South Korea, LES A CasinoEVENT #17

2026.01.06 - 2026.01.11Add to Calendar

K Poker Cup

Blind level

Level 17: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Entries

57/410

Total Chips

12,300,000

Average

215,789

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 4:58:42 PM

Eng Loon Choi Bags Biggest Stack on Biggest Day of Main Event

Level 17: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Eng Loong Choi

After more than 11 hours of intense poker inside the LES A Casino here in Jeju, South Korea, Day 1d of the KPC x LPT Main Event has concluded, with Malaysia’s Eng Loong Choi leading the charge. He rose atop a field of 410 entrants—the largest flight of the tournament thus far—and bagged up a massive 848,000 to take into Day 2 on Saturday, January 10th.

The Main Event serves as the crown jewel of this historic collaboration between the King Poker Cup (KPC) and the Long Poker Tour (LPT). With Day 1d’s strong showing, the KRW 880 Million (~USD 660,000) guarantee has been well and truly smashed, with the prize pool currently ballooning to KRW 1.4 Billion and counting.

Choi is no stranger to success in the region, currently sitting 33rd on Malaysia’s All-Time Money List with over $590,000 in live earnings. Just last month, he secured a victory in the GOP Super High Roller right here in Jeju. Choi’s path to the chip lead was paved by a massive pot where he defended his big blind and navigated a multi-way limped pot. After a series of aggressive raises on the flop, Choi fired a massive shove on the river with ace-five, successfully forcing a fold and raking in a mountain of chips.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Player	Chips
EL Eng Loong ChoiMalaysia	848,000(106 BB)
YL Yongjia LinChina	758,000(95 BB)
JL Jason LiCanada	641,000(80 BB)
HW Haozhao WangChina	553,000(69 BB)
YL Yiming LiChina	540,000(68 BB)
XZ Xiang Zhang (2)China	537,000(67 BB)
QH Quang Huy PhamViet Nam	497,000(62 BB)
WL Wenchao LiuChina	465,000(58 BB)
XL Xiao LiuChina	378,000(47 BB)
ZC Zong Chi HeTaiwan	364,000(46 BB)

Taking second place is Yongjia Lin, who finished the night with 758,000. Lin, a mainstay on the Australian poker circuit who recently broke the USD 1,000,000 career earnings milestone, has a history of performing well in high-stakes fields in Jeju, including deep runs in previous Triton events.

Rounding out the top three is Jason Li. Li has been in stellar form throughout 2025, recording a career-best score at the WSOP this past summer and following it up with multiple deep runs in Incheon and Taipei. With a top-three stack, he is well-positioned to leverage his experience when the fields merge.

Renji Mao

ITM and Day 2 Bubble

With a 410-entry field, the money bubble was set at 62 places. However, with the floor announcing only 52 bags available for the night, the remaining players had a final hurdle to clear before securing their progression.

The ITM bubble saw a dramatic double-exit. Renji Mao committed his final 56,000 chips with ace-queen, but he was unable to find help against Hui Liu’s pocket nines. Simultaneously at another table, Sen Yu was also eliminated, meaning both players shared the misfortune of bubbling in 63rd place.

Once the field reached the money, a swift "nether-zone" period followed as players scrambled to secure a bag for Day 2. Among those who fell in the money but short of the end of play were Shenglai Zhang, Peng Huang, Yayun Liu, Seunghyun Nam, Feng Qian, Enzhi Shen, Mengqing Lou, and Chunhao Zhang.

The day finally reached its conclusion with the elimination of Xiaotong Yu. Yu moved all-in from the button for 120,000 with ace-seven, but he ran directly into the pocket kings of Yongjia Lin in the small blind. Lin’s dominance was further solidified when he turned a set of kings, leaving Yu drawing dead before the river even fell. Yu’s exit in 53rd place officially halted play, leaving 52 survivors to join the growing list of Day 2 qualifiers.

Feng Qian

That concludes Somuchpoker’s coverage for Day 1d. There are still two chances left to get involved tomorrow, January 9th, with Day 1e kicking off at 12:00 and the Day 1f Turbo flight following at 19:30!

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:59:22 PM

Lin’s Set Sends Yu Out One Spot Short of Day 2

Level 17: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

Xiaotong Yu shoved the button for 120,000 and was put at risk by Yongjia Lin from the small blind.

Xiaotong Yu: A♦ 7♦

Yongjia Lin: K♠ K♣

Lin was far ahead with pocket kings against Yu's ace-high and maintained his dominance on the Q♠ 9♣ 8♠ flop. The turn brought a K♦, improving Lin to a set and leaving Yu drawing dead.

The 6♠ river came merely as a formality, sending Yu to the rail, falling just one spot shy of Day 2.

Player	Chips
YL Yongjia LinChina	758,000(95 BB)
XY Xiaotong YuChina	busted

Level 17: 4,000 / 8,000 ante: 8,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 57/410

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 3:23:42 PM

Lou's Sevens Fall to Zhang

Level 16: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Xiang Zhang

After Xiang Zhang raised from the cutoff, big blind Mengqing Lou got his 60,000-chip short stack into the middle which was quickly called by Zhang:

Mengqing Lou: 7♦ 7♣

Xiang Zhang: A♦ J♣

The A♣ 4♦ 3♥ runout was a terrible start for Lou, made worse by the J♥ 8♣ turn and river, eliminating him just before the Day 2 money bubble.

Player	Chips
XZ Xiang Zhang (2)China	420,000(70 BB)
ML Mengqing LouChina	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:17:51 PM

Mao Falls to Liu as Sen Yu Also Exits to Burst Bubble

Level 16: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Renji Mao

Hui Liu opened the hijack to 12,000, only to face a shove from Renji Mao for 56,000 on the button. Liu called.

Renji Mao: A♦ Q♦

Hui Liu: 9♥ 9♣

Mao trailed with ace-high against Liu's pocket nines. The flop came 6♠ 2♥ 4♠, giving him little help. The turn brought a T♣, leaving Mao still needing an ace or queen to survive.

Unfortunately for Mao, the J♦ on the river bricked out, sending him to the rail in 63rd place.

At another table, Sen Yu also moved all-in and was eliminated simultaneously.

Player	Chips
HL Hui LiuChina	243,000(41 BB)
RM Renji MaoChina	busted
SY Sen YuChina	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:10:16 PM

Liu Survives the Soft Bubble Against Wang

Level 16: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Xiang Liu

With 64 players remaining, the field entered the soft bubble.

Zicen Wang open-shoved from the small blind for around 115,000, and Xiang Liu called off his remaining 35,000 from the big blind, putting himself at risk.

Zicen Wang: Q♥ T♣

Xiang Liu: A♣ Q♦

Liu was ahead with ace-high and held control on the 4♦ Q♠ 7♦ flop. The J♣ turn changed nothing for Wang, who was still looking to spike a ten to eliminate Liu.

Fortunately for Liu, the river bricked out with the J♦, locking up a crucial double-up.

Player	Chips
XL Xiang Liu (2)China	78,000(13 BB)
ZW Zicen WangChina	75,000(13 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 3:09:26 PM

Liu Misses the Chop

Level 16: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Weihong Liu

Cutoff Zhongxian Li raised to 12,000, then folded to a 36,000 three-bet from big blind Weihong Liu, who flashed pocket jacks as she collected the pot.

In the second hand, Weihong Liu raised to 13,000 from the small blind and received a call from Guoliang Wei in the big blind.

Both players checked the 2♠ 5♣ 5♠ flop, leading to the K♣ turn where Liu led for 17,000. Wei stuck in the call.

