South Korea, LES A CasinoEVENT #9

2026.04.11 - 2026.04.12Add to Calendar

Red Dragon Poker Tour

Blind level

Level 32: 500,000 / 1,000,000 ante: 1,000,000

Entries

1/117

Total Chips

35,100,000

Average

35,100,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 8:20:52 PM

Jianting Cai Tops 117-Entry Field to Claim the Dragon's Gate High Roller Title

Level 32: 500,000 / 1,000,000 ante: 1,000,000

Jianting Cai

China's Jianting Cai has conquered the Dragon's Gate High Roller at RDPT Plus Jeju 2026, topping a 117-entry field to claim the title and KRW 131,615,000 (~USD 88,610). Cai was composed and consistent throughout, accumulating steadily before closing out the final table in dominant fashion, and sealing the deal in the very first hand of heads-up play.

Runner-up Ivan Karatayeu was remarkable in his own right, battling back from short-stack territory on multiple occasions before departing with KRW 86,260,000 (~USD 58,120). Third place went to Minh Thang Tran, one of the day's most active players, who eliminated several opponents before running into Cai's straight three-handed.

Final Table Result

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
1	JC Jianting CaiChina	131,615,000	$88,610
2	IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	86,260,000	$58,075
3	MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	58,530,000	$39,405
4	AL Anton LuAustralia	41,160,000	$27,710
5	WL Wenchao LiuChina	29,980,000	$20,185
6	XZ Xugang ZhangChina	22,620,000	$15,230
7	GW Guoliang WeiChina	17,770,000	$11,965
8	CZ Congya ZhangChina	14,560,000	$9,805
9	HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	12,410,000	$8,355

Day 2 Action

Registration surged during the first break, bringing the field to 117 entries across 79 unique players and a prize pool of KRW 510,705,000 (~USD 344,008). Notable exits before the money included Abhijith Cheruku, Khoa Anh Ngo, Patrik Demus, and Yita Choong, whilst Yayun Liu bowed out on the soft bubble in 20th.

Ranno Sootla took the unwanted role of bubble boy in 19th, his pocket eights unable to hold against Tran's pocket kings. Ryan Plant survived the bubble with barely a big blind before he and Haohui Ma became the first casualties once the money was reached.

Dinesh Alt bowed out in 11th in cruel fashion, flopping two pair only to be counterfeited by a better full house on the river. Not one hand later, Zhili Zhou three-bet jammed a straight draw on the flop into Tran's pocket kings, couldn't get there, and was eliminated in 10th to set the final table.

Ranno Sootla took the role of Bubble Boy

The Final Table

Huu Dung Nguyen was the first to fall, pocket tens running into Karatayeu's pocket kings on a king-high flop with no way back. Congya Zhang followed shortly after in 8th, her ace-four dominated by Tran's ace-queen, and whilst she picked up a flush draw on the turn, the river bricked to send her to the rail.

Guoliang Wei, who had held the chip lead at various points throughout the day, ultimately ran pocket fives into Karatayeu's ace-queen, which connected on the flop to end his tournament in 7th. Xugang Zhang followed in 6th, his jack-ten unable to find the help it needed against Anton Lu's pocket sevens.

Congya Zhang

Wenchao Liu, one of the day's big stacks, fell in 5th when his flush draw couldn't outrun Tran's flopped top pair, which improved to a full house on the turn to leave him drawing dead. Lu then four-bet jammed king-queen into Karatayeu's pocket queens in 4th and was shown the door, setting up a three-handed battle between Cai, Karatayeu, and Tran.

Tran fell with ace-ten, flopping top pair only for Cai's king-jack to complete a straight on the turn. The river was academic, and Cai took a commanding chip lead into heads-up.

Heads-Up

Cai held around 24,000,000 to Karatayeu's 11,000,000 heading into the final two. In the very first hand, Cai's king-eight flopped an eight to surge ahead against Karatayeu's dominated king-ten. The turn added a flush draw for the Belarusian, but the river bricked and his incredible run was over.

Jianting Cai is the Dragon's Gate High Roller champion! That concludes Somuchpoker's live coverage for this event, but join us again tomorrow when the Prestige High Roller kicks off at 15:00 local time.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 8:01:48 PM

Jianting Cai Wins the Dragon's Gate High Roller Event for KRW 131,615,000 (USD 88,610)

Level 32: 500,000 / 1,000,000 ante: 1,000,000

Jianting Cai

Jianting Cai has emerged victorious at the first High Roller event of RDPT Plus Jeju, topping an elite 117-entry field to claim the Dragon's Gate High Roller title and KRW 131,615,000 (~USD 88,610).

