South Korea, LES A CasinoEVENT #S4

2026.01.14 - 2026.01.17Add to Calendar

K Poker Cup

Blind level

Level 22: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Entries

9/191

Total Chips

95,500,000

Average

10,611,111

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 3:02:02 PM

Final Eight Set as China’s Tony Lin Leads After Action-Packed Day 2 at the King’s Main Event

Level 22: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Tony Lin

The curtain drops for the King's Main Event Day 2 at the King Poker Cup 2026 inside the marvelous LES A Casino venue in Jeju, South Korea. The prestigious event drew a 191-entry field, with just 50 players returning for the ultimate glory.

With the impressive turnout, the premier event generated a prize pool of USD 2,681,700, including the USD 600,700 top prize for the champion. After over 12 hours of intense play, China's Tony Lin capped off his night as the chip leader with a towering stack of 19,825,000 heading into Final Day.

With over $16.8 million in live tournament earnings, Lin is currently ranked third on China’s All-Time Money List and among the top 100 players worldwide. He is well known for his high-energy personality and the nickname “Lady Gaga,” which resounded around the venue today as well.

Tony Lin

Final Table Chip Counts

Player	Chips
TR Tony Ren LinChina	19,825,000(66 BB)
SN Seunghyun NamUnited States of America	15,825,000(53 BB)
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	13,925,000(46 BB)
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	12,925,000(43 BB)
AC Abraham CeesvinSingapore	12,000,000(40 BB)
ZL Zikai Li 2Singapore	9,600,000(32 BB)
MC Matas CimbolasLithuania	5,100,000(17 BB)
TO Takumi OdaniJapan	4,450,000(15 BB)

Sitting firmly in second is Seunghyun Nam of the United States with 15,825,000. Nam climbed up the leaderboard after sending Yuhan Liu to the rail in 12th place by shoving on the river with ace-eight. Liu called with ace-five. Just like that, Nam outkicked Liu and added more ammunition to his stack.

Rounding out the podium is China's Zengxiang Chen with 13,925,000. Late in the night, Chen built his stack to over 13 million chips by eliminating Tsz Kin Heung in tenth place.

The final eight poker elites have locked up a minimum payday of USD 68,000, but all eyes are set firmly on the coveted USD 600,700 top prize and a spot in the King Poker Cup's champion history books.

Day 2 Highlights

With the field whittled down to 31 remaining, Christopher Park swallowed a bitter bluff from Takumi Odani. Right before the 15-minute break, Odani played out an impressive hand against Park. The Japanese pro check-raised the flop, fired a second barrel on the turn, and shoved on the river, putting Park in a tough spot, who burned six time bank cards thinking over his move.

Park showed signs of reluctance and slid out his cards as a fold. Odani then turned over his ten-high bluff with a smile while raking in the massive pot.

Takumi Odani

When play resumed, another poker elite demonstrated a skillful bluff, Trung Hieu Nguyen. Facing his countryman Quang Minh Nguyen, Trung Hieu Nguyen shoved on the river, sending his tablemate Quang Minh Nguyen into the tank.

Meeting the same fate, Quang Minh Nguyen ultimately announced his fold and was shown four-high by Trung Hieu Nguyen, swallowing a painful bluff.

Trung Hieu Nguyen

Wanpeng Lim was the one who burst the soft bubble and brought the field into stone bubble time. Lim four-bet shoved with pocket tens and ran straight into Trung Hieu Nguyen's ladies. The board came clean, sending Lim out in brisk fashion.

At last, it was Nan Zhang who burst the bubble and left the venue empty-handed with the title of Bubble Boy. Zhang found himself at risk in a three-way all-in pot against Lei Yu and Trung Hieu Nguyen.

Nguyen shoved nine-six with his covering stack, and Zhang called for 325,000 with ace-jack, as did Yu for 425,000 with his ace-king. The board brought a king for Yu, giving him a triple-up and forcing the most unwanted title on Zhang.

Nan Zhang

The one falling one spot shy of the final table and won't return to the venue tomorrow is Calvin Lee of the United States. Lee found himself in a cooler hand when he shoved with pocket jacks and ran headfirst into Abraham Ceesvin's bullets. Receiving no help from the board, Lee was sent home by Ceesvin's rockets and burst the final table bubble.

Calvin Lee

With Lee's exit, the final table of King's Main Event Day 2 is set. The final day promises an electrifying battle for the coveted title and mouth-watering top prize here inside the LES A Casino in Jeju, South Korea.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 2:38:27 PM

Calvin Lee Eliminated in 9th Place for USD 58,000

Level 22: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Calvin Lee

Calvin Lee found himself all in and at risk from under the gun against and Abraham Ceesvin, who was seated on the button.

Calvin Lee: J♣ J♦

Abraham Ceesvin: A♠ A♥

Lee was dominated and needed some serious luck to stay in the game. The 4♣ T♥ 5♣ flop did provide backdoor flush outs, but the 8♥ turn shut that down quickly.

The K♥ river sealed Lee's elimination for a respectable 9th place, and officially ended the day.

The remaining eight players will return tomorrow to battle for the title.

Player	Chips
AC Abraham CeesvinSingapore	17,500,000(58 BB)
CS Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
9	CS Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America	$58,000

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 1:47:22 PM

Tsz Kin Heung Eliminated in 10th Place for USD 58,000

Level 22: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Tsz Kin Heung

Seungyun Nam opened the cutoff to 600,000, only to face a shove from Tsz Kin Heung for 3,875,000 on the button. Zengxiang Chen also moved all in for 8,850,000 in the small blind. Nam stepped aside, leaving Heung at risk against Chen.

Tsz Kin Heung: K♦ Q♣

Zengxiang Chen: A♥ Q♦

Heung trailed with king-high, running headfirst into Chen's ace-high. Chen maintained his dominance on the 5♣ Q♥ 8♣ flop with his ace.

The turn brought a 6♣, giving Chen a sweat as Heung picked up a flush draw.

Much to Heung's dismay, the deck sent a blank T♠ on the river, sending him to the rail in tenth place. Heung fell one spot shy of the final table.