The J♣ completed the board and Liu checked. Wei slid 30,000 into the middle, and after a moment, Liu let her hand go.

Wei turned over king-jack for top two pair, and a frustrated Liu announced she had mucked the exact same hand.

Player	Chips
WL Weihong LiuChina	280,000(47 BB)
ZL Zhongxian LiChina	170,000(28 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	125,000(21 BB)

Level 16: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 64/410

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 64/410

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 2:36:24 PM

Mai's Turn Shove Gets the Job Down

Level 15: 2,500 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Bien Mai

Yongjia Lin raised the cutoff to 10,000, and Tianyu Chen called on the button, as did Bien Mai from the big blind.

Mai and Lin checked the monochrome K♣ T♣ Q♣ flop to Chen, who continued for 32,000, and only Mai stuck around.

When the 7♦ hit on the turn, Mai checked. Chen fired 85,000, only to face a shove for around 215,000 from Mai. That was enough to take it down as Chen laid it down immediately.

Player	Chips
BM Bien MaiViet Nam	389,000(78 BB)
YL Yongjia LinChina	225,000(45 BB)
TC Tianyu ChenChina	120,000(24 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 2:31:01 PM

No Takers for Weixiong’s Turn Bomb

Level 15: 2,500 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Cai Weixiong raised to 11,000 from under the gun and received two calls from button Pingfeng Wu and big blind Zong Chi He.

He check-called when Weixiong fired 15,000 on the 5♠ A♦ 7♦ flop, and Wu came along as well.

The K♠ hit the turn and He checked once more. Weixiong then stuck a massive 50,000 bet into the middle, successfully shaking off both opponents to rake in the pot uncontested.

Player	Chips
WC Weixiong CaiChina	345,000(69 BB)
PW Pingfeng WuChina	195,000(39 BB)
ZC Zong Chi HeTaiwan	180,000(36 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 2:14:54 PM

Zhu's Snowmen Eliminate Niu

Level 15: 2,500 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Jingxuan Zhu

After a series of preflop shoves getting through from around the table, Yuxin Niu decided it was his turn to get the last of his stack–16,500 in total–into the middle, following an 11,500 raise from Jingxuan Zhu from under the gun. Zhu called once the action was back on him and the two showed their hands:

Yuxin Niu: A♦ 2♥

Jingxuan Zhu: 8♠ 8♦

Zhu's snowmen held firm on the 9♠ 4♦ 6♥ K♠ 4♠ runout, sending Niu to the rail just a few spots shy of the money bubble.

Player	Chips
JZ Jingxuan ZhuChina	279,000(56 BB)
YN Yuxin NiuChina	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 2:01:21 PM

Choi Blasts the River, Yiming Li Bows Out

Level 15: 2,500 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Eng Loong Choi

Yiming Li limped from under the gun, as did Jason Li from the small blind. Eng Loong Choi checked from the big blind.

The blinds checked over the 2♥ T♠ 4♣ flop to Yiming Li, who led out for 12,500. Jason Li called, and Choi raised to 35,000. Yiming Li then cranked it up to 87,500. Jason Li stepped aside from this madness, and Choi stuck around.

The duo slowed down on the K♥ turn with a check to see the 2♠ river, where Choi shoved for 250,000 after thinking for a while. This successfully forced Yiming Li to fold.

Player	Chips
JL Jason LiCanada	662,500(133 BB)
EL Eng Loong ChoiMalaysia	464,500(93 BB)
YL Yiming LiChina	163,000(33 BB)

Level 15: 2,500 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 78/410

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 1:56:32 PM

River Pressure from Shen

Level 14: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Enzhi Shen

Xiang Liu opened the button to 10,000, and Enzhi Shen defended his big blind.

Shen check-called on the 2♥ 3♠ 7♥ flop after Liu continued for 10,000. Action went check-check on the T♥ turn.

When the 7♦ showed on the river, Shen sent a 35,000 bet, and it was good for the pot as Liu laid it down.

Player	Chips
XL Xiang Liu (2)China	83,000(21 BB)
ES Enzhi ShenChina	69,000(17 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 1:50:36 PM

One Diamond Short: Ma Hits the Rail

Level 14: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Haozhao Wang

Sin Lan Chen made it 8,000 to go from middle position and Yuan Xu called in the cutoff. Haozhao Wang three-bet the button to 28,000, which Jinhui Ma called off his last 3,500 from the small blind. After Chen and Xu stepped aside, Ma was left at risk against Wang.

Jinhui Ma: 7♦ 6♦

Haozhao Wang: T♠ T♥

Wang started strong with pocket tens, but the T♦ A♣ 2♦ flop made him sweat as Ma picked up a flush draw.

The turn brought a 9♣, and Wang still needed to fade multiple outs to avoid Ma’s double-up. Fortunately, the river came clean with a 9♥, sending Ma to the rail and shipping the pot to Wang.

Player	Chips
HW Haozhao WangChina	168,000(42 BB)
JM Jinhui MaChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 1:43:15 PM

Ace-Jack All Round

Level 14: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Nang Quang Nguyen raised to 8,000 from under the gun and big blind Kevin Lau joined him to the flop.

Both players checked through the T♠ 5♣ T♦ A♥ board. On the 6♠ river, Lau led for 12,000 and Nguyen tossed in the call, offering a respectful table tap before mucking when Lau revealed A♠ J♦.

In the next hand, Xiang Zhang raised to 8,000 from early position and was joined by Chia-Feng Chiang in the cutoff and Nguyen in the big blind.

Nguyen check-folded when Zhang continued for 12,000 on the T♦ 7♥ Q♠ flop, but Chiang stuck around with a call.

The K♠ hit the turn and both players checked. On the 2♣ river, Zhang immediately shoved, only to be met by an equally swift call from Chiang.

The excitement was short-lived, however; both players flipped over ace-jack to chop the pot.

Player	Chips
NQ Nang Quang NguyenViet Nam	450,000(113 BB)
XZ Xiang Zhang (2)China	255,000(64 BB)
PH Pak Hei Kevin LauHong Kong	235,000(59 BB)
CF Chia Feng ChiangTaiwan	60,000(15 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 1:25:46 PM

Further Departures

Level 14: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Player	Chips
QY Qingshan YaoChina	busted
ZW Ziwei WangChina	busted
WJ Wei Jiang (2)China	busted
HQ Haoran QiaoChina	busted
BZ Bin ZhaoChina	busted
LD Luke DaintonUnited Kingdom	busted
HC Hon Cheong LeeHong Kong	busted
HW Hao WangTaiwan	busted
LT Lili TangChina	busted

Level 14: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 80/410

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 1:22:19 PM

Key Clash: Liu vs. Lin

Level 13: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Xiao Liu

Xiao Liu made it 6,000 to go from middle position, and Yongjia Lin three-bet to 30,000 in the big blind. Liu called.

Lin continued with a 15,000 bet on the J♦ 3♦ 3♠ flop, which Liu stuck around

When seeing a 2♣ hit on the turn, Lin sent another barrel of 50,000, sending Liu into the tank. After burning two time bank cards, Liu eventually laid it down.

In the following hand, Liu opened to 6,000 from under the gun, and Lin three-bet the small blind to 27,000. Liu came along.

Lin fired 5,000 on the 8♠ 5♥ T♥ flop, which Liu cranked it up to 62,000. The tension surged further as Lin slid in his remaining 28,500. Liu snap-called.