After a final table that saw some of Asia's sharpest players battle it out, it was Cai who kept his composure when it mattered most, sealing the deal in the very first hand of heads-up play against Ivan Karatayeu. Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action!

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
1	JC Jianting CaiChina	131,615,000	$88,610

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 7:57:27 PM

Ivan Karatayeu Eliminated in 2nd Place for KRW 86,260,000 (USD 58,075)

Level 32: 500,000 / 1,000,000 ante: 1,000,000

Ivan Karatayeu

In the first hand of heads-up play, button Jianting Cai moved all in with the covering stack and Ivan Karatayeu immediately called to put himself at risk.

Ivan Karatayeu: K♥ T♦

Jianting Cai: K♠ 8♣

Cai was drawing thin, but a miracle eight on the 8♥ 2♣ A♥ flop flipped the script, leaving Karatayeu needing a ten to survive.

The 3♥ turn added flush outs, but the 5♣ river was none of them, and the Belarusian's run came to an end in a very respectable runner-up finish.

Karatayeu departs with KRW 86,260,000 (~USD 58,120).

Player	Chips
JC Jianting CaiChina	35,000,000(35 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
2	IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	86,260,000	$58,075

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 7:51:38 PM

Minh Thang Tran Eliminated in 3rd Place for KRW 53,530,000 (USD 39,405)

Level 32: 500,000 / 1,000,000 ante: 1,000,000

Minh Thang Tran

Minh Thang Tran got his 9,700,000-chip stack in the middle and covering stack Jianting Cai called it off.

Minh Thang Tran: A♥ T♦

Jianting Cai: K♥ J♣

The 9♣ 8♦ T♥ flop was good for Tran, but it remained virtually a coinflip heading to the turn.

The Q♣ completed Cai's straight, and the J♥ river sealed Tran's exit in 3rd place. Play is heads-up.

Player	Chips
JC Jianting CaiChina	24,000,000(24 BB)
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
3	MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	58,530,000	$39,405

Level 32: 500,000 / 1,000,000 ante: 1,000,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 7:29:46 PM

A Series of All-Ins

Level 31: 400,000 / 800,000 ante: 800,000

Ivan Karatayeu got his ~6,000,000 short stack in from the button and Jianting Cai looked him up from the big blind.

Ivan Karatayeu: A♥ 3♥

Jianting Cai: T♠ T♣

A dream flop for the short stack — the K♠ A♦ 5♦ left Cai drawing to just two outs.

The 6♠ turn changed nothing, and the A♣ on the river sealed the double, leaving Cai short and putting Karatayeu firmly back in contention.

In one of the next hands, Cai got his stack in the middle and Karatayeu called it, but the Belarusian was bested with his queen-jack against the ace-jack of Cai. A queen-high flop gave Karatayeu top pair, but a king on the turn completed Cai's straight and took all the chips back.

Shortly after, Karatayeu moved all-in with his short stack, and Minh Thang Tran made the call for 5,500,000. Karatayeu had woken up with aces against the ace-five of Tran, who gave some of his chips to him.

Player	Chips
JC Jianting CaiChina	14,000,000(18 BB)
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	9,000,000(11 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	4,400,000(6 BB)

Level 31: 400,000 / 800,000 ante: 800,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 7:23:01 PM

Karatayeu's Stack Dwindling

Level 30: 300,000 / 600,000 ante: 600,000

Ivan Karatayeu has seen his stack slip from around 11,000,000 down to 5,400,000, and the latest hand did little to halt the slide.

Minh Thang Tran opened to 1,200,000 from the button and Karatayeu called from the big blind.

Action checked through the 7♥ K♦ T♠ 5♠ flop and turn, but when the Q♣ landed on the river Karatayeu led for 675,000. A quick scan of his opponent, and Tran stuck in the call, tabling A♥ J♦ for a rivered straight to take down the pot.

A mistimed bluff from the Belarusian, who now finds himself on the back foot three-handed.

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	15,000,000(25 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	5,400,000(9 BB)

Level 30: 300,000 / 600,000 ante: 600,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 6:43:31 PM

Cai Takes the Lead

Level 29: 200,000 / 400,000 ante: 400,000

Button Ivan Karatayeu raised to 800,000 and Jianting Cai called from the big blind.