Player	Chips
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	13,925,000(46 BB)
TK Tsz Kin HeungHong Kong	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
10	TK Tsz Kin HeungHong Kong	$58,000

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 1:42:00 PM

No Answer to Li's River Shove

Level 22: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Zikai Li

Zikai Li raised the cutoff, and Zengxiang Chen three-bet the big blind to 2,000,000. Li came along.

Chen continued for 1,000,000 on the 9♣ A♥ J♦ flop, and Li stuck around to see the 6♣ on the turn, where Chen sent another barrel of 2,500,000. Li made the call.

When a J♣ filled out the board, Chen checked to Li, who shoved all in with his covering stack and successfully forced Chen to fold.

Player	Chips
ZL Zikai Li 2China	16,300,000(54 BB)
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	6,025,000(20 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 1:17:18 PM

Christopher Park Eliminated in 11th Place for USD 50,000

Level 22: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Christopher Park

Trung Hieu Nguyen opened to 600,000 from the button before calling Christopher Park's three-bet shove to 3,800,000, and the two tabled their hands:

Christopher Park: A♦ Q♥

Trung Hieu Nguyen: K♣ J♠

Nguyen surged ahead on the K♦ T♦ 2♥ flop and maintained that lead during the remainder of the 4♠ 6♠ runout, sending Park to the rail in 11th and commencing hand-for-hand place as the final table bubble ensues.

Player	Chips
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	13,000,000(43 BB)
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
11	CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	$50,000

Level 22: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 15/191

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 15/191

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 1:03:16 PM

Lee's Candy Canes Keep Him Afloat

Level 21: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

Calvin Lee

Calvin Lee raised the small blind to 1,250,000, leaving only one green chip behind. Zikai Li called in the big blind.

The duo checked to the river on the 8♣ Q♦ 4♥ J♥ 5♦ board, where Lee checked over. Li then tossed out a bet of 25,000. Lee used his four time bank cards before calling off his last 25,000.

Lee revealed his pair with 7♠ 7♣, cracking Li's bluff with 6♣ 3♥ and dragging in the tournament-prolonging pot.

Player	Chips
ZL Zikai Li 2China	9,375,000(38 BB)
CS Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America	2,800,000(11 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 12:57:18 PM

Yuhan Liu Eliminated in 12th Place for USD 50,000

Level 21: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

Yuhan Liu

On a board reading A♥ 9♣ 3♣ K♦ 4♠, Yuhan Liu led out for 400,000 into a pot of around 2,500,000. Seunghyun Nam then raised all-in, and Liu quickly put in the call.

Liu tabled A♦ 5♥, but he was out-kicked by Nam's A♠ 8♦, and was sent to the rail in 12th place.

Player	Chips
SN Seunghyun NamUnited States of America	11,000,000(44 BB)
YL Yuhan LiuChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
12	YL Yuhan LiuChina	$50,000

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 12:44:40 PM

Iulian Blebea Eliminated in 13th Place for USD 44,000

Level 21: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

Iulian Blebea

Iulian Blebea shoved the small blind for 2,825,000 and was called by Tsz Kin Heung in the big blind.

Iulian Blebea: K♣ Q♥

Tsz Kin Heung: A♠ 9♦

Blebea trailed with king-high, running straight into Heung's ace-high. The 8♠ 9♥ 7♦ flop improved Heung to a pair of nines.

The dealer then sent a T♠ on the turn, bringing little help to Blebea. Unfortunately, luck stayed on Heung's side as the river delivered the 4♥, sending Blebea to the rail in 13th place for a payout of USD 44,000.

Player	Chips
TK Tsz Kin HeungHong Kong	5,350,000(21 BB)
IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
13	IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	$44,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 12:40:14 PM

Ranno Sootla Eliminated in 14th Place for USD 44,000

Level 21: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

Ranno Sootla

Tony Ren Lin four-bet shoved Ranno Sootla's three-bet to 3,500,000 after Abraham Ceesvin raised in early position. Ceesvin ejected himself from the scene, Sootla called and the two tabled their hands.

Ranno Sootla: A♥ Q♦

Tony Ren Lin: A♦ K♥

Disaster for Sootla, whilst he did connect on the flop, Lin had hit the nut straight with Q♠ J♠ T♣. No help came on the remainder of the 8♣ 6♣ runout, and he was sent to the rail in 14th place.

Player	Chips
TR Tony Ren LinChina	17,000,000(68 BB)
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
14	RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	$44,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 12:34:01 PM

Lei Yu Eliminated in 15th Place for USD 39,000

Level 21: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

Lei Yu

After losing a hefty portion of his stack a couple of hands prior to Tony Lin, Lei Yu got the remainder of his ~2,000,000 in from the small blind and received a call from big blind Christopher Park, who has done an excellent job of running up his stack in the last couple of levels.

Lei Yu: T♣ 9♥

Christopher Park: Q♦ 8♣

Park paired his queen on the Q♥ 4♦ 7♠ flop and Yu saw the writing on the wall, and was already out of his chair by the time the 2♠ T♠ completed the board.

Player	Chips
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	8,200,000(33 BB)
LY Lei YuChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
15	LY Lei YuChina	$39,000

Level 21: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 17/191

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 12:05:22 PM

Khoa Anh Ngo Eliminated in 16th Place for USD 39,000

Level 20: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Khoa Anh Ngo

Khoa Anh Ngo raised to 1,600,000 from the cutoff, leaving 100,000 behind. Small blind Takumi Odani then three-bet shoved with his covering stack, and Ngo tanked until another all-in had played out at a different table.

Khoa Anh Ngo: A♥ J♠

Takumi Odani: A♦ K♥

Odani's Big Slick had Ngo in a difficult spot, and only improved on the A♣ 8♠ K♠ flop. Ngo found no help on the remainder of the 2♠ Q♦ runout, sending him to the rail in 16th place.