Xiao Liu: A♥ 3♥

Yongjia Lin: K♣ K♦

Lin picked up the lead with pocket kings against Liu's ace-high, but the drama wasn't over yet as Liu picked up a flush draw. The K♥ turned the tide for Liu, completing his flush and leaving Lin nearly drawing dead.

The 2♥ river bricked out, changing nothing and making Lin cough over the chips to his tablemate.

Yongjia Lin

Player	Chips
XL Xiao LiuChina	353,000(118 BB)
YL Yongjia LinChina	53,500(18 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 1:14:33 PM

Chiang Wakes Up with Cowboys

Level 13: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Sin Lan Chen raised to 6,000 from under the gun and was met with a 15,000 three-bet from hijack Yuan Xu. Chen responded with a four-bet to 30,000 and Xu stuck around.

Chen led for 20,000 on the T♣ K♦ 6♠ flop and Xu made the call.

The 8♦ hit the turn and Chen slowed with a check; Xu then took control, using his chip advantage to fire 50,000 into the middle. The bet required Chen to commit a huge majority of her stack, and after a moment to think it over, she eventually found the fold.

In the next hand, Jen Chiang raised to 7,000 from under the gun and received calls from blinds Mengqing Lou and Chen.

Lou check-called and Chen check-folded when Chiang placed an 11,000 continuation-bet on the J♥ 7♦ 3♥ flop.

Lou checked once more on the 9♥ turn and Chiang bumped it up to 19,000. Lou made the call.

The 5♦ completed the board and Lou checked for a third time. Chiang placed 26,500 into the middle, sending Lou into the tank. He eventually tossed in the call, only to let out a groan as Chiang tabled K♣ K♥ for the winner.

Player	Chips
YX Yuan XuChina	245,000(82 BB)
JY Jen Yue ChiangUnited States of America	165,000(55 BB)
SL Sin Lan ChenTaiwan	80,000(27 BB)
ML Mengqing LouChina	75,000(25 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 1:12:54 PM

River Full House Rescues Qian

Level 13: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Feng Qian

Feng Qian opened to 6,500 from early position, and Hao Wang three-bet to 15,000 from the cutoff. Qian then four-bet shoved for 49,000, which Wang snap-called.

Feng Qian: A♠ Q♠

Hao Wang: T♣ T♥

Wang started strong with pocket tens against Qian's ace-high and extended his lead on the 7♦ 7♥ 7♣ flop, improving him to a full house.

Qian looked all but done when the K♣ appeared on the turn, and he stood up from his seat. However, the drama wasn't finished yet as another K♥ hit on the river, completing a higher full house and rescuing Qian tournament life.

Player	Chips
FQ Feng Qian (2)China	53,000(18 BB)
HW Hao WangTaiwan	49,000(16 BB)

Level 13: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 112/410

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 112/410

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 12:20:46 PM

Kong Rivers a Flush

Level 12: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Chuiyu Kong

Khai Zhien Tan raised to 5,000 from under the gun, and Chuiyu Kong called in the big blind.

Kong checked to Tan, who made a continuation-bet of 3,500 on the 4♦ A♦ Q♦ flop. Kong stuck around.

The duo then tapped the table on the 2♣ J♦ runout. Kong showed a rivered flush with 7♦ 6♠ and dragged in the pot when Tan mucked.

Player	Chips
CK Chuiyu KongChina	69,500(28 BB)
KZ Khai Zhien TanMalaysia	35,500(14 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 12:08:22 PM

Wang Steals a River Pot Before Falling to Lin’s Flopped Aces

Level 12: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Hui Wang

Xiao Liu raised the cutoff to 5,500, and Hui Wang called on the button.

Liu continued for 5,000 on the 7♣ 4♥ Q♣ flop, and Wang stuck around. When the 9♦ landed on the turn, Liu fired 11,000, and Wang called.

The river brought a board-pairing 7♥, and Liu slowed down with a check. Wang then fired 30,000, prompting Liu to fold and giving Wang the pot.

In the following hand, Yongjia Lin made it 5,000 to go from earluy position, and Wang called in the cutoff.

The duo checked through the runout of A♥ 2♦ 3♦ 7♠ T♦ and took it to a free showdown.

Lin revealed his flopped pair of aces with A♣ 8♣, which was good for the pot as Wang mucked.

Yongjia Lin

Player	Chips
XL Xiao LiuChina	262,000(105 BB)
YL Yongjia LinChina	107,000(43 BB)
HW Hui WangChina	64,000(26 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 12:00:53 PM

Pham in Command

Level 12: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Quang Huy Pham opened to 5,000 from middle position and received a call from big blind Qingshan Yao. Yao checked the A♣ 8♦ 2♠ flop and promptly folded once Pham continued for 2,500.

In the next hand, Bin Zhao raised to 5,000 from under the gun, only to face a three-bet shove for 48,000 from Yao. Zhao went into the tank for quite a while and requested a count, but eventually decided against the call.

In the third hand at Table 19, Pham opened once more to 5,000 from under the gun and was called by Zhao in the big blind.

Both players checked the 5♣ T♣ 5♠ flop, leading to the 3♣ turn where Zhao led for 4,500. Pham stuck around with a call.

The 9♣ completed the board and Zhao upped the price to 10,000. Pham responded with a raise to 35,000, which was enough to shake Zhao off the pot.

Pham now holds a commanding lead at the table.

Player	Chips
QH Quang Huy PhamViet Nam	330,000(132 BB)
BZ Bin ZhaoChina	90,000(36 BB)
QY Qingshan YaoChina	58,500(23 BB)

Level 12: 1,500 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 127/410

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 11:41:52 AM

Lin’s Two Pair Overcomes Zhai’s Flopped Queens

Level 11: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Meng Ling Lin

Meng Ling Lin limped from the small blind, and Changyu Zhai checked from the big blind.

Lin check-called a 2,000 continuation-bet from Zhai on the 9♥ Q♣ 2♦ flop.

When the turn brought a K♦, Lin checked to Zhai, who fired 3,500. Lin cranked it up to 10,000. Zhai stuck around.

The A♥ on the river saw both players check it down to a free showdown. Lin tabled flopped two pair with 9♠ 2♣, leaving Zhai no choice but to fold, showing a single Q♥ for his flopped pair of queens.

Player	Chips
ML Meng Ling LinTaiwan	123,000(62 BB)
CZ Changyu ZhaiChina	80,000(40 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 11:34:26 AM

Wang's Cowboys Lasso a Knockout

Level 11: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Jiaxin Wang

Jiaxin Wang raised the cutoff to 4,000, and Alexandru Papazian defended his big blind.

Papazian check-called on the 8♦ T♣ 5♣ flop after Wang continued for 2,000 to see the 2♥ on the turn. Papazian then slid in his stack, and Wang snap-called, putting his opponent at risk.

Alexandru Papazian: J♦ 2♦

Jiaxin Wang: K♦ K♣

Wang started strong with his pocket kings against Papazian's turned pair of deuces. The river brought a 7♥, sending Papazian to the rail and shipping the pot to Wang.

Player	Chips
JW Jiaxin WangChina	74,000(37 BB)
AP Alexandru PapazianRomania	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 11:25:45 AM

Wei Throws His Wei-ght Around

Level 11: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Qingshan Yao raised to 4,000 from middle position and called a three-bet to 7,000 from Guoliang Wei in the cutoff.

Yao check-called when Wei placed a 7,000 continuation-bet on the 2♠ 4♣ 4♦ flop.

When the 9♣ hit the turn, Yao checked again; Wei moved all in instantly, prompting an equally fast muck from Yao.

