Red Dragon Championship (2,500,000 KRW)

The second of five opening flights for the KR₩ 2 Billion (~$1,451,326) guaranteed RDPT Jeju II 2025 Championship is under our belts with 61 out of 234 - only one less entry than yesterday - advancing to Day 2 at the end of level 12.

China's Haonan Tian - three final tables including one win in side events this series already - is in a great spot for a deep run once again, finishing with 504,000 (164 BB) which is good for the overall lead right now. He commanded a big stack since the late stages of the late registration period, freerolled a preflop all-in with A♣ T♣ against Yuxiang Xie's A♦ T♥ and broke the tie on 4♦ 3♦ J♣ K♣ 7♣ which netted him 25BB and the second place at the end of level 10. He then bulldozed through the field and almost doubled his stack in the end.

Second in chips Jian Li wasn't anywhere close to the top stacks throughout the day, but mounted a late charge that catapulted him from the lower mid-field into second within the last 3 levels of the day. He will start Day 2 with 442,000 (147 BB) which is good for second overall at the moment.

Yuhan Liu - winning his second side event this series last night and already finished 12th in the Baby Dragon on Monday - is in a respectable position early on again. He has 365,000 (121 BB) to his name and will be a force to be reckoned with in Day 2.

Flight C Turbo is already in full swing and the SMP Live Updates will continue over there until the third batch of players bagged their chips for Day 2.

Red Dragon Championship Schedule

• Day 1C Turbo 2025.07.09 - 18:00

• Day 1D 2025.07.10 - 12:00

• Day 1E Turbo 2025.07.10 - 18:00

• Day 2 2025.07.11 - 12:00

• Day 3 2025.07.12 - 12:00

• Final Day 2025.07.13 - 12:00

SMP: Congrats on bagging the overall lead for now, how does it feel?

Tian: I'm very happy to be today's CL. Some luck helped as well.

SMP: What were some big hands today that got you to the top?

Tian: The first big hand was 99 to catch my opponents AK. The second time I increased the number of chips I had A♣ T♣ against my opponent's A♦ T♥ and got a flush. Another one was A♦ 2♦ against the big blind with A3o, where I also got a flush and a really important one at the end was when I raised ace-jack from the button and the small blind three-bet jammed with kings and I called. I also won that race, which increased my stack by 170,000.

SMP: You already shipped a side event on Monday and had another 3rd place finish, the series seems to be going great so far?

Tian: I am very happy to have won one side event and a third and fourth place in two others. I didn't win the championship in May, but I have won the majority of my prize money in the Red Dragon Poker Tour events!

SMP: Your biggest win in our database was the 3rd place in the RDPT Dragon Egg last May for almost 50K including the bounties, what did that mean for your poker career?

Tian: The proceeds from this time have given me a lot of confidence in poker tournaments, and I have also made reasonable plans for the prize money to participate in future tournaments.

SMP: What is it about the RDPT and Jeju that lets you bring your a-game?

Tian: In Jeju Island, I think it's a place where players can devote themselves to the game, and the air here is nice and relaxing. Red Dragon Poker is also a great host, with an international professional team, a very good atmosphere, and some top players will also appear. Participating in Red Dragon is also a good opportunity to exchange and learn.

SMP: What do you like about these big field events compared to the smaller ones? You've had success in both.

Tian: I really like every event of the Red Dragon Competition, and they have introduced a lot of new events. I feel that the content of the series is getting more in line with the WSOP.

SMP: When and how did you get into poker?

Tian: I first came across Texas Hold'em on the internet in 2008, but I didn't learn it systematically, and then I started a poker club, and I found that there are still many differences between online and offline tournaments. But I started playing big tournaments in 2021, and I discovered the joy of poker even more after playing in the big tournaments.

SMP: Already having plans to play other tournaments in the coming months?

Tian: After participating in the Red Dragon this time, I was thinking about going to WPT in Thailand, but I couldn't be completely sure about the itinerary due to work. Looking forward to the next time the Red Dragon Cup will be held, I will continue to come back, because I feel that the Red Dragon will bring me good luck.

SMP: Do you play online or cash games as well?

Tian: I don't usually play cash games, because I don't think cash games are the way I want to play and think about the game, which will affect my idea of playing and lead to technical deformation. I still play online tournaments, but I prefer offline tournaments because it's more realistic.