Player	Chips
TO Takumi OdaniJapan	6,100,000(31 BB)
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
16	KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	$39,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 12:03:53 PM

Payouts 17-24

Level 20: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
17	DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	$35,000
18	XZ Xiaosheng ZhengChina	$35,000
19	QM Quang Minh NguyenViet Nam	$35,000
20	YL Yongjia LinChina	$35,000
21	JP Jason Park Lun WongUnited Kingdom	$32,000
22	QZ Quan ZhouChina	$32,000
23	NQ Nang Quang NguyenViet Nam	$32,000
24	RN Ryuta NakaiJapan	$32,000

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 11:53:22 AM

Ceesvin Sends Zhuo Out in 17th Place

Level 20: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Dajie Zhuo

Dajie Zhuo opened the button to 1,000,000, leaving just one green 25,000 chip behind, and Yuhan Liu called in the small blind. Abraham Ceesvin then shoved all in for around 2,800,000 from the big blind. Zhuo called off his last 25,000, and Liu stepped aside.

Dajie Zhuo: K♥ 4♦

Abraham Ceesvin: A♥ T♥

Ceesvin started well with ace-high against Zhuo's king-high and maintained his dominance on the 6♠ 3♥ 3♦ flop.

The T♠ came on the turn, changing nothing for Zhuo. Unfortunately for Zhuo, luck stayed on Ceesvin's side as the river showed a 6♥, finishing his run in 17th place.

Player	Chips
AC Abraham CeesvinSingapore	9,050,000(45 BB)
YL Yuhan LiuChina	2,885,000(14 BB)
DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 11:49:13 AM

Floor Update

Level 20: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Per the floor, play will continue until one of the following conditions are met; play is eight handed, or until the end of Level 23. 17 players currently remain, with two and half levels of allotted time left.

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 11:40:47 AM

Wong's Way Out

Level 20: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Jason Wong

Jason Wong opened to 1,475,000 from middle position, leaving just 25,000 behind. Zikai Li made the call in the big blind.

The two checked to the river on the J♦ 3♥ Q♦ K♠ 2♠ board, where Li shoved for around 3,800,000. Wong eventually folded after thinking for a long time.

In the very next hand, Wong committed his last chips for 5,000 from under the gun after using his five time bank cards. Zikai Li raised to 600,000 in the small blind, and Seunghyun Nam called from the big blind.

Li continued for 200,000 on the 8♦ K♠ 9♥ flop, and Nam put in a raise to 700,000, sending Li into the tank. Li used one time bank card before he laid it down, leaving Wong on the line against Nam.

Jason Wong: 7♣ 6♥

Seunghyun Nam: 9♣ 8♥

Nam picked up the lead with two pair, but the tension wasn’t over yet, as Wong held an open-ended straight draw.

The dealer sent a 4♣ on the turn, leaving Wong still needing a five or a ten for his survival. Much to his dismay, the river bricked out a 2♥, sending him to the rail and adding one more name to Nam's growing victim list.

Player	Chips
SN Seunghyun NamUnited States of America	7,700,000(39 BB)
ZL Zikai Li 2China	7,000,000(35 BB)
JP Jason Park Lun WongUnited Kingdom	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 11:32:50 AM

Blebea Stays Alive

Level 20: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Iulian Blebea

Iulian Blebea moved all in except for a single 25,000 chip, and the action folded around to small blind Dajie Zhuo, who moved in with the covering stack. Blebea prolonged the call due to the impending money jump but eventually tossed it in, and the two tabled their hands:

Iulian Blebea: K♥ J♥

Dajie Zhuo: T♠ T♣

Blebea needed the board to connect with one of his overcards, and on the 4♣ K♠ 4♠ flop he did just that. His higher two pair held on the 8♦ 8♣ runout, securing the full double through Zhuo.

Player	Chips
IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	3,600,000(18 BB)
DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	1,950,000(10 BB)

Level 20: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 22/191

Dinner Break

60 minutes

Remaining Players: 22/191

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 10:19:13 AM

Nakai Hits the Rail

Level 19: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

Ryuta Nakai

Ryuta Nakai opened to 300,000 from under the gun then called button Takumi Odani's three-bet shove, with Nakai at risk:

Ryuta Nakai: J♥ J♣

Takumi Odani: A♦ K♦

Nakai was flipping for his tournament life and was hoping for more luck than he'd had in his last couple of all-in confrontations.

The K♣ 2♣ 9♠ flop had other ideas, however. The 9♦ 4♠ turn and river offered no salvation and he was sent to the rail in 24th place.

Player	Chips
TO Takumi OdaniJapan	6,100,000(41 BB)
RN Ryuta NakaiJapan	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 10:06:33 AM

Flush for Cimbolas

Level 19: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

Matas Cimbolas

Ryutai Nakai raised to 300,000 from the hijack and received a call from big blind Matas Cimbolas.

Cimbolas check-raised Nakai's 150,000 continuation-bet on the Q♦ Q♥ 5♥ flop up to 450,000, and Nakai stuck around.

On the A♣ turn, Cimbolas moved all in. Nakai didn't take long before sticking in the call. Cimbolas tabled K♥ 3♥ for a flush draw, whilst Nakai was ahead with A♠ 5♦ for two pair.

The T♥ river card completed Cimbolas' flush, awarding a full double through Nakai and then some.

Player	Chips
MC Matas CimbolasLithuania	3,100,000(21 BB)
RN Ryuta NakaiJapan	2,700,000(18 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 9:32:33 AM

Lee Flops Trips for a Double-Up

Level 19: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

Calvin Lee

Calvin Lee open-shoved for 825,000 in the hijack and was put at risk by Jason Wong from the small blind.

Jason Wong: K♣ Q♦

Calvin Lee: A♥ 5♣

Lee picked up the lead with ace-high and extended his dominance on the 5♦ 5♥ 2♦ flop, improving him to trip fives and leaving Wong drawing thin.

The K♥ came on the turn, giving Wong a pair of kings, but it wasn't enough to send Lee home.

The deck sent an 8♦ on the river, securing a much-needed double-up for Lee.