The Q♠ 9♣ 9♠ flop went check-check before Cai led out for 800,000 on the J♥ turn. A quick glance at his cards and Karatayeu sent them back to the dealer, awarding Cai the pot.

Player	Chips
JC Jianting CaiChina	14,000,000(35 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	10,000,000(25 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 6:39:28 PM

Final Three Chip Counts

Level 29: 200,000 / 400,000 ante: 400,000

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	12,000,000(30 BB)
JC Jianting CaiChina	12,000,000(30 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	11,000,000(28 BB)

Level 29: 200,000 / 400,000 ante: 400,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/117

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 6:18:16 PM

Anton Lu Eliminated in 4th Place for KRW 41,160,000 (USD 27,710)

Level 28: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Anton Lu

Anton Lu raised to 1,500,000 from under the gun before Ivan Karatayeu three-bet to 2,800,000 on the button. Lu four-bet jammed and Karatayeu snap-called.

Anton Lu: K♣ Q♥

Ivan Karatayeu: Q♣ Q♠

Lu needed a king and found none: the 3♠ 7♦ 5♠ flop offered no help, and the 7♥ turn pairing the board minimised his chances even further. The A♥ river was no salvation, and Lu was out of his seat in 4th place.

Player	Chips
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	13,000,000(43 BB)
AL Anton LuAustralia	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
4	AL Anton LuAustralia	41,160,000	$27,710

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 6:00:03 PM

Updated Counts

Level 28: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	13,000,000(43 BB)
JC Jianting CaiChina	11,000,000(37 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	6,000,000(20 BB)
AL Anton LuAustralia	4,900,000(16 BB)

Level 28: 150,000 / 300,000 ante: 300,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/117

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 5:08:35 PM

Wenchao Liu Eliminated in 5th Place for KRW 29,980,000 (USD 20,185)

Level 27: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

Wenchao Liu

Minh Thang Tran raised to 500,000 from under the gun before calling cutoff Wenchao Liu's shove for 1,700,000.

Wenchao Liu: K♠ 9♠

Minh Thang Tran: A♥ 6♥

Tran flopped the best of it with top pair on the A♠ J♣ J♠ flop, but Liu kept his hopes alive with the flush draw.

The A♣ turn improved Tran to a full house and left Liu drawing dead — the cruel 3♠ on the river completing his flush, but far too late. Liu exited in 5th place.

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	12,000,000(48 BB)
WL Wenchao LiuChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
5	WL Wenchao LiuChina	29,980,000	$20,185

Level 27: 125,000 / 250,000 ante: 250,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 5/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 4:33:08 PM

Xugang Zhang Eliminated in 6th Place for KRW 22,620,000 (USD 15,230)

Level 26: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Xugang Zhang

Xugang Zhang moved all in from under the gun for his last 2,100,000 and big blind Anton Lu stuck in the call with the covering stack.

Xugang Zhang: J♥ T♣ Anton Lu: 7♥ 7♦

Zhang needed some help and found none; the K♣ 4♠ 5♦ flop missed him entirely, and he was already rising from his seat as the 4♦ turn paired the board.

The K♥ river bricked out his remaining outs, and Zhang was sent to the rail in 6th place.

Player	Chips
AL Anton LuAustralia	6,900,000(35 BB)
XZ Xugang ZhangChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
6	XZ Xugang ZhangChina	22,620,000	$15,230

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 4:21:55 PM

Guoliang Wei Eliminated in 7th Place for KRW 17,770,000 (USD 11,965)

Level 26: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Guoliang Wei

Cutoff Ivan Karatayeu raised to 400,000 before small blind Guoliang Wei three-bet shoved for his remaining 2,000,000, and Karatayeu quickly called.

Guoliang Wei: 5♥ 5♣

Ivan Karatayeu: A♣ Q♣

A flip for Wei's tournament life, and the 8♣ K♣ Q♥ flop put Karatayeu firmly on the right side of it. The J♦ 6♠ runout changed nothing, and Wei was sent to the rail in 7th place.

Player	Chips
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	7,300,000(37 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
7	GW Guoliang WeiChina	17,770,000	$11,965

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 4:12:35 PM

Congya Zhang Eliminated in 8th Place for KRW 14,560,000 (USD 9,805)

Level 26: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Congya Zhang

Minh Thang Tran opened to 400,000 from the hijack before calling button Congya Zhang's shove for her remaining 625,000.