In the next hand, Denghao Chen raised to 4,500 from middle position, and hijack Wei three-bet to 15,000.

Looking frustrated, Chen mucked while flicking over A♠ 9♠. Wei gracefully flashed A♣ K♦ as he sent his own cards into the muck.

Player	Chips
DC Denghao ChenChina	122,000(61 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	112,000(56 BB)
QY Qingshan YaoChina	26,000(13 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 11:06:15 AM

ITM and Day 2 Bubble Figures

Level 11: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

The floor has confirmed a whopping 410 entries for Day 1d, which sets the ITM figure at 62 players. Of those who finish in the money, only the final 52 hopefuls will officially secure their seats for Day 2.

Level 11: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 158/410

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 11:00:16 AM

Two More Chances

Level 10: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

With the close of late registration, those who hit the rail now are truly out of luck for Day 1d, leaving them with just two final flights to secure their spot in Saturday’s Day 2.

Player	Chips
JK Joseph KimAustralia	busted
YW Yi WangChina	busted
CS Chuan Shu ChenChina	busted
CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	busted
GL Guguo LiuChina	busted
YC Yuning ChenChina	busted
CS Changliang SunChina	busted
PX Pan XuChina	busted
DW Dylan Wayne FosterAustralia	busted
MS Martin SedlakGermany	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 10:58:36 AM

Zhang's King Works Better

Level 10: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Xiang Zhang

Xiang Zhang raised the hijack to 3,000 and was called by the blinds: Wei Jiang and Yipeng Ye.

The blinds checked over the K♦ 3♦ 9♣ flop to Zhang, who continued with a 5,000 bet, which only Jiang came along.

The two then checked down the J♦ 8♠ runout to a free showdown.

Jiang tabled a flopped pair of nines with A♥ 9♥, but it was no match for Zhang's K♠ 6♠ for a flopped pair of kings

Player	Chips
YY Yipeng YeChina	173,500(116 BB)
XZ Xiang Zhang (2)China	67,500(45 BB)
WJ Wei Jiang (2)China	17,000(11 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 10:52:24 AM

Kao's Kings Secure the Pot

Level 10: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Kuowei Kao

Yongjia Lin made it 3,000 to go from early position, and Kuowei Kao defended his big blind.

Kao led out for 2,000 on the 2♦ J♥ 9♦ flop, to which Lin stuck around to see a board-pairing 2♠ turn. Kao sent another barrel of 3,000, and Lin called.

The A♠ on the river saw both players check it down to a free showdown. Kao tabled his pair with K♥ K♦ and took down the pot as Lin mucked.

Player	Chips
YL Yongjia LinChina	54,500(36 BB)
KK Kuowei KaoTaiwan	35,000(23 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 10:45:18 AM

Liu Gets Outdrawn by Wen’s Sevens

Level 10: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Tianyi Wen

Juns Leong raised to 3,000 from under the gun, and Yayun Liu called from early position, as did Tianyi Wen from the big blind.

Wen and Leong checked to Liu, who led out for 4,000 on the 5♣ 4♥ 7♦ flop. Only Wen stuck around.

The duo checked through the runout of 2♣ 8♦, taking it to a free showdown.

Wen tabled a flopped pair of sevens with Q♣ 7♣, which was good for the pot as Liu folded.

Player	Chips
TW Tianyi WenChina	158,000(105 BB)
YL Yayun LiuChina	65,000(43 BB)
JL Juns LeongMalaysia	20,500(14 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 10:24:56 AM

Kong's Set Flushed Out by Yu

Level 10: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Hand 1

Kanwen Du limped from the cutoff, as did small blind Chung Tang Lin. Big blind Leslie Tsui's hand was forfeited as they had not returned to the table before the cards were dealt.

Lin check-called a 2,000 bet from Du on the K♦ 9♠ 9♥ flop, but folded when Du fired a second barrel of 4,500 on the J♦ turn.

Hand 2

Viet An Nguyen moved all in for 25,000 from early position and collected the blinds.

Hand 3

Du raised to 3,000 from late position and was joined by big blind Tianzhi Kong.

Both players checked the 8♥ J♦ T♦ flop. On the 4♠ turn, Kong led for 3,000 and Du called. The 2♠ completed the board and Kong upped the price to 11,000, an amount Du was unwilling to pay.

Hand 4

Sen Yu raised to 3,000 from the button and received calls from Kong in the small blind and Nguyen in the big blind.

After the blinds checked the 4♠ 2♠ 8♦ flop, Yu bet 3,500. Kong check-raised to 8,500, shaking off Nguyen while Yu remained in the hand.

The K♠ arrived on the turn and Kong led for 11,000. Yu raised to 30,000, prompting a shove from Kong. Yu snap-called for his tournament life and the cards were turned over:

Tianzhi Kong: 4♣ 4♥

Sen Yu: Q♠ 7♠

Kong had flopped a set of fours, but was trailing Yu’s turned flush. The river was a brick, failing to pair the board for Kong, allowing Yu to secure a massive double-up.

Player	Chips
KD Kanwen DuChina	155,000(103 BB)
SY Sen YuChina	125,000(83 BB)
TK Tianzhi KongChina	65,000(43 BB)
CT Chung Tang LinTaiwan	31,000(21 BB)
VA Viet An NguyenViet Nam	21,000(14 BB)

Level 10: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 174/374

Dinner Break

60 minutes

Remaining Players: 174/374

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 9:36:41 AM

Another Victim for Liu’s Ace-High

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Pete Chen

Hui Liu raised to 2,400 from under the gun, and Van Hien Dang called in the cutoff, only to face a three-bet shove from Pete Chen on the button for 4,800. After checking Dang's remaining chips, Liu put in a four-bet to 57,400, forcing Dang to fold.

Pete Chen: Q♦ J♦

Hui Liu: A♥ 5♥

Chen trailed with queen-high, facing off against Liu's ace-high, and received little help from the dealer on the 3♦ 7♣ K♥ flop. The turn brought a board-pairing 3♥, changing nothing for Chen.

Unfortunately for the Taiwanese player, the 2♠ river bricked out, ending his tournament run.

Player	Chips
HL Hui LiuChina	71,500(60 BB)
PC Pete ChenTaiwan	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 9:31:21 AM

Dicky Tsang Among Last Flurry of Entrants

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

The clock is ticking for those looking to jump into the action, as players have until the start of Level 10 (approximately 45 minutes) to secure their seats before registration officially closes for Day 1d. Among the latest wave of entrants looking to grab a piece of the KRW 1.3b prize pool is the formidable Dicky Tsang, who has just joined the field.

Player	Chips
PL Patrick LiangTaiwan	30,000(25 BB)
YH Yen Han ChenTaiwan	30,000(25 BB)
DS Dicky Siu Hang TsangHong Kong	30,000(25 BB)
BR Binwen RenChina	30,000(25 BB)
YC Yuning ChenChina	30,000(25 BB)
CS Chenyu SungTaiwan	30,000(25 BB)
ZW Ziwei WangChina	30,000(25 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 9:27:14 AM

Shen Wins the Pot with Flopped Aces

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Enzhi Shen

Zicen Wang opened to 2,500 from the cutoff, and Enzhi Shen defended his big blind.

Both players tapped the table on the A♥ K♦ Q♦ flop to the 9♥ turn, where Shen fired 1,200 and Wang called.

The K♠ on the river saw both players check it down to a free showdown. Shen revealed a flopped pair of aces with A♣ 5♥, which was good for the pot.