Player	Chips
CS Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America	1,950,000(13 BB)
JP Jason Park Lun WongUnited Kingdom	1,500,000(10 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 9:30:27 AM

Short Break for Redraw

Level 19: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

With Guoliang Wei’s exit, the field is down to 24 remaining. The floor called a short break to redraw for the final three tables. Action will resume once it’s done.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 9:28:42 AM

Payouts 25-29

Level 19: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
25	GW Guoliang WeiChina	$30,000
26	JZ Jinjiang ZhangChina	$30,000
27	YL Yayun LiuChina	$30,000
28	ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	$30,000
29	YQ Yi QinChina	$30,000

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 9:24:50 AM

Wei Walks Out

Level 19: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

Guoliang Wei

Tony Lin shoved all in from the small blind with his covering stack, and Guoliang Wei called for his remaining 1,850,000 in the big blind, putting himself on the line.

Guoliang Wei: K♠ Q♦

Tony Lin: A♥ 3♥

Lin started ahead with ace-high against Wei’s king-high and stayed in front on the J♦ 3♠ J♠ flop.

The dealer then sent an 8♦ on the turn, leaving Wei still needing a king or a queen to stay alive. Much to his dismay, the river brought an A♠, improving Lin to a pair of aces and ending Wei’s run in 25th place.

Player	Chips
TR Tony Ren LinChina	7,275,000(49 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	busted

Level 19: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 25/191

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 9:16:23 AM

Ngueyen Doubles Through Sootla

Level 18: 50,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Nang Quang Nguyen

Ranno Sootla made it 250,000 to go from the hijack, only to face a shove from Nang Quang Nguyen for 1,750,000 in the big blind. Sootla snap-called.

Ranno Sootla: 7♣ 7♠

Nang Quang Nguyen: 9♠ 9♥

Nguyen started ahead with pocket nines against Sootla’s sevens and stayed in control on the A♣ Q♠ A♥ flop. The turn brought the 3♦, offering little help to Sootla.

Luck remained on Nguyen’s side as the river came the 2♦, securing a crucial double-up.

Player	Chips
NQ Nang Quang NguyenViet Nam	3,675,000(29 BB)
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	2,650,000(21 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 9:09:20 AM

Nan Zhang Bubbles the King's Main Event

Level 18: 50,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Nan Zhang

Still hot off his bluff a couple of hands prior, cutoff Trung Hieu Nguyen moved all in and blinds Nan Zhang and Lei Yu made the call. Zhang had 325,000 and Yu had 425,000.

Nan Zhang: A♦ J♥

Lei Yu: A♣ K♣

Trung Hieu Nguyen: 9♦ 6♠

Yu surged ahead on the T♣ K♥ T♠ flop with top pair, and held his lead on the 9♥ 2♠ runout, eliminating Zhang as the Main Event Bubble Boy, sending the remaining 29 into the money, securing them a min-cash.

Player	Chips
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	7,000,000(56 BB)
LY Lei YuChina	1,275,000(10 BB)
NZ Nan ZhangChina	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 8:59:03 AM

Queens Hold as Lim Bows Out on the Soft Bubble

Level 18: 50,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Wanpeng Lim

Wangpeng Lim raised from the hijack, and Trung Hieu Nguyen three-bet the button to 800,000. Lim shoved for around 2,600,000, and Nguyen dropped in a call to put his tablemate at risk.

Wangpeng Lim: T♣ T♥

Trung Hieu Nguyen: Q♥ Q♠

Lim trailed with his pocket tens, running headfirst into Nguyen's pocket queens. The 4♥ 8♠ K♦ flop brought little help to Lim.

The dealer then revealed a 6♦ on the turn, leaving Lim drawing to a ten for his survival.

Unfortunately for Lim, the deck sent a 5♠ on the river, eliminating him during the soft bubble and moving the field into the stone bubble stage.

Player	Chips
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	7,450,000(60 BB)
WL Wanpeng LimSingapore	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 8:58:35 AM

Nguyen on Nguyen Violence

Level 18: 50,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Quang Minh Nguyen

Button Quang Minh Nguyen called small blind Trung Hieu Nguyen's 800,000 three-bet and the pair were off to battle on the stone bubble.

Both checked the J♥ Q♦ 5♣ flop to the 6♦ turn, where Trung led for 650,000 and Quang instantly slid the call in.

On the Q♥ river, however, Trung announced he was all in with his ~7,000,000 covering stack, drawing a lot of shock from the onlooking crowd that had formed around the table. It was a genuinely tense moment as Quang plucked of his timebanks, before eventually deciding on a fold.

To Quang's dismay, and the crowd's delight, Trung slammed down his hand, 4♦ 3♦, for an ice-cold bluff. There was a mix of shock, laughter, ultimately resulting in a round of applause before the bubble resumed. Quang did not look happy.

Player	Chips
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	7,000,000(56 BB)
QM Quang Minh NguyenViet Nam	3,000,000(24 BB)

Level 18: 50,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 31/191

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 31/191

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 7:21:00 AM

Park Swallows a Huge Bluff from Odani

Level 17: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Takumi Odani

Christopher Park opened the button to 220,000, and Takumi Odani defended his big blind.

Odani checked over the 3♦ 2♣ Q♦ flop to Park, who continued for 160,000. Odani cranked it up to 410,000, and Park stuck around.

When an A♣ hit on the turn, Odani fired 450,000, and Park called.

The Q♥ river then saw Odani shove all in for around 4,100,000, sending Park into the tank.

Park was in a tough spot and burned six time bank cards before eventually sliding his cards to the dealer and mucking.

Odani then revealed his ten-high bluff with T♥ 7♠, dragging in the massive pot with a smile.

Player	Chips
TO Takumi OdaniJapan	6,405,000(64 BB)
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	3,250,000(33 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 7:09:04 AM

Zheng’s Story Ends with Vietnamese Touch

Level 17: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Alan Zheng

Alan Zheng opened from early position to 350,000, leaving just 5,000 behind. Trung Hieu Nguyen called from middle position.

The duo then checked to the river on the 9♥ 6♠ 4♣ 3♥ 6♥ board, where Zheng checked over and Nguyen fired 5,000, sending Zheng into the tank.

After burning two time bank cards, Zheng still folded and kept his only 5,000 chip.

