo.

On the 3♦ 3♥ 2♦ flop, Luo check-folded after Zhang continued for 15,000, leaving Blebea to call.

When the 3♣ landed on the turn, Zhang placed a single 25,000 chip into the middle. After some thought, Blebea released his hand, conceding the pot.

UTG Yang Li rasied to 2,500, and was then three-bet to 10,500 by button Chi Ngong Tang.

Li responded with a four-bet to 70,000 prompting Tang to dispatch a timebank before eventually releasing his cards back to the dear.

In the next hand, UTG Liangcai Chen raised to 3,000 and was called by big blind Li.

Li check-raised Chen, from 2,000 to 12,000 on the Q♣ 9♣ 7♠ flop. Chen stuck around with the call.

Li fired 2,000 on the 5♠ river and Chen made the call one more.

The K♥ landed on the river, and the action was cautious with a check-check.

Li flipped over A♣ 7♣ but was disappointed to see Chen's A♦ Q♦ for a higher pair.

The spotlight shifts once again inside Les A Casino as the KPC High Roller takes its turn at the Jeju Poker Festival (JPF) 2025. Featuring an 8,000,000 KRW buy-in and a deep 200,000 starting stack, the two-day event is expected to draw another strong lineup of local and international regulars.

Play begins at 3 p.m. with 40-minute levels and blinds starting at 500/1,000/1,000. Registration stays open through the end of Level 9, while Day 1 concludes after Level 12. All surviving players will return tomorrow to continue their run toward the title.

The shot clock is active from the start, and time bank cards are awarded based on when players enter. The final table will switch to a hands-per-level format to maintain steady action as the field tightens.

Excitement remains high following the Super High Roller, which concluded this morning with Ye Wang claiming the title after topping a field of 94 entries for $682,200. With that momentum carrying straight into today’s event, another big turnout is expected as the Jeju Poker Festival continues in full swing.

Keep it right here with Somuchpoker for all the latest action from the felt, and to see who can make a deep run at another High Roller title at the 2025 JPF.