Player	Chips
ZW Zicen WangChina	44,000(37 BB)
ES Enzhi ShenChina	37,500(31 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 9:05:26 AM

Four Hands at Table 13

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Hand 1

Button Yi Wang raised to 2,400 and received a sole call from big blind Hui Wang.

Hui checked the T♥ A♦ 2♣ flop before folding to Yi's 1,500 continuation-bet.

Hand 2

Button Kevin Lau raised to 3,000 and big blind Mingrui Cen defended.

Cen check-called Lau's 2,500 continuation-bet on the hearty 9♥ 2♥ 7♥ flop. Both checked the 9♠ turn to the Q♠ river, where Cen led for 12,500, prompting a fold from Lau.

Hand 3

Qinxue Jiang raised to 2,400 from under the gun and only button Hui Wang joined him to the flop.

Jiang checked the T♦ 5♦ 8♦ flop, promptly folding after Wang tossed in a 5,000 chip to cover an unannounced bet amount.

Hand 4

Hui Wang raised to 2,600 from the cutoff and Jiang called from the big blind. Jiang check-folded to Wang's 3,000 bet when the K♣ 8♦ J♦ flop hit the felt.

Player	Chips
PH Pak Hei Kevin LauHong Kong	115,000(96 BB)
MC Mingrui CenChina	54,000(45 BB)
YW Yi WangChina	52,000(43 BB)
HW Hui WangChina	31,000(26 BB)
QJ Qinxue JiangChina	18,000(15 BB)

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 188/356

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 9:04:18 AM

How Zhang’s Last Page Is Written

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Hengji Zhang open-shoved from under the gun for 13,500 and was put at risk by Kun Han Lee in the hijack.

Hengji Zhang: 9♥ 4♥

Kun Han Lee: A♥ 5♣

Lee started well with ace-high and held control on the Q♥ 3♦ J♠ flop. The T♣ on the turn gave both players a straight draw.

Much to Lee's dismay, the river brought a 9♣, pairing Zhang’s nine and forcing Lee to hand over chips for Zhang’s double-up.

In the very next hand, Chenkun Xu limped from the small blind, only to face a jam from Zhang for 28,800. Xu responded with a call.

Hengji Zhang: T♣ 8♥

Chenkun Xu: A♣ 2♥

Zhang trailed with ten-high against Xu's ace-high. Xu then extended his dominance on the 5♠ A♠ 3♥ flop, pairing his ace. The dealer revealed the J♠ on the turn, leaving Zhang drawing dead.

The 6♦ river was merely a formality, officially shipping the pot to Xu and sending Zhang to the rail.

Player	Chips
CX Chenkun XuChina	78,500(65 BB)
KH Kun Han LeeTaiwan	54,500(45 BB)
HZ Hengji ZhangChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 8:53:01 AM

Wong Flexes Table Chip Lead

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

She Lok Wong

Hao Che Cheng raised to 2,500 from under the gun, which was met with a call from hijack Chi Fan Hsu. She Lok Wong, the table chip leader, then turned up the heat with a massive 16x three-bet to 20,000, prompting instant folds from the entire table.

In the next hand, cutoff Justin Chan raised to 2,500 and was called only by big blind Hao Che Cheng.

Both players opted to check the 8♣ T♦ 4♦ flop. When the 2♣ hit the turn, Cheng led for 4,000, and Chan ultimately released his hand.

Player	Chips
SL She Lok WongUnited States of America	96,000(80 BB)
CJ Chan Justin Pak KwanHong Kong	49,000(41 BB)
CF Chi Fan HsuTaiwan	40,000(33 BB)
HW Haozhao WangChina	38,000(32 BB)
CS Changliang SunChina	29,000(24 BB)
HC Hao Che ChengTaiwan	27,000(23 BB)
SW Shuang WanChina	13,000(11 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 8:39:30 AM

Ding Boats Up on the River, Ships Tang Out

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Ning Ding

Ning Ding made it 2,400 to go from under the gun. Chuiyu Kong in the cutoff, Xiang Li from the small blind, and Lili Tang in the big blind called.

On the 8♠ A♣ 3♣ flop, Tang checked to Ding, who continued for 4,200, and Kong and Li folded. Tang check-shoved for 29,700. Ding instantly called to put his tablemate on the line.

Lili Tang: 4♣ 2♥

Ning Ding: A♥ K♠

Tang trailed with a straight draw against Ding's flopped pair of aces. The A♠ turn extended Ding's dominance with trip aces, leaving Tang needing a five for her survival.

Unfortunately for Tang, she was on the wrong side of luck as the river showed a board-pairing 8♦, blooming Ding's trips to a full house and ending the hand in powerful fashion.

Player	Chips
CK Chuiyu KongChina	132,000(110 BB)
ND Ning DingChina	47,500(40 BB)
XL Xiang LiChina	46,500(39 BB)
LT Lili TangChina	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 8:29:50 AM

Gao's Working Well

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Qingbo Gao

Enzhi Shen opened the cutoff to 2,400, and Qingbo Gao defended his big blind.

On the 5♥ K♠ T♦ flop, Gao check-called a continuation bet of 2,100 from Shen to see the A♦ on the turn, where both players checked.

The dealer revealed a board-pairing 5♣ on the river, and Gao fired 2,000. After thinking for a while, Shen flicked in the call.

Gao tabled a flopped pair of kings and dragged in the pot as Shen mucked his hand.

Player	Chips
QG Qingbo GaoChina	56,000(47 BB)
ES Enzhi ShenChina	37,500(31 BB)

Level 8: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 200/314

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 8:23:18 AM

Zhao Wins One, Loses One

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Yao Zhao, fresh in his seat, raised to 3,200 from the small blind and was joined by Yu Han Su in the big blind.

Zhao checked when the diamond-studded 9♦ 6♦ T♦ flop hit the felt, before promptly folding once Su fired a bet of 2,000.

In the next hand, Zhao raised once more from the button, this time for 2,100, and was called by big blind Feng Qian.

Qian check-called on the Q♦ 2♦ 4♦ flop when Zhao bet 1,500.

The 3♠ hit the turn and Qian checked once again; Zhao upped the price to 6,200, which was enough to shake Qian off the pot.

Player	Chips
YZ Yao ZhaoChina	32,000(32 BB)
YH Yu Han SuTaiwan	31,000(31 BB)
FQ Feng Qian (2)China	28,000(28 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 8:09:53 AM

Nguyen Hit the Rail

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Hoang Bach Nguyen

Hoang Bach Nguyen open-shoved from the cutoff for 2,100, and Hui Liu three-bet to 6,500 in the small blind. After the big blind folded, Nguyen was left at risk against Liu.

Hoang Bach Nguyen: Q♠ 9♦

Hui Liu: A♥ K♣

Nguyen's queen-high ran straight into Liu's ace-high and got little help on the 2♣ T♣ 4♣ flop, giving Liu a flush draw. The 6♦ landed on the turn, while Nguyen still looked for a queen or a nine to stay alive.

Unfortunately for the Vietnamese player, a dry 5♣ filled out on the board, sending him out of the field and shipping the pot Liu's way.

Player	Chips
HL Hui LiuChina	71,500(72 BB)
HB Hoang Bach NguyenViet Nam	16,500(17 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 8:04:56 AM

Tang Forced to Fold on the River

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Lili Tang

Lili Tang opened the button to 2,000, and Jifeng Zheng defended her big blind.

Zheng check-called on the A♥ 4♣ 3♣ flop after Tang continued for 2,000. Both players checked when the 3♥ hit on the turn.