In the very next hand, Zheng was forced all-in for 5,000 from the big blind. Khoa Anh Ngo then committed his chips for around 3,600,000 on the button. After the small blind folded, Zheng was left at risk against Ngo.

Alan Zheng: T♣ 7♦

Khoa Anh Ngo: A♣ J♦

Ngo picked up the lead with ace-high against Zheng's ten-high, but Zheng took over the lead on the 5♣ T♦ 3♠ flop, pairing his ten.

The dealer turned the tide for Ngo with a J♣, improving Ngo to a stronger pair of jacks and leaving Zheng drawing thin.

Much to Zheng's dismay, luck didn’t swing back his way as the river bricked out an A♠, giving Ngo two pair to end the hand and sending Zheng to the rail.

Player	Chips
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	4,875,000(49 BB)
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	3,300,000(33 BB)
AZ Alan ZhengAustralia	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 6:54:27 AM

Table #1 Chip Counts

Level 17: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Player	Chips
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	3,650,000(37 BB)
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	2,950,000(30 BB)
YL Yayun LiuChina	2,550,000(26 BB)
WL Wanpeng LimSingapore	1,300,000(13 BB)
NZ Nan ZhangChina	1,100,000(11 BB)
LY Lei YuChina	980,000(10 BB)
AZ Alan ZhengAustralia	355,000(4 BB)

Level 17: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 35/191

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 6:50:29 AM

Big Squeeze from Heung

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Tom Heung

Mike Takayama raised to 160,000 from early position and received three callers: Matas Cimbolas in the cutoff, Zengxiang Chen on the button, plus Zhuzhai Wang in the small blind.

Big blind Tsz Kin Heung, however, had other ideas. He moved all in for his 3,600,000 stack, which prompted swift folds from all four opponents, taking down the hefty multi-way pot without seeing the flop.

Player	Chips
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	5,400,000(68 BB)
TK Tsz Kin HeungHong Kong	4,400,000(55 BB)
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	2,100,000(26 BB)
MC Matas CimbolasLithuania	1,800,000(23 BB)
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	710,000(9 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 6:49:29 AM

Feature Table Chip Counts

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Player	Chips
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	5,800,000(73 BB)
TK Tsz Kin HeungHong Kong	3,600,000(45 BB)
DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	3,100,000(39 BB)
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	2,200,000(28 BB)
YQ Yi QinChina	2,100,000(26 BB)
MC Matas CimbolasLithuania	2,000,000(25 BB)
SN Seunghyun NamUnited States of America	2,000,000(25 BB)
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	1,500,000(19 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 6:45:33 AM

Cowboys vs Ladies

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Yi Qin raised to 160,000 from middle position and Seunghyun Nam three-bet to 410,000 from the hijack. The action folded back around to Qin, who four-bet shoved with his covering stack and Nam snapped it off.

Seunghyun Nam: K♠ K♣

Yi Qin: Q♠ Q♥

The board ran low, with the dealer turning over 5♥ 6♥ 4♦ T♦ 8♦, keeping Nam's cowboys ahead and severely denting Qin, leaving him with around 11 big blinds to work with.

Player	Chips
SN Seunghyun NamUnited States of America	4,400,000(55 BB)
YQ Yi QinChina	885,000(11 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 6:45:32 AM

Chen Gets Active on the Flop

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Zengxiang Chen raised to 160,000 from early position and received two calls: Mike Takayama in the small blind and Yi Qin defending in the big blind.

Both blinds checked on the K♠ 5♠ 5♥ flop, then promptly folded when Chen continued for 125,000.

A couple of hands later, Chen had raised to 160,000 from under the gun, receiving a lone call from Matas Cimbolas, now sat in the big blind.

Cimbolas too had checked when the dealer fanned the J♦ K♣ T♣ flop, but after Chen fired 300,000 in the middle, he glanced at his cards and sent them back to the dealer.

Player	Chips
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	5,800,000(73 BB)
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	2,200,000(28 BB)
YQ Yi QinChina	2,100,000(26 BB)
MC Matas CimbolasLithuania	2,000,000(25 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 6:34:02 AM

Sootla's Crabs Stay Afloat

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Ranno Sootla

Christopher Park made it 160,000 to go from early position and Ranno Sootla called on the button.

On the 8♣ 9♥ 7♦ flop, Park check-called after Sootla led out for 130,000.

The duo then tapped the table on the K♣ 7♣ runout and took it to free showdown.

Park revealed A♠ T♠ for ace-high, but it was overtaken by Sootla’s pair of threes with 3♦ 3♥, earning Sootla the pot.

Player	Chips
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	4,600,000(58 BB)
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	4,110,000(51 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 6:33:13 AM

Plant’s Two Pair Takes It Down

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Ryan Plant

Calvin Lee opened to 160,000 from under the gun and Iulian Blebea called in the hijack, as did Ryan Plant from the big blind.

Action checked to Blebea, who led out for 100,000 on the K♦ 2♣ Q♦ flop, and only Plant came along.

The 8♣ turn saw Plant check-called a 275,000 from Blebea.

When the 7♦ filled out the board, both players checked to free showdown. Plant tabled two pair with K♣ Q♠ and dragged in the pot as Blebea folded.

Player	Chips
IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	2,580,000(32 BB)
RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	1,820,000(23 BB)
CS Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America	940,000(12 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 6:23:26 AM

Zhuo Gets a Small One

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Mike Takayama

A fresh set of faces have sat down at the feature table, and Mike Takayama and Dajie Zhuo tangled in the first hand of Level 16.

Takayama raised to 160,000 from under the gun and big blind Zhuo made the call.

Zhuo check-called Takayama's 175,000 bet on the J♦ Q♦ 4♠ flop.

Both opted to check the remainder of the Q♠ T♣ runout, with Zhuo tabling K♣ J♣ to take the pot, besting Takayama's ace-high with A♥ 8♥.