Everything is looking peachy for Chen on T♣ 4♠ 8♥ 3♥ before turning pear shaped on the A♦ river, keeping Zheng alive and Je Hoon Lee starts murmuring something unsavory into the direction of Zheng.

Straight on the board Q♣ K♣ T♥ 9♥ J♣ with Wei still in the lead has Li bust just a few minutes before the end of the day.

With the board already complete 2♣ 5♠ 5♥ A♥ T♠ and 26,500 in the middle, Lingke Kong leads 11,000 and calls after button Alexander Lyan raised to 28,000 with A♣ T♥ top two. Kong throws it in the muck.

Picking up the action on 6♠ 2♣ 9♣ with 35,000 up for grabs, both players check to the J♥ turn where under the gun Yongbin Wang leads 12,000 and button Gele Aori calls to the 4♦ river. Wang forks out another 45,000 with K♣ Q♠ air, Aori goes into the tank, puts his cape on and makes the hero call with A♦ 5♣ ace-high to take down a juicy pot.

Lights out for Shen on the 6♦ turn, giving Xu a flush who still manages to improve on the 8♦ river.

Big blind Chuanyu Fu looks at a 5,000 raise and two flats in front before squeezing 20,000 that ends up in a three-way flop K♣ 6♥ A♠ where his 15,000 continuation gets the job done.

Everybody likes a cop, but the dealer makes it interesting on 4♦ 3♦ J♣ K♣ , giving Tian a royal flush draw which doesn't come, but the 7♣ river is still good enough to break the tie and scoop the entire pot.

The board shows 3♠ A♣ A♦ 4♦ with 35,000 up for grabs and small blind Fulong Chen leads 19,000. Button Cong Li calls and does so again on the K♠ river after Chen put his last 23,000 over the line. Chen shows A♠ T♥ , narrowly beating A♥ 9♦ from Li.

The 4♥ river is a blank and Ma scoops the pot.

The 8♣ and 5♦ make Qian's double up official.

Teoh fails to improve on 6♥ and 4♥ sending him back to the registration desk a few minutes before the late reg is over.

The board completes 3♠ Q♦ , Hu punches in the air and Lyan slams his chips.

Hu's odds increase on J♦ 6♦ 7♠ T♣ before going to zero when the K♣ river gives Feng a straight to double up.

The dealer flips over 7♥ 6♣ 8♥ to put Qin in front, the 9♣ turn has Yang take the lead and the 8♦ river swings it back to Qin with the noise level on the table increasing on every street.

Catching a blind battle on the 5♣ 6♣ J♦ 9♠ turn with 25,000 in the pot, Chuan Feng leads 14,000 and small blind Thi Hue Dang calls to watch the 7♥ complete the board. Feng tries to steal for 31,000 with Q♣ T♠ but Dang snaps holding K♣ K♥ to scoop a massive pot and slot into the overall lead.

Both miss on 9♠ and 6♣ granting Yan a double up with queen-high.

Chuan Feng gets going for 2,000 from the hijack and takes two interested parties to the K♥ 2♣ Q♠ flop that gets rejected for a free 3♥ turn. Feng's 8,000 delayed c-bet finds a single taker in cutoff Jiawen Hu who lays out 10,000 in position on the 3♠ river with K♦ 6♦ . Feng finds a check-call but throws it in the muck.

Wu looks puzzled as to why Zhao made the call, but stays ahead on 4♦ and 6♥ to scoop a hefty pot.

Ji gets there on the K♥ river with a flush and catapults up the rankings.

Cutoff Haogen Huang wants 2,000 and three players oblige to see the Q♣ 9♦ 3♦ flop that gets checked to the K♦ turn. Huang's 4,000 delayed c-bet finds a single taker in button Yuchao Chen who lets it go after Huang bet another 10,000 on the 2♠ river.

Everything is looking peachy for Hu on 8♥ 5♥ K♠ 3♣ before turning pear shaped on the 5♠ river.

Huu Dung Nguyen makes it 1,600 from +1, Haogen Huang increases to 4,200 and is the only taker after button Chak Hei Chan cold four-bets 9,000. Chan's 5,000 continuation is enough to end the hand on the 7♠ A♥ Q♦ flop.

The J♦ river improves Truong, but has to pack up his things regardless.