Congya Zhang: A♦ 4♦

Minh Thang Tran: A♣ Q♠

Tran had Zhang dominated, and she would need some help from the dealer to survive. The A♥ 7♦ 3♣ flop offered little, though the 8♦ turn provided a glimmer of hope with the flush draw.

The T♠ river bricked out, and Zhang was sent to the rail in 8th place.

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	13,000,000(65 BB)
CZ Congya ZhangChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
8	CZ Congya ZhangChina	14,560,000	$9,805

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 4:02:55 PM

Wei Scores a Double

Level 26: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Guoliang Wei open-shoved his remaining 775,000 from the button and big blind Wenchao Liu stuck in the call.

Guoliang Wei: A♥ T♥

Wenchao Liu: Q♣ 7♣

Wei couldn't have asked for a better flop, the dealer peeling off 9♠ T♣ T♠ to give him trips.

The 3♠ 8♣ runout confirmed the double, although Wei remains in the danger zone with less than 10 big blinds.

Player	Chips
WL Wenchao LiuChina	3,600,000(18 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	1,900,000(10 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 3:58:06 PM

Remaining Chip Counts

Level 26: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	11,000,000(55 BB)
JC Jianting CaiChina	7,300,000(37 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	5,600,000(28 BB)
WL Wenchao LiuChina	4,600,000(23 BB)
XZ Xugang ZhangChina	2,400,000(12 BB)
AL Anton LuAustralia	2,300,000(12 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	775,000(4 BB)
CZ Congya ZhangChina	725,000(4 BB)

Level 26: 100,000 / 200,000 ante: 200,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 8/117

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 8/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 3:35:25 PM

Karatayeu Shakes Zhang Off the River

Level 25: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

Ivan Karatayeu

Congya Zhang raised to 300,000 from middle position and Ivan Karatayeu defended his big blind.

On the 9♣ J♥ 6♦ flop both players opted to check, taking them to the Q♦ turn, where Karatayeu check-raised Zhang's 325,000 bet up to 900,000, and Zhang put in the call.

Karatayeu moved all in with his covering stack on the 3♣ river, and after using a timebank, Zhang opted to fold, leaving herself short-stacked.

Player	Chips
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	5,700,000(38 BB)
CZ Congya ZhangChina	1,700,000(11 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 2:54:45 PM

Cai Picks Off Tran's Bluff

Level 25: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

Hijack Minh Thang Tran raised to 325,000 and Jianting Cai called from the big blind.

The 4♦ 5♦ Q♥ flop saw Cai check-call Tran's 225,000 continuation-bet before both players checked through the 6♥ turn.

On the 2♦ river, Cai led for 800,000 only for Tran to raise it up to 1,900,000, sending Cai deep into the tank.

\Eventually he made the call, tabling A♣ 3♥ for a rivered straight to take down the hefty pot.

Player	Chips
JC Jianting CaiChina	8,300,000(55 BB)
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	4,800,000(32 BB)

Level 25: 75,000 / 150,000 ante: 150,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 8/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 2:36:59 PM

Huu Dung Nguyen Eliminated in 9th Place for KRW 12,410,00 (USD 8,355)

Level 24: 75,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Huu Dung Nguyen

Huu Dung Nguyen got his 1,800,000-chip short stack in from middle position against small blind Ivan Karatayeu in the latter stages of Level 24.

Huu Dung Nguyen: T♥ T♣

Ivan Karatayeu: K♣ K♠

The 9♣ 2♦ K♦ flop gave Karatayev top set and left Nguyen essentially drawing dead. The 5♥ A♦ runout completed the board and Nguyen was sent to the rail as the first final table elimination.

Player	Chips
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	4,600,000(37 BB)
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
9	HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	12,410,000	$8,355

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 2:35:40 PM

Final Table Chip Counts

Level 24: 75,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Dragon's Gate High Roller Final Table

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	7,200,000(58 BB)
XZ Xugang ZhangChina	6,300,000(50 BB)
WL Wenchao LiuChina	5,735,000(46 BB)
JC Jianting CaiChina	4,725,000(38 BB)
AL Anton LuAustralia	3,200,000(26 BB)
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	2,550,000(20 BB)
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	2,325,000(19 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	1,750,000(14 BB)
CZ Congya ZhangChina	1,675,000(13 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 1:26:23 PM

Zhili Zhou Bubbles Final Table

Level 24: 75,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Zhili Zhou

Not one hand had passed since Dinesh Alt's departure before the action was back on Table 38. Minh Thang Tran raised from early position, Wenchao Liu called from the small blind, and Zhili Zhou three-bet to 1,400,000 from the big. Only Tran came along.