The 3♦ river saw Zheng change gears with a 4,000 bet, forcing Tang to fold.

Player	Chips
JZ Jifeng ZhengChina	45,500(46 BB)
LT Lili TangChina	31,000(31 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 7:58:06 AM

Zhai's Big Slick Secures a Double

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Gaoqian Zhang raised to 2,200 from under the gun, followed by a 5,600 three-bet from Yi Shing Yiu a couple of seats over. Seated next to him in the hijack, Changyu Zhai four-bet shoved for his remaining 18,800 stack.

The action folded back around, though not without a minor disruption; Zhang received a three-hand penalty for acting out of turn. Once play resumed, Yiu stuck in the call and the two went to showdown:

Changyu Zhai: A♥ K♣

Yi Shing Yiu: K♠ J♦

The dealer spread the Q♠ 5♠ 9♦ flop, drawing a disapproving headshake from big blind Joseph Kim, presumably folding a connecting hand. The 4♦ 6♥ runout safely kept Zhai's ace-high ahead to secure a full double through Yiu.

Player	Chips
YS Yi Shing YiuHong Kong	45,000(45 BB)
GZ Gaoqian ZhangChina	32,000(32 BB)
CZ Changyu ZhaiChina	20,000(20 BB)

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 191/276

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 191/276

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 7:23:36 AM

Pots for Wang

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Zicen Wang

Rushsen made it 1,600 to go from under the gun, and Zicen Wang called in the cutoff, as did Hoang Bach Nguyen from the big blind.

The trio checked through the 5♠ 9♣ 9♥ flop to see a 9♦ fall on the turn, where Nguyen checked, and Chen led out for 1,500. Wang then cranked it up to 4,000, prompting folds from his two opponents.

A few hands after, Van Hien Dang opened to 1,600 from under the gun and Wang defended his big blind.

The duo tapped the table to the river on the T♠ 4♣ 7♠ 8♥ 8♦ board, where Wang sent a 2,000 bet. Dong made the call.

Wang tabled a flopped pair of sevens with A♥ 7♦ and took down the pot as Dong folded.

Player	Chips
RC Rushsen ChenChina	54,500(68 BB)
ZW Zicen WangChina	44,000(55 BB)
VH Van Hien DangViet Nam	35,500(44 BB)
HB Hoang Bach NguyenViet Nam	16,500(21 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 7:12:58 AM

Xiao's Nines are Good

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Zhenfang Zhang

Button Zhenfang Huang raised to 1,600 before facing a 6,600 three-bet from Denghao Chen. Huang responded with a four-bet to 14,000, but swiftly folded when Chen five-bet shoved.

In the next hand, Zhongyao Li raised to 1,600 from under the gun and was called by Jia Xiao and button Denghao Chen.

All three checked through the K♦ K♥ Q♣ flop to the K♠ turn, where Li led for 2,000 and scooped the pot.

In the third hand, Xiao raised to 1,600 from under the gun and received a call from big blind Li.

Both players checked the T♣ 7♦ 6♥ flop, leading to the 2♠ turn where Li led for 2,500. Xiao stuck in the call.

The J♦ completed the board and both players checked; Xiao showed a pair of nines to scoop the pot, beating out Li's K♦ 8♦.

Player	Chips
DC Denghao ChenChina	64,000(80 BB)
ZL Zhongyao LiChina	58,000(73 BB)
LH Lifu HuangChina	25,000(31 BB)
JX Jia XiaoChina	21,000(26 BB)
ZH Zhenfang HuangChina	16,000(20 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 6:51:03 AM

Liu's Ace-High Sees Jin Out

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Hui Liu

Hui Liu opened the button to 1,600, and Qingbo Gao called from the small blind, only to face a shove from Xuanyu Jin in the big blind for 13,800. Liu made the call, and Gao stepped aside.

Xuanyu Jin: K♥ J♠

Hui Liu: A♦ Q♥

Jin trailed with king-high against Liu's ace-high and received little help from the dealer on the 4♣ T♣ 7♣ flop. A 9♠ came on the turn, increasing Jin's outs with a straight draw.

Unfortunately for Jin, the 2♠ bricked out on the river, sending him to the rail.

Player	Chips
HL Hui LiuChina	71,500(89 BB)
QG Qingbo GaoChina	29,500(37 BB)
XJ Xuanyu JinChina	busted

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 176/231

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 6:45:53 AM

Song Flops a Six for the Pot

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Lei Song

Chunhao Zhang raised to 1,400 from the cutoff and was called by the blinds, Yake Wu and Lei Song.

The blinds checked the 2♦ J♠ 6♠ flop to Zhang, who continued for 1,600. Only Song stuck around.

Both players tapped the table on the 7♦ J♣ runout, taking it to a free showdown.

Song tabled a flopped pair of sixes with A♠ 6♥, which was good for the pot as Zhang mucked his hand.

Player	Chips
LS Lei SongChina	29,500(49 BB)
YW Yake WuChina	28,500(48 BB)
CZ Chunhao ZhangChina	25,500(43 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 6:38:29 AM

Table 14 Action and Counts

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Yintao Xu

Hand 1

Button Haoran Qiao raised to 1,200 and was called by small blind Rogerio Wong. The action didn't last long, however, as both players folded to a 17,000 three-bet shove from big blind Jen Yue Chiang.

Hand 2

Small blind Jen Yue Chiang raised to 2,100 and collected the big blind.

Hand 3

Hijack Haoran Qiao raised to 1,200 and was called by big blind Xu Pan.

Pan check-called Qiao's 800 bet on the 8♥ A♠ A♦ flop, and the action repeated for 3,100 on the K♦ turn.

Both players checked the 2♥ river. Pan showed 5♦ 3♦ for a missed flush draw, while Qiao tabled Q♠ 9♠ to take the pot.

Hand 4

Small blind Xu Pan limp-called a raise to 2,000 from big blind Yintao Xu.

Pan checked the 5♦ 2♦ J♠ flop and promptly folded to Xu's 1,500 continuation-bet.

Player	Chips
PX Pan XuChina	40,000(67 BB)
RW Rogerio WongMacao	32,000(53 BB)
HQ Haoran QiaoChina	30,000(50 BB)
XW Xing WangChina	24,500(41 BB)
SY Sien Yeh ShunChina	24,000(40 BB)
JY Jen Yue ChiangUnited States of America	21,000(35 BB)
XX Xian XiaoChina	18,000(30 BB)
YX Yintao XuChina	18,000(30 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 6:30:08 AM

Ling Scores a Double-Up… Then Gets Stolen

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Hao Ling

Xiao Liu raised to 1,500 from early position, and Hao Ling called from middle position.

Liu continued for 22,000 on the 4♥ 3♥ K♦ flop, and Ling stuck around to see the T♠ turn. Liu then fired another barrel of 10,000, only to face a shove from Ling for 7,100. Liu made the call.

Xiao Liu: A♦ Q♠

Hao Ling: K♥ 9♥

Ling started strong with a flopped pair of kings against Liu's ace-high, while Liu picked up a gutshot. The 2♥ came on the river, sending a crucial pot Ling's way.

In the following hand, Ling opened to 1,200 from early position, only to be jammed by Yunqing Ge on the button for 5,900. Ling called, putting his tablemate at risk.

Hao Ling: 4♦ 4♠

Yunqing Ge: Q♠ Q♣

Ling trailed with his pocket fours, running straight into Ge's queens. The 3♥ 7♦ A♥ flop offered little help to Ling. The dealer revealed a 7♥ on the turn, leaving Ling still looking for a four to eliminate Ge.

