Main Event (1,600,000 KRW)

The fourth Main Event flight across the Poker Dream 16 lineup attracted 49 entries across registration, each posting a lighter buy-in of KRW 1,600,000 (~USD 1,103). Action played down to 10% of the field, with only five players finding a bag by the end of the night.

China's Yang Zhang topped the counts with a stack of 357,000, followed by compatriot Jieming Xu with 207,000. Zhang delivered a number of eliminations after the final break to catch the lead, of which included Mok Seng's exit as the day's bubble by the fifteenth level of play.

All five Day 1D survivors are now guaranteed at least KRW 3,800,000 (~USD 2,630) off the prize pool, earning them a 2x profit on their buy-in straight away as they make their way to Day 2. Those who wish to chase after a Dream Bonus can still jump in the remaining seven qualifiers, and attempt to bump up their winnings or catch a bigger stack for the next round.

Day 2 will play down on Wednesday, February 19, with all combined Day 1 survivors continuing the hunt for this season's Poker Dream Main Event title.

Poker Dream 16 Main Event Day 1D

Date: February 16, 2025

Buy-in: KRW 1,600,000 (~USD 1,103)

Entries: 49

ITM: 5 players

Mok Seng open shoved 73,000 (15 BB) on the cutoff and saw Yang Zhang right behind rise to the challenge.

Seng dominated, fell one spot shy of the money as board 9♠ 8♠ 6♣ 9♦ 5♥ failed to save him from his demise.

Erdun Xu defended his big blind against Ledong Zhou's cutoff open, and went on to battle on flop 8♣ 5♥ 7♥ . Action checked round to turn Q♠ , where Xu check called a 20,000 bet from his opponent.

Zhou fired a final 25,000 on river K♦ and instantly mucked as Xu put out the chips, shipping Xu the pot with no showdown.

Jieming Xu opened to 12,000 utg and saw Hazel Chui on the big blind complete.

Chui check called another 12,000 on flop 3♥ 4♠ K♥ and moved on to turn K♣ . Xu checked it back this time, prompting Chui to lead 12,000 on river Q♣ . Xu made the call and mucked as Chui flipped over two pair 5♠ 5♣ .

Only one more elimination to go before the flight draws to a close with five players guaranteed a spot in the Day 2 games.

Martin Nielsen defended his big blind against Hazel Chui's utg open, and went on to lead all-in for 27,000 on flop T♣ 7♥ 4♠ . Chui snap called with K♥ K♠ , putting Nielsen at risk with 9♥ 7♣ .

Runout 5♠ 5♦ offered no surprises, eliminating Nielsen as the rest headed to bubble time.

Ben Miller flicked in his last 24,000 (6 BB) against an early open and saw Yang Zhang on the big blind push likewise. Initial raiser opted out, leaving the two to showdown.

Zhang's pocket pair held through on board 6♠ K♠ T♦ T♥ 9♣ , sending Miller to the rails.

Having just landed a boost, Martin Nielsen forked it over only minutes later to Hazel Chui after losing a flip for half his stack.

Nielsen opened mid position and called Chui's all-in for 40,000 (10 BB). Board A♦ 5♦ 6♠ 3♣ 3♦ failed to pair up Nielsen, earning Chui the double up with her pocket pair.

Martin Nielsen opened on the cutoff and risked his last 42,000 (10 BB) after Ben Miller on the big blind, moved all-in.

Nielsen ahead, secured the double up on board K♥ J♥ 2♦ K♦ 9♦ , sending Miller down the ranks.

A limp pot blind vs blind between Hazel Chui and Jieming Xu dealt a flop of Q♣ 5♣ 4♣ . Chui check called a 6,000 bet and headed to turn 9♠ . Both checked it through to river 5♦ , where Xu gunned for a final 32,000. Chui paid the price and mucked as Xu tabled trip fives 5♠ 2♥ .

With action folded to the blinds, Ledong Zhou bumped up the stakes to 10,000 and saw Martin Nielsen complete behind.

On flop 9♠ J♠ 9♣ , Zhou pulled a check raise to 18,000 and went on to lead another 30,000 on turn 8♦ . Nielsen raised all-in by the second barrel and Zhou called off for his remaining 38,000.

Nielsen 9♦ 4♥

Zhou Q♦ 9♥

Both with flopped trips, Zhou's better kicker kept ahead through river A♠ , leaving Nielsen short following the loss.

Yang Zhang opened utg+1, called by a player behind along with Maxim Fana on the big blind.

On flop 4♥ 6♠ 3♠ , Fana led all-in for his last 20,000 and was called by Zhang for a showdown.