On the 2♥ 3♦ T♠ flop, Zhou moved the remainder of his stack in, leaving just a single 25,000 chip behind. Tran reshoved with the covering stack and Zhou made the call.

Zhili Zhou: A♦ 4♦

Minh Thang Tran: K♣ K♥

Zhou had the straight draw but had run into a monster. No five or ace arrived on the J♥ T♣ runout, and Zhou was sent to the rail in 10th place. The remaining nine players advance to the final table!

Player	Chips
WL Wenchao LiuChina	4,750,000(38 BB)
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	3,100,000(25 BB)
ZZ Zhili ZhouChina	300,000(2 BB)

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
10	ZZ Zhili ZhouChina	11,080,000	$7,460

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 1:13:00 PM

Dinest Alt Out in 11th

Level 24: 75,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

Dinesh Alt

The action was joined as the hand was completing and the dealer counting chips. Dinesh Alt had called Xugang Zhang's flop shove holding Q♥ 9♥ against Zhang's A♥ A♦ on a board of 2♦ Q♦ 9♣ - Alt well ahead when the chips went in with two pair.

The runout delivered a cruel twist, however. The 9♠ turn gave Alt a full house, only for the A♠ on the river to hand Zhang the better boat and send Alt to the rail in 11th place. He departs with KRW 11,080,000 (~USD 7,465) — the first player to climb a rung on the payout ladder.

Player	Chips
XZ Xugang ZhangChina	5,300,000(42 BB)
DA Dinesh AltSwitzerland	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
11	DA Dinesh AltSwitzerland	11,080,000	$7,460

Level 24: 75,000 / 125,000 ante: 125,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 13/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 12:40:16 PM

Girard Gets Flushed Out

Level 23: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Xugang Zhang

Hugues Girard shoved his ~900,000-chip stack following a raise from button Xugang Zhang, who took a quick stock take and stuck in the call.

Hugues Girard: K♣ Q♥

Xugang Zhang: A♥ 9♥

The 8♥ window card was ominous, and the A♦ T♠ underneath left Girard needing a jack to survive. The 4♥ gave him even fewer outs, and the 5♥ on the river completed Zhang's flush to rub salt in the wound. Girard departs in 13th place.

Player	Chips
XZ Xugang ZhangChina	4,600,000(46 BB)
HG Hugues GirardFrance	busted

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
13	HG Hugues GirardFrance	10,520,000	$7,085

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 12:32:12 PM

Karatayeu Scores a Timely Double

Level 23: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Ivan Karatayeu

With around 500,000 in the middle, big blind Ivan Karatayeu and hijack Anton Lu were locked in a significant pot on a 9♦ T♦ 5♥ flop.

Karatayeu checked before Lu fired a continuation-bet, only for Karatayeu to shove for around 1,100,000. Lu called.

Karatayeu tabled Q♠ J♥ for the nut straight draw, whilst Lu held top pair with T♠ 6♠ — essentially a coin flip.

The Q♣ on the turn quickly changed that, leaving Lu drawing to a ten or six. Neither came as the A♠ fell on the river, and Karatayeu scooped the pot. A well-timed shove and a much-needed double for the Belarusian, who now sits on a more comfortable 2,800,000.

At the other table, Yuhang Liu hit the rail in 14th place, nudging the rest of the field ever so slightly closer towards the final table.

Player	Chips
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	2,830,000(28 BB)
AL Anton LuAustralia	2,500,000(25 BB)

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
14	YL Yuhang LiuAustralia	10,520,000	$7,085

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 12:17:04 PM

More Fall as Liu Surges into the Lead

Level 23: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Wenchao Liu

The tables have turned for Guoliang Wei, who has relinquished his chip lead as the final table approaches. Wenchao Liu, who benefitted in part from absorbing the bulk of Ryan Plant's stack before the bubble, now sits very comfortably on 4,750,000, almost double the average. Wei has slipped to around 2,200,000, a couple of big blinds below average.

Also exiting the field are Guofeng Wang (16th) and William Jia (15th), both taking away KRW 10,520,000 (USD 7,085) for their efforts.