Player	Chips
DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	3,100,000(39 BB)
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	1,500,000(19 BB)

Level 16: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 38/191

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 38/191

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 5:51:45 AM

Leng Left with 0.25 BB

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Bing Leng raised to 375,000 from early position, leaving 15,000 behind, before small blind and equally short stack Nan Zhang three-bet for 390,000, and Leng stuck in the call.

Nan Zhang: K♠ Q♥

Bin Leng: 3♠ 3♥

Leng was ahead but Zhang was flipping for his tournament life. Thankfully for him, the 2♥ A♦ 9♣ Q♠ 9♠ runout provided the out he needed, pairing his queen and awarding him a full double. Leng was left with just 15,000 in his stack.

Player	Chips
NZ Nan ZhangChina	900,000(15 BB)
BL Bin LengChina	15,000(0 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 5:47:35 AM

Lim Flops a Straight

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Wanpeng Lim opened from early position to 120,000 and received a call from big blind Nan Zhang.

Zhang check-called Lim's 100,000 continuation-bet following the 5♠ 9♣ 6♥ flop.

On the 2♦ turn, Lim upped it to 180,000 and Zhang stuck in the call.

Zhang checked a third time on the 4♥ river; Lim moved his remaining stack into the middle, and Zhang went into the tank, burning through multiple timebanks before eventually tossing in the call to see the bad news: Lim had flopped a straight with 8♥ 7♥, leagues ahead of Zhang's A♣ 4♣.

Player	Chips
WL Wanpeng LimSingapore	2,000,000(33 BB)
NZ Nan ZhangChina	390,000(7 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 5:41:19 AM

Tens Over Sevens: Nguyen Claims the Pot

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Nang Quang Nguyen

The action was picked up on the turn with around 320,000 in the pot and the board showing 7♠ T♠ 2♣ 4♦, where Christopher Park bet 160,000 in the small blind. Nang Quang Nguyen called in the big blind after thinking for a long time.

When an 8♥ hit on the river, both players tapped the table and took it to free showdown.

Park tabled A♥ 7♥ for a flopped pair of sevens, but it was no match for Nguyen's flopped pair of tens with T♣ 9♣,

Player	Chips
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	4,920,000(82 BB)
NQ Nang Quang NguyenViet Nam	1,675,000(28 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 5:36:18 AM

Nguyen's Weaker Kicker Sends Him to the Rail

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Button Khoa Anh Ngo raised to 125,000 before calling big blind Huu Dung Nguyen's three-bet shove for 775,000.

Huu Dung Nguyen: A♥ 8♦

Khoa Anh Ngo: A♠ K♠

Ngo had Nguyen dominated and the 2♦ A♣ J♥ 7♣ 6♠ runout did little in the way of helping Nguyen, who was sent to the rail around 10 spots from the money.

Player	Chips
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	4,000,000(67 BB)
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 5:32:25 AM

Flop Check-Folds

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Khoa Anh Ngo raised to 120,000 from under the gun and big blind Lei Yu made the call.

On the Q♠ Q♣ 8♥ flop Yu check-folded to Ngo's 80,000 continuation-bet.

In the next hand, Yayun Liu raised to 120,000 from the cutoff, and big blind Ngo called.

Ngo check-folded to Liu's 70,000 bet following the 6♥ 6♣ J♦ flop.

In the third hand, Huu Dung Nguyen raised to 120,000 from under the gun and big blind Wanpeng Lim called.

Lim check-folded to Nguyen's 80,000 continuation-bet following the 2♥ T♦ 3♣ flop.

Player	Chips
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	2,950,000(49 BB)
LY Lei YuChina	2,800,000(47 BB)
YL Yayun LiuChina	1,300,000(22 BB)
WL Wanpeng LimSingapore	1,175,000(20 BB)
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	775,000(13 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 5:27:23 AM

Thixoa Nguyen: The Last Woman Standing in the Main Event

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Thixoa Nguyen

After two hours of action-packed play, Thixoa Nguyen remains the only female player still alive, holding a stack of 620,000 and keeping her Main Event dreams alive.

The field is stacked with poker elites, including Ranno Sootl, Ryan Plant, Quan Zhou, Matas Cimbolas, Abraham Ceesvin, Mike Takayama, Xixiang Luo, and Calvin Lee, all battling for a spot in the final table.

Thixoa’s persistence in such a tough field is remarkable, proving that she’s more than capable of standing her ground among the game’s best.

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 5:19:05 AM

Zheng’s River Barrel Forces Blebea to Lay Down

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Xiaosheng Zheng

Iulian Blebea opened to 125,000 from under the gun and Xiaosheng Zheng called in the cutoff.

Blebea check-called a 110,000 bet from Zheng on the Q♥ T♣ 9♣ flop to see a 6♠ on the turn, where Blebea check-called again, this time for 450,000.

When a board-pairing 9♠ came on the river, Blebea checked over. Zheng went deep into the tank before sending out a chunky bet of 1,200,000. After burning two time bank cards, Blebea eventually slid his cards forward and mucked.

“Show the bluff,” said Blebea.

“No bluff, no bluff,” Zheng and Ryan Plant, who was seated beside him, said at the same time.

Player	Chips
XZ Xiaosheng ZhengChina	2,785,000(46 BB)
IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	1,780,000(30 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 5:16:00 AM

More Hit the Rail

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Player	Chips
XF Xueqi FengChina	busted
YZ Yang ZhangChina	busted
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	busted
HM Haohui MaChina	busted
JZ Jiaming ZhaoChina	busted
JC Joseph CheongUnited States of America	busted

Level 15: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 45/191

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 4:50:35 AM

I'm Sorry, Ma

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Trung Hieu Nguyen raised to 110,000 from under the gun and big blind Haohui Ma made the call.

On the 9♠ 9♥ 5♣ flop Ma check-raised Nguyen's 75,000 continuation-bet up to 185,000 and Nguyen tossed in the call.

The A♦ hit the turn and Ma led for 185,000. Nguyen stuck around.

On the T♥ river, Ma moved all-in with his covering stack of 1,100,000, and Nguyen tanked for a short while before tossing in the call, only to see Ma's bluff with 7♠ 6♦, which was no match for Nguyen's Q♠ Q♦ pocket queens.