Fana 5♠ 5♣

Zhang J♠ J♣

Fana drawing slim, found no fives on either turn K♠ or river 4♠ , knocking him out of the Day 1D running.

Mok Seng opened on the hijack and Martin Nielsen joined in on the small blind.

On flop J♥ 2♦ 9♣ , Seng continued for 5,000, check raised by Nielsen to 15,000. Seng clicked back to 30,000, and Nielsen made it 45,000 to go. Seng burnt through one time bank and eventually let it go, shipping Nielsen the boost.

Jieming Xu defended his open and called a 14,000 three bet from Erdun Xu on the hijack.

On flop 7♣ T♣ 6♠ , Jieming went ahead and led a bet of 27,000, leaving Xu in quick surrender.

Maxim Fana sent out an 18,000 three bet on the button, and saw Yang Zhang on the big blind, four bet jam for 68,000 (22 BB) total. Initial raiser opted out and Fana happily obliged.

Zhang in search of an ace, quickly found one on board T♠ A♦ 2♣ 8♥ 5♥ , sparing him from elimination. Fana survived the damage but is down to ten big blinds.

Jieming Xu opened on the cutoff and saw both players on the blinds complete.

Action on flop 7♣ 5♠ A♥ was checked round to turn 3♠ , where Erdun Xu led for 9,000. Big blind folded and Jieming called to see river A♣ . Both checked to showdown, revealing Erdun's two pair 5♣ 4♣ for the win.

Maxim Fana opened utg and called a 21,000 three bet from Jieming Xu on the button.

On flop 4♣ 3♠ J♦ , Fana was left nowhere to go but out after Xu bet for the rest.

Maxim Fana delivered two short stack busts, bringing down the count to 9 players remaining. Four more eliminations are due before the day wraps up with only five survivors guaranteed a spot into Day 2.

Yucheng Wang open shoved 22,500 on the cutoff, called by Erdun Xu a seat after. Ben Miller to his left, reshoved for 10,000 more and Xu is priced in to call.

All with suited aces, Miller was the one in luck as the board J♦ 9♦ 2♣ 5♣ 5♦ showed three diamonds, running him a flush to take it down.

With action folded to the blinds, Ben Miller opened to 8,500 and was called behind by Martin Nielsen.

On board 8♠ 8♦ 5♥ Q♥ A♣ , Nielsen triple barreled - 4,000, 7,000, and a final all-in for 34,000. Miller check called all the way to showdown with A♠ K♦ , only to muck as Nielsen revealed trip eights J♠ 8♥ .

Erdun Xu open raised all-in on the hijack and saw Tian Liu right behind call off for his last 30,000 (12 BB).

A 50-50 situation, Xu quickly left Liu in pieces, having spiked top set on board T♥ 6♣ 7♠ 3♠ 4♥ to deliver the bust.

Yang Zhang opened utg and called Ben Miller's all-in on the small blind for 31,000 (12 BB).

In for a flip, Miller took this one down as board 8♥ 2♥ K♥ 7♠ 9♠ paired up his overcards to send Zhang's pocket pair flying towards the muck.

Registration is officially closed for today's Main Event Day 1D qualifier with another 49 entries added to the tally. More than half the field had been dusted by the tenth level of play, and will continue on down until 10% of the field remain at 5 players (ITM).

All Day 1D survivors are guaranteed to win at least KRW 3,800,000 off the prize pool as they make their way to Day 2.

The Poker Dream 16 Main Event heat at Jeju Shinhwa World continues to intensify with the first round of flights in the books .As Day 1C winds down, players still in the hunt for a Day 2 spot have a fresh opportunity tonight with another qualifier available on schedule.

Tonight's Day 1D offering posts a more affordable buy-in of KRW 1,600,000 (~USD 1,103) with all entrants beginning with a starting stack of 20,000. Thirty minutes will run on the clock from start to finish, leaving only 10% of the field remaining in battle by the end of the night.

Seven more flights will follow suit over the next two days, with the brand's signature multi-level buy-in structure and varying formats continuing to be in play.

Action sets off at 19:00 local time, with registration remaining open through Level 8 @23:30. Stay tuned for updates as SMP brings you all the latest directly off the floor!

Poker Dream 16 Main Event Day 1D

Date: February 16, 2025

Buy-in: KRW 1,600,000 (~USD 1,103)

Event guarantee: KRW 2,200,000,000 (~USD 1,526,000)

Starting stack: 20,000

Blind levels: 30 minutes

ITM: 10% of the field

Live updates begin on February 16 at 7pm local time.