Player	Chips
WL Wenchao LiuChina	4,750,000(48 BB)
GW Guoliang WeiChina	2,200,000(22 BB)

William Jia

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
15	WJ William JiaAustralia	10,520,000	$7,085
16	GW Guofeng WangChina	10,520,000	$7,085

Level 23: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 18/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 11:55:41 AM

Ma and Plant First to Fall After Bubble

Level 22: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Haohui Ma

Haohui Ma and Ryan Plant were the first casualties once the money was reached. Plant, who had found himself extremely short-stacked after getting on the wrong side of an ace-king versus kings situation, was down to barely a couple of big blinds. He bided his time, and his patience paid off as Ranno Sootla's elimination a few hands later secured him a cash before he eventually hit the rail alongside Ma.

Both players depart with KRW 10,520,000 (~USD 7,085).

Place	Player	Prize (KRW)	Prize (USD)
17	RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	10,520,000	$7,085
18	HM Haohui MaChina	10,520,000	$7,085

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 11:54:21 AM

Ranno Sootla Bubbles the Dragon's Gate High Roller

Level 22: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Ranno Sootla

Cutoff Ranno Sootla raised to 475,000 leaving just 50,000 behind, and button Tran Minh Thang made the call with the covering stack.

The 6♦ 5♥ 9♥ flop saw Sootla check before Thang put in the 50,000. Sootla called off the last of it, and play was paused while the other tables completed their hands.

When focus returned, both players tabled their holdings:

Ranno Sootla: 8♠ 8♦

Tran Minh Thang: K♣ K♠

Sootla had a pair and a gutshot, needing an eight or a seven to stay alive. The A♦ turn changed little, and the 4♥ river sealed his fate: eliminated in 19th place as the Dragon's Gate High Roller bubble boy. The remaining 18 players are now in the money.

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	3,100,000(39 BB)
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	busted

Level 22: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 21/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 11:10:07 AM

Bubble Time!

Level 21: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

There are 19 players remaining in the field, and hand-for-hand play has now started.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 10:56:39 AM

Plant's Aces Dent Wei

Level 21: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Ryan Plant

The hand was joined mid-way through the board runout, so the exact preflop and postflop action is unclear, though it was most likely all-in preflop. What is clear is that current chip leader Guoliang Wei had a sizeable dent taken out of his stack at the hands of Ryan Plant.

A♥ A♣ vs K♦ Q♠ on a board of 6♣ Q♣ 2♦ T♥ 2♥ - Wei's top pair couldn't topple Plant's aces, and Plant doubled up to around 1,850,000. Wei slipped to around 4,000,000 but retains the overall chip lead.

Player	Chips
GW Guoliang WeiChina	4,100,000(68 BB)
RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	1,850,000(31 BB)

Level 21: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 21/117

Dinner Break

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 23/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 9:31:57 AM

Cai's Underpair Takes It

Level 20: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Jianting Cai raised to 100,000 from early position before calling Christian Harder's 275,000 three-bet from the next seat.

Both checked the 4♥ 5♦ 7♦ flop through to the T♥ turn, where Cai led for 150,000 and Harder called.

The 5♠ paired the board on the river and both players checked it down, Cai tabling 2♣ 2♥ ; an underpair that was enough to take the pot as Harder mucked.

Player	Chips
JC Jianting CaiChina	3,150,000(63 BB)
CH Christian HarderUnited States of America	1,350,000(27 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 9:25:07 AM

Guoliang Wei Leading the Pack

Level 20: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Guoliang Wei

With 23 players left and 18 places paid, the bubble is making its presence felt. Pots are being taken down preflop to three-bets or folding to small continuation bets on the flop, as the shorter stacks bide their time and wait for their spot rather than speculate.

Guoliang Wei is the table and field chip leader, boasting an impressive 4,200,000 stack, almost three times the average. The Chinese pro and WSOP bracelet winner has over $2 million in career earnings, and with this massive lead, he’s well-positioned to add another major Asian title to his collection.

Start-of-day chip leader Martin Nielsen currently holds 1,500,000. If he can maintain the same momentum he showed yesterday, he remains a strong contender to navigate this field and contend for the title tonight.