Player	Chips
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	2,300,000(46 BB)
HM Haohui MaChina	450,000(9 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 4:47:47 AM

Blebea Fires Twice to Take It Down

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Iulian Blebea

Iulian Blebea limped from the small blind and Yuhan Liu checked in the big blind.

Blebea led out for 50,000 on the Q♣ 4♥ J♦ flop and Liu stuck around. Action went check-check on the 2♣ turn.

When a 6♣ filled out the board, Blebea sent another barrel of 175,000. It was good for the pot as Liu laid it down.

Player	Chips
YL Yuhan LiuChina	2,885,000(58 BB)
IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	2,725,000(55 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 4:41:40 AM

Huge Four-Bet from Yu

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Hijack Yayun Liu raised to 110,000, which was met with a 320,000 three-bet from cutoff Nan Zhang. Button Lei Yu then four-bet up to a hefty 775,000.

Liu promptly got out of the way, while Zhang took a while to consider the move, using a couple of timebanks in the process, before eventually folding.

Player	Chips
LY Lei YuChina	2,800,000(56 BB)
YL Yayun LiuChina	1,300,000(26 BB)
NZ Nan ZhangChina	1,100,000(22 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 4:31:58 AM

Sootla Bet for the River King

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Ranno Sootla

Ranno Sootla opened to 110,000 from under the gun and Abraham Ceesvin called in the cutoff.

The two checked to the river on the 7♣ 5♣ J♠ 7♥ K♥ board, where Sootla fired 140,000. Ceesvin responded with a call after thinking for a while.

Sootla tabled a rivered pair of kings with K♠ 9♠ and took down the pot as Ceesvin returned his cards to the dealer without showing.

Player	Chips
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	5,460,000(109 BB)
AC Abraham CeesvinSingapore	4,040,000(81 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 4:23:50 AM

Tens Hold on Both Sides for a Split Pot

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Yi Qin made it 100,000 to go from middle position, and Zhuzhai Wang called in the small blind.

Wang checked to Qin, who continued for 80,000 on the 6♦ 4♥ T♥ flop. Wang put in a raise to 200,000, and Qin stuck around.

When the turn brought a Q♣, Wang sent another barrel of 250,000, and Qin came along.

The 2♠ river then saw both players check to a free showdown. Wang tabled K♦ T♦ for a flopped pair of tens, while Qin also revealed a flopped pair of tens with K♠ T♠, splitting the pot.

Player	Chips
YQ Yi QinChina	1,925,000(39 BB)
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	1,745,000(35 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 4:23:31 AM

Early Casualties

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Less than a level has elapsed and the first casualties have hit the rail of Day 2. Just 15 eliminations stand between the field and a min-cash worth USD 30,000.

Player	Chips
AP Alexandru PapazianRomania	busted
DC Dong ChenChina	busted
XF Xueqi FengChina	busted
YW Ye WangChina	busted
PC Peng Chen 2China	busted
YL Yuan LiChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 4:18:46 AM

Professional Bluff, My Friend

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Xueqi Feng raised to 100,000 from middle position and button Ranno Sootla plus big blind Tony Ren Lin joined him to the flop.

Lin check-called and Sootla folded when Feng continued for 110,000 on the 2♥ J♣ Q♠ flop.

Both opted to check the 8♦ turn to the 7♠ river, where Lin checked once more. Feng fired a hefty 260,000, sending Lin into the tank.

After a couple of timebanks used, Lin opted to fold - accidentally revealing J♦ 8♦ as he did so for two pair.

"Show the bluff, my friend," Lin said to Feng, who obliged, tabling 6♣ 5♣.

"Professional bluff," Lin added with a smile.

Player	Chips
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	5,200,000(104 BB)
TR Tony Ren LinChina	2,100,000(42 BB)
XF Xueqi FengChina	1,800,000(36 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 4:16:46 AM

Lin Terminates Chen's Run in the Opening Hand

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Peng Chen

Peng Chen opened the button to 100,000, only to face a shove from Yongjia Lin in the big blind for around 2,100,000. Chen called for his remaining 1,120,000, putting himself on the line.

Peng Chen: K♠ Q♦

Yongjia Lin: A♠ 5♦

Lin was ahead with ace-high against Chen’s king-high, which found little help on the 5♠ J♥ J♠ flop. When the dealer sent a 6♦ on the turn, Chen still needed a king or a queen to survive.

Unfortunately for Chen, the river bricked out with the 3♣, sending him to the rail on the very first hand of the day.

Player	Chips
YL Yongjia LinChina	3,290,000(66 BB)
PC Peng Chen 2China	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 4:03:22 AM

Payout Structure

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

The King's Main Event prize pool is confirmed at USD 2,681,700. With only 50 players remaining in the field, all of them are fighting for a spot in the money.

The payout structure has been confirmed for the top 29 finishers. A min-cash is worth a solid USD 30,000, but all eyes are on the massive USD 600,700 top prize awaiting the eventual champion.

Place	Payout (USD)
1	$600,700
2	$400,000
3	$286,000
4	$193,000
5	$143,000
6	$108,000
7	$83,000
8	$68,000
9	$58,000
10	$58,000
11	$50,000
12	$50,000
13	$44,000
14	$44,000
15	$39,000
16	$39,000
17	$35,000
18	$35,000
19	$35,000
20	$35,000
21	$32,000
22	$32,000
23	$32,000
24	$32,000
25	$30,000
26	$30,000
27	$30,000
28	$30,000
29	$30,000

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

50 minutes

Remaining Players: 50/191

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/16/2026, 3:42:42 AM

Cards are in the Air

Level 14: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Play has begun, and cards are in the air for Day 2 of the $15,000 King's Main Event. Players are now on their journey toward the Final Day.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/16/2026, 3:05:21 AM

Zengxiang Chen Leads 50 Survivors into Day 2 of King's Main Event

The USD 15,000 King's Main Event is back today for Day 2 at LES A Casino, and things are heating up with 50 players still in the hunt from both starting flights.