However, the river delivered for Ge with another Q♥, improving him to a set and locking up a much-needed double-up.

Player	Chips
XL Xiao LiuChina	173,000(288 BB)
HL Hao LingChina	15,000(25 BB)
YG Yunqing GeChina	13,000(22 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 6:15:06 AM

Ling Down Big in 110k Pot

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Hao Ling

Wei Zhu raised to 1,000 from the cutoff and was joined by Xiao Liu on the button. Hao Ling decided the price of action should be 4,200 from the small blind, and both players came along to the flop.

The dealer fanned 8♣ 9♥ 4♣ and Ling checked. Zhu checked behind, but Liu fired 8,500 into the middle, prompting a fold from Zhu while Ling stuck in the call.

The J♣ hit the turn and Ling checked once more. Liu upped the price to 12,500, and after a moment of consideration, Ling called again.

The 8♥ completed the board and Ling checked a third time. Liu grabbed his hefty stack of brown 5,000 chips, counted out 40,500, and plonked them in the middle. Ling didn't take long to make the hero call—committing the vast majority of his stack—only for Liu to roll over 9♣ 3♣ for a turned flush. A dismayed Ling could only muck and tap the table as his stack was decimated.

Player	Chips
XL Xiao LiuChina	185,000(308 BB)
WZ Wei ZhuChina	19,000(32 BB)
HL Hao LingChina	6,000(10 BB)

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 159/193

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 5:51:09 AM

Lius Showing Strength

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

Weihong Liu

A board ran out J♣ 2♣ J♦ 7♣ T♦ with around 19,500 chips in the middle, and Weihong Liu sent a 6,200 bet from the small blind, forcing Jiancheng Xu to fold on the button.

In the following hand, Guguo Liu opened to 1,100 from under the gun, and Rui Yao defended his big blind.

Yao check-called on the 6♦ J♠ 6♠ flop after Liu continued with an 800 bet. Both players checked when the 9♦ landed on the turn.

After seeing the 7♦ complete the board, Yao checked to Liu, who fired another bet of 2,200. Yao called.

Liu revealed a flopped pair of jacks with Q♠ J♥, which was good for the pot as Yao sent his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips
WL Weihong LiuChina	58,500(117 BB)
GL Guguo LiuChina	49,000(98 BB)
JX Jiancheng XuChina	28,000(56 BB)
RY Rui YaoChina	25,500(51 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 5:44:37 AM

Ge's Tens Collect One Knockout

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

Yunqing Ge

The action was picked up on the turn with a board reading 4♦ Q♠ 6♣ Q♦ and around 26,000 chips in the pot. Tianfeng Huang was all in for 12,000. After thinking for a while, Yunqing Ge called from the cutoff, putting his tablemate at risk.

Tianfeng Huang: 9♣ 9♦

Yunqing Ge: T♦ T♣

Huang was only one card away from elimination as his pocket nines ran headfirst into Ge's tens. The dealer sealed Huang's fate with a J♦ on the river, shipping the pot Ge's way and adding another name to his victim list.

Player	Chips
YG Yunqing GeChina	69,500(139 BB)
TH Tianfeng HuangChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 5:43:57 AM

KRW 1b Prize Pool Surpassed

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

The KRW 880,000,000 guarantee for the KPC x LPT Main Event has been officially eclipsed. With over 1,000 entries, the prize pool currently stands at KRW 1,123,200,000 (~USD 775,000), and with registration still open for Day 1d, the upcoming Day 1e plus 1f Turbo tomorrow, that figure is set to climb even higher.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 5:39:12 AM

Bao Gets Busy

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

Shuang Bao raised to 1,000 from middle position and received a call from Chenyu Sung one seat to his left.

Bao check-called Sung's 1,500 bet on the 7♦ 9♦ A♦ flop.

Both players checked through the A♣ turn to the J♦ river, where Bao took the lead and fired 3,500, prompting a

relatively swift fold from Sung.

In the next hand, Bao raised to 1,000 once again and picked up calls from blinds Yao Te Tsai and Jiawei Li.

Both blinds opted to check the K♥ A♠ Q♣ flop, then mucked after Bao stuck a 1,200 continuation-bet into the middle.

Player	Chips
SB Shuang BaoChina	61,000(122 BB)
YT Yao Te TsaiTaiwan	29,000(58 BB)
JL Jiawei LiChina	24,000(48 BB)
CS Chenyu SungTaiwan	18,000(36 BB)

Level 4: 300 / 500 ante: 500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 121/138

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 96/112

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 5:09:18 AM

Kicker Trouble for Lin

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Joseph Kim opened to 1,200 from the button, only to be three-bet to 5,000 by Yongjia Lin in the small blind. Big blind Yita Choong then upped the price of entry to 8,500, and only Lin stuck in the call.

On the 6♥ 2♥ 4♣ flop, Lin check-called Choong's 3,500 continuation-bet.

Action went check-check on the 8♦ turn and the J♦ river. Lin flicked over A♦ T♦, but he was out-kicked by Choong's A♥ Q♥. The loss further dented Lin's stack following a confrontation with Kim in a previous hand.

Player	Chips
YC Yita ChoongAustralia	47,000(118 BB)
JK Joseph KimAustralia	31,000(78 BB)
YL Yongjia LinChina	13,000(33 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 5:02:37 AM

Wong's Way Down

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

She Lok Wong

Hui Wang, from under the gun, Michael Allen in the cutoff, and Xin Yuan on the button called. She Lok Wong then raised his big blind to 7,000. Wang folded, and Allen shoved for 21,500. Yuan stepped aside, and Wong made the call, putting his tablemate at risk.

She Lok Wong: A♥ 3♦

Michael Allen: A♠ 5♠

Allen was ahead with a stronger five kicker and held control on the K♥ 2♣ 4♠ flop, giving Wong a straight draw. The dealer revealed an 8♣ on the turn, leaving Wong still needing a three or a five to eliminate Allen.

Fortunately for Allen, the K♠ river bricked out, shipping a crucial double-up for him and leaving Wong crippled with just 9,200 chips to continue his run.

In the following hand, Yuan opened to 800 from the cutoff, only to face a shove from Wong for 9,200 from the small blind. Yuan called.

She Lok Wong: K♠ 8♦

Xin Yuan: 2♥ 2♦

It was a classic coin flip, and Wong trailed with king-high against Yuan's pocket deuces. However, the dealer sent bad news to Wong as the flop came T♥ 4♥ 2♠, improving Yuan to a set and leaving Wong drawing nearly dead.

The runout quickly delivered 4♠ 6♠, showing Wong the way out and shipping the pot to Yuan.

Xin Yuan

Player	Chips
MA Michael AllenUnited Kingdom	57,500(144 BB)
XY Xin YuanChina	32,500(81 BB)
HW Hui WangChina	8,500(21 BB)
SL She Lok WongUnited States of America	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 4:55:30 AM

Allen Pulls the Trigger on the River

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Michael Allen

Michael Allen limped from the small blind and Xin Yuan raised to 1,500, which Allen called.

The flop came 2♠ A♠ 3♣, and Allen check-called Yuan’s 1,100 continuation bet. Both players checked when the 5♦ fell on the turn.

The river paired the board with a 5♠, and Allen shifted gears and fired a chunky 8,400 bet, quickly forcing Yuan to release his hand.

Player	Chips
MA Michael AllenUnited Kingdom	31,500(79 BB)
XY Xin YuanChina	23,500(59 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/8/2026, 4:47:17 AM

Liu Takes Revenge

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

In the first hand, button Hui Liu raised to 1,000 and then called Xu Dong Jin’s 3,800 three-bet from the small blind.