Player	Chips
GW Guoliang WeiChina	4,200,000(84 BB)
DA Dinesh AltSwitzerland	2,100,000(42 BB)
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	2,000,000(40 BB)
RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	1,650,000(33 BB)
MN Martin NielsenDenmark	1,500,000(30 BB)
WL Wenchao LiuChina	1,100,000(22 BB)
HM Haohui MaChina	600,000(12 BB)
YL Yayun LiuChina	550,000(11 BB)

Level 20: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 23/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 8:46:10 AM

Three-Table Redraw

Level 19: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Table 38

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
KN Khoi NguyenViet Nam	300,000(8 BB)	38	1
XZ Xugang ZhangChina	300,000(8 BB)	38	2
YL Yuhang LiuAustralia	616,000(15 BB)	38	3
CZ Congya ZhangChina	445,000(11 BB)	38	4
HG Hugues GirardFrance	1,700,000(43 BB)	38	5
JC Jianting CaiChina	608,000(15 BB)	38	6
CH Christian HarderUnited States of America	1,000,000(25 BB)	38	7
WJ William JiaAustralia	300,000(8 BB)	38	8

Table 37

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
GW Guoliang WeiChina	1,600,000(40 BB)	37	1
RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	300,000(8 BB)	37	2
YL Yayun LiuChina	720,000(18 BB)	37	3
WL Wenchao LiuChina	188,000(5 BB)	37	4
DA Dinesh AltSwitzerland	300,000(8 BB)	37	5
MN Martin NielsenDenmark	2,200,000(55 BB)	37	6
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	1,400,000(35 BB)	37	7
HM Haohui MaChina	1,405,000(35 BB)	37	8

Table 34

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
GW Guofeng WangChina	300,000(8 BB)	34	1
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	300,000(8 BB)	34	2
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	1,800,000(45 BB)	34	3
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	783,000(20 BB)	34	4
YZ Yinan ZhouChina	300,000(8 BB)	34	5
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	845,000(21 BB)	34	6
AL Anton LuAustralia	300,000(8 BB)	34	7
ZZ Zhili ZhouChina	300,000(8 BB)	34	8

Level 19: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 31/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 8:16:57 AM

Pipped on the Turn

Level 18: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Minh Thang Tran

With around 1,000,000 chips in the middle on a board of A♣ 8♣ 7♠ 6♥ 4♦, button Minh Thang Tran and big blind Hugues Girard were locked in a significant pot.

First to act, Girard led out for 410,000, leaving just a single 5,000 chip behind. Tran moved all-in without much hesitation, and Girard tossed in the last chip.

Tran tabled T♣ 5♣ for an eight-high straight, but Girard had him pipped, flipping over T♦ 9♣ for the higher straight to scoop the monster pot.

Player	Chips
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	1,800,000(60 BB)
HG Hugues GirardFrance	1,700,000(57 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 8:12:46 AM

Table 34 Counts

Level 18: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Dylan Foster

Player	Chips
MN Martin NielsenDenmark	2,200,000(73 BB)
HM Haohui MaChina	1,405,000(47 BB)
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	1,400,000(47 BB)
DW Dylan Wayne FosterAustralia	1,000,000(33 BB)
QZ Quan ZhangChina	850,000(28 BB)
YL Yayun LiuChina	720,000(24 BB)
CZ Congya ZhangChina	445,000(15 BB)

Level 18: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 39/117

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 39/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 7:38:02 AM

Nielsen Takes Out Wang

Level 17: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Dapeng Wang

Button Dapeng Wang was all-in against hijack and start-of-day chip leader Martin Nielsen, who made the call with the covering stack.

Dapeng Wang: K♣ K♥

Martin Nielsen: A♣ 7♠

"I'm alive," Nielsen said, seeing the holdings.

An ace on the T♠ A♦ 5♣ flop surged the Dane ahead, leaving Wang drawing to two outs. The 2♠ turn and 2♦ river were neither, and Wang hit the rail. A welcome boost for Nielsen, who had slipped from his ~2,000,000 starting stack to the ~1,000,000 average prior to the hand.

Player	Chips
MN Martin NielsenDenmark	1,500,000(60 BB)
DW Dapeng WangChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 7:26:46 AM

Ma Takes Out Wang

Level 17: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Haohui Ma

Button Haohui Ma raised to 50,000 before snap-calling Xu Wang's three-bet shove from the big blind for 405,000, the two players in a classic domination spot.

Xu Wang: A♠ 8♦

Haohui Ma: A♥ T♦

The 4♦ Q♥ J♣ Q♣ board kept Wang's chop outs alive heading to the river, but the T♥ completed Ma's two pair and sent Wang to the rail, and Ma added a healthy boost to his stack.