China's Zengxiang Chen holds the overall chip lead with a massive 4,890,000, carrying his strong Day 1B performance into the next stage. Not far behind him is Estonia's Ranno Sootla, who topped Day 1A with 3,870,000, while Christopher Park rounds out the top three with 3,530,000. All three are in great shape as the field chases the huge USD 2,681,700 prize pool.

Blinds are going up, and they'll keep playing until they reach the final 8 players or finish Level 23, whichever happens first. That should get them close to the money and set up an exciting run to the final table on Saturday.

Top 10 Counts

Player	Chips
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	4,890,000
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	3,870,000
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	3,530,000
RN Ryuta NakaiJapan	3,400,000
DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	3,150,000
JP Jason Park Lun WongUnited Kingdom	3,010,000
AZ Alan ZhengAustralia	2,980,000
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	2,875,000
QZ Quan ZhouChina	2,840,000
YL Yuhan LiuChina	2,810,000

With tough names like James Chen and Winfred Yu already on the rail, the pressure is on as everyone fights for a shot at what should be a USD 400,000 - 500,000 first-place prize.

Cards are in the air soon, stick around for updates from Somuchpoker!

SMPSMP

1/15/2026, 4:37:14 PM

Day2 Seat Draw

Seat Draw

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
WL Wanpeng LimSingapore	1,175,000	1	1
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	750,000	1	2
HM Haohui MaChina	1,520,000	1	3
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	985,000	1	4
YL Yayun LiuChina	1,415,000	1	5
NZ Nan ZhangChina	1,440,000	1	6
LY Lei YuChina	2,235,000	1	7
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	2,875,000	1	8
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	3,870,000	2	1
YL Yang LiChina	1,380,000	2	2
TR Tony Ren LinChina	2,195,000	2	3
AC Abraham CeesvinSingapore	2,345,000	2	4
CS Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America	1,230,000	2	6
JC Joseph CheongUnited States of America	1,720,000	2	7
YL Yongjia LinChina	2,380,000	2	8
RN Ryuta NakaiJapan	3,400,000	3	1
JP Jason Park Lun WongUnited Kingdom	3,010,000	3	2
GW Guoliang WeiChina	1,420,000	3	4
QM Quang Minh NguyenViet Nam	700,000	3	5
JZ Jinjiang ZhangChina	2,360,000	3	6
ZL Zikai Li 2China	1,235,000	3	7
XL Xixiang LuoChina	1,705,000	3	8
YL Yuan LiChina	585,000	4	1
QZ Quan ZhouChina	2,840,000	4	2
YL Yuhan LiuChina	2,810,000	4	4
HT Hao TianChina	1,055,000	4	5
YW Ye WangChina	1,120,000	4	6
XZ Xiaosheng ZhengChina	1,460,000	4	7
RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	2,000,000	4	8
SN Seunghyun NamUnited States of America	2,735,000	5	1
MC Matas CimbolasLithuania	2,635,000	5	2
AP Alexandru PapazianRomania	780,000	5	3
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	1,500,000	5	4
TK Tsz Kin HeungHong Kong	2,120,000	5	5
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	1,940,000	5	7
YQ Yi QinChina	2,350,000	5	8
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	3,530,000	6	1
TN Thixoa NguyenFrance	1,500,000	6	3
NQ Nang Quang NguyenViet Nam	1,220,000	6	4
JZ Jiaming ZhaoChina	1,450,000	6	5
TO Takumi OdaniJapan	2,185,000	6	6
AZ Alan ZhengAustralia	2,980,000	6	7
BL Bin LengChina	915,000	6	8
DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	3,150,000	7	1
YZ Yang ZhangChina	890,000	7	2
PC Peng Chen 2China	1,230,000	7	3
IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	2,350,000	7	4
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	4,890,000	7	5
DC Dong ChenChina	345,000	7	6
XF Xueqi FengChina	1,250,000	7	8

Chip Count

Player	Chips
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	4,890,000
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	3,870,000
CP Christopher ParkUnited States of America	3,530,000
RN Ryuta NakaiJapan	3,400,000
DZ Dajie ZhuoChina	3,150,000
JP Jason Park Lun WongUnited Kingdom	3,010,000
AZ Alan ZhengAustralia	2,980,000
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	2,875,000
QZ Quan ZhouChina	2,840,000
YL Yuhan LiuChina	2,810,000
SN Seunghyun NamUnited States of America	2,735,000
MC Matas CimbolasLithuania	2,635,000
YL Yongjia LinChina	2,380,000
JZ Jinjiang ZhangChina	2,360,000
YQ Yi QinChina	2,350,000
IB Iulian BlebeaRomania	2,350,000
AC Abraham CeesvinSingapore	2,345,000
LY Lei YuChina	2,235,000
TR Tony Ren LinChina	2,195,000
TO Takumi OdaniJapan	2,185,000
TK Tsz Kin HeungHong Kong	2,120,000
RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	2,000,000
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	1,940,000
JC Joseph CheongUnited States of America	1,720,000
XL Xixiang LuoChina	1,705,000
HM Haohui MaChina	1,520,000
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	1,500,000
TN Thixoa NguyenFrance	1,500,000
XZ Xiaosheng ZhengChina	1,460,000
JZ Jiaming ZhaoChina	1,450,000
NZ Nan ZhangChina	1,440,000
GW Guoliang WeiChina	1,420,000
YL Yayun LiuChina	1,415,000
YL Yang LiChina	1,380,000
XF Xueqi FengChina	1,250,000
ZL Zikai Li 2China	1,235,000
PC Peng Chen 2China	1,230,000
CS Calvin Sungwon LeeUnited States of America	1,230,000
NQ Nang Quang NguyenViet Nam	1,220,000
WL Wanpeng LimSingapore	1,175,000
YW Ye WangChina	1,120,000
HT Hao TianChina	1,055,000
TH Trung Hieu NguyenViet Nam	985,000
BL Bin LengChina	915,000
YZ Yang ZhangChina	890,000
AP Alexandru PapazianRomania	780,000
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	750,000
QM Quang Minh NguyenViet Nam	700,000
YL Yuan LiChina	585,000
DC Dong ChenChina	345,000