The dealer fanned the J♥ 5♠ 5♦ flop and Jin led for 3,000. Liu raised to 7,500, only for Jin to fire back with a hefty re-raise to 17,000. Liu looked visibly vexed before sliding his hand into the muck.

In the following hand, hijack Zhi Liu raised to 1,000 before calling a 2,600 three-bet from Hui in the cutoff.

On the T♦ A♦ 5♥ flop, Zhi check-called a 1,600 bet from Hui.

The J♣ arrived on the turn and Zhi checked again. Hui fired 6,000 and Zhi tanked for a moment, utilising a time bank before moving all-in for just under a starting stack. Hui snapped it off, tabling K♣ Q♦ for a turned Broadway straight. Zhi’s J♥ T♥ was drawing thin and found no help on the 9♣ river, sending him to the rail.

Player	Chips
HL Hui LiuChina	59,000(148 BB)
XD Xu Dong JinChina	31,000(78 BB)
ZL Zhi LiuChina	busted

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 65/67

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 4:22:31 AM

Chan's River Bet Takes It Down

Level 2: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Pak Kwan Chan

Pak Kwan Chan made it 700 to go from the hijack, and Jinlong Hu three-bet the cutoff to 2,500. Chan dropped in the call.

Chan check-called on the 2♣ 5♥ 5♦ flop after Hu continued with a 1,300 bet. Action went check-check on the T♦ turn.

When 9♦ came on the river, Chan changed gears with a chunky bet of 2,100, which was good for the pot as Hu laid it down.

Player	Chips
PK Pak Kwan ChanHong Kong	32,500(108 BB)
JH Jinlong HuChina	30,000(100 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 4:14:47 AM

Efimov Chops to Survive

Level 2: 200 / 300 ante: 300

Mingrui Cen

Mingrui Cen limped from the small blind, and Maksim Efimov raised to 1,300 in the big blind. Cen then put in a three-bet to 7,300. Efimov called for his remaining 5,400, putting his tournament life on the line.

Maksim Efimov: 5♥ 5♣

Mingrui Cen: 6♥ 6♣

Efimov was on the brink of elimination as his pocket fives ran straight into Cen's sixes. The dealer revealed the monochrome T♣ K♣ Q♣ flop, giving both players a flush draw.

The board-pairing Q♠ landed on the turn, leaving Efimov drawing nearly dead. However, another board-pairing T♠ jumped on the river, making it a chop and keeping Efimov's tournament dreams much alive.

Player	Chips
MC Mingrui CenChina	30,500(102 BB)
ME Maksim EfimovRussia	7,000(23 BB)

Level 2: 200 / 300 ante: 300

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 19/19

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:38:11 AM

Efimov's on Fumes

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Maksim Efimov

Jason Li raised the cutoff to 500, and Hongwei Lu called on the button, as did Maksim Efimov from the big blind.

On the 9♣ T♦ 5♦ flop, Efimov led out for 500, which Li cranked up to 1,200. Lu stepped aside, and Efimov dropped in the call.

The duo checked through the runout of 6♦ J♥ and took it to a free showdown.

Efimov showed T♠ 8♠ for a flopped pair of tens, but it was overtaken by Li’s Q♥ T♣, dragging in the pot.

Player	Chips
JL Jason LiCanada	62,500(313 BB)
HL Hongwei LuChina	25,000(125 BB)
ME Maksim EfimovRussia	7,500(38 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:28:16 AM

Zhang's Ten Holds

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Yuankai Zhang

Yuankai Zhang made it 500 to go from under the gun, and Hongwei Lu defended his big blind.

Lu check-called a 400 continuation-bet from Zhang on the A♠ 2♣ 3♠ flop to see the 6♠ fall on the turn, where both players tapped the table.

The J♣ river saw Lu fire out 700, and Zhang snap-called. Lu revealed a flopped pair of aces with A♥ 5♣, but it was no match for Zhang's A♦ T♣.

Player	Chips
YZ Yuankai ZhangChina	31,500(158 BB)
HL Hongwei LuChina	28,000(140 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:24:18 AM

Li's Lady Works for an Early Pot

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Jason Li

Pak Kwan Chan opened the button to 500 and Jason Li called from the small blind.

Li check-called on the 2♥ Q♣ 7♣ flop after Chan continued for another 500 bet.

Action went check-check on the A♦ turn and 5♥ river. Li tabled Q♦ 3♦ for a flopped pair of queens and took down the pot as Chan threw his cards back to the dealer.

Player	Chips
JL Jason LiCanada	31,000(155 BB)
PK Pak Kwan ChanHong Kong	29,500(148 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:06:52 AM

Entrants

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Player	Chips
JL Jason LiCanada	30,000(150 BB)
ZL Zhi LiuChina	30,000(150 BB)
MZ Mingyang ZhangChina	30,000(150 BB)
JL Jiawei LiChina	30,000(150 BB)
PK Pak Kwan ChanHong Kong	30,000(150 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:04:33 AM

Cards are in the Air

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

With more hopefuls jumping to the tables, play is now underway for the KPC x LPT Series 2026 Main Event Day 1D.

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/8/2026, 3:01:58 AM

Day 1D Start Delayed for Late Registration

Play has been delayed while waiting for more players to join Day 1D.

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/7/2026, 5:55:46 PM

The Long Run Continues with Flight D of the KPC x LPT Main Event

Welcome back to Les A Casino as the doors open today for Flight D of the 2026 KPC x LPT Main Event, adding to a prize pool that currently stands at KRW 942,364,800 (~USD 651,204). Action kicks off at 12:00 p.m. local time as the next wave of players takes their seats.

Across the first three flights, a total of 839 entries have been recorded (280 in Flight A & 230 in Flight B & 109 in Flight C). With such a strong turnout, the felts are expected to be buzzing throughout the venue as players grind for glory with unwavering resolve.

The chip leader from Flight B, Kuo Chen Hung, has amassed a commanding stack of 935,000, standing firm and well ahead at the top of the leaderboard. He's set to take a strong position heading into Day 2.

Chasing behind is Zengxiang Chen with 788,000, also from Flight B, while Chuntao Zhou rounded out the top three with 685,000 from Flight A.

Current Top Ten Chip Counts

Player	Chips
KC Kuo Chen HungChina	935,000
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	788,000
CT Chun Tao ZhouChina	685,000
BF Ben FanChina	592,000
ZY Zhifan YeChina	587,000
QZ Quan ZhouChina	582,000
RN Ryuta NakaiJapan	576,000
CS Chuan Shu ChenChina	572,000
CC Cheng ChenChina	544,000
QM Quang Minh NguyenViet Nam	510,000

Remaining Schedules

Jan 8: Day 1D – 12:00 (40-min levels)

Jan 9: Day 1E – 12:00 (40-min levels)

Jan 9: Day 1F (Turbo) – 19:30 (20-min levels)

Jan 10: Day 2 – 12:00 (60-min levels)

Jan 11: Day 3 – 12:00 (60-min levels)

The tournament spans six days, taking up more than one-third of the series. Much like the previous flights, blinds start at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. Players will compete through 40-minute levels, with a 15-minute break after every three levels and a 60-minute dinner break following Level 9.

Stay tuned to Somuchpoker for live coverage throughout the day as the live reporting team will bring you more pivotal moments, thrilling showdowns, and chip updates of the 2026 KPC x LPT Main Event.

Event starts 12:00 local time..