Player	Chips
HM Haohui MaChina	1,525,000(61 BB)
XW Xu WangChina	busted

Level 17: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 39/117

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 6:49:48 AM

Prize Pool Confirmed | 18 Places Paid

Level 16: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

With registration now closed at 117 entries, the floor has confirmed the full payout structure. A total of 18 places will be paid, with the min-cash coming in at KRW 10,520,000 (~USD 7,085).

At the top, the winner will take home KRW 131,615,000 (~USD 88,635) from a total prize pool of KRW 510,705,000.

39 players currently remain, requiring the field to still be thinned by 50% to reach the money.

Place	Payout (KRW)	Payout (USD)
1	131,615,000	$88,635
2	86,260,000	$58,091
3	58,530,000	$39,417
4	41,160,000	$27,719
5	29,980,000	$20,190
6	22,620,000	$15,233
7	17,770,000	$11,967
8	14,560,000	$9,805
9	12,410,000	$8,357
10	11,080,000	$7,462
11	11,080,000	$7,462
12	10,520,000	$7,085
13	10,520,000	$7,085
14	10,520,000	$7,085
15	10,520,000	$7,085
16	10,520,000	$7,085
17	10,520,000	$7,085
18	10,520,000	$7,085

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 6:35:37 AM

Notable Names Hit the Rail

Level 16: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Khoa Anh Ngo

Registration has closed on the Dragon's Gate High Roller, and the eliminations have already been coming thick and fast. Late registrant Abhijith Cheruku has been sent to the rail alongside Khoa Anh Ngo, Patrik Demus, and Yita Choong; a cluster of notable exits that begin to thin the field as the day gets into the swing of things.

High Rollers looking for their next shot won't have long to wait. The KRW 8,000,000 Red Dragon Prestige High Roller kicks off tomorrow, April 13, at 15:00 local time.

Player	Chips
AC Abhijith CherukuIndia	busted
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	busted
XL Xianglai LiChina	busted
YL Yuhan LiuChina	busted
AR Amin RiyazatiAustralia	busted
AG Andrey GolikovRussia	busted
YC Yita ChoongAustralia	busted
SZ Shouda ZhangChina	busted
PD Patrik DemusHungary	busted

Level 16: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 48/106

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 6:13:26 AM

Wei's Tens Take It

Level 15: 10,000 / 15,000 ante: 15,000

Guoliang Wei

Zhuzhai Wang opened to 30,000 from under the gun and picked up calls from both blinds, Guoliang Wei and Zhili Zhou, sending the three players to the flop.

The dealer spread 5♦ 4♦ 2♠. Both blinds checked, Wang fired 40,000, and only Wei came along.

The 6♦ turn completed the flush draw and both players checked through. The K♠ hit the river and it was checked down again.

Wang tabled A♠ 5♠ for third pair and a busted straight draw, but Wei showed T♥ T♦ and his pocket tens were good.

Wei has nearly doubled his stack since the start of play, going from roughly 760,000 up to around 1,600,000.

Player	Chips
GW Guoliang WeiChina	1,600,000(107 BB)
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	1,200,000(80 BB)
ZZ Zhili ZhouChina	300,000(20 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 5:53:20 AM

Fresh Stacks on the Felt

Level 15: 10,000 / 15,000 ante: 15,000

Some familiar and some fresh faces got involved before registration closed. Abhijith Cheruku is among the new arrivals firing his first bullet, while Defeng Chen, Hugues Girard, Sean Ooi, and Ryan Plant are all back for a second shot.

Player	Chips
AR Amin RiyazatiAustralia	300,000(20 BB)
DC Defeng ChenChina	300,000(20 BB)
XW Xu WangChina	300,000(20 BB)
HG Hugues GirardFrance	300,000(20 BB)
AC Abhijith CherukuIndia	300,000(20 BB)
SO Sean OoiMalaysia	300,000(20 BB)
RP Ryan PlantUnited Kingdom	300,000(20 BB)
WJ William JiaAustralia	300,000(20 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 5:50:52 AM

Registration Closed!

Level 15: 10,000 / 15,000 ante: 15,000

A surge of entries during the first break of the Dragon's Gate High Roller Day 2 has brought the total number of entries to 117, with 79 unique players, pushing the prize pool to KRW 510,705,000 (~USD $344,008). Confirmed ITM figures and payouts will be posted once confirmed by tournament staff.

Level 15: 10,000 / 15,000 ante: 15,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 47/92

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 47/92

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 4:52:38 AM

KRW 400,000,000 Prize Pool Breached

Level 14: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

With registration set to close at the end of this level, a late surge of entries has pushed the Dragon's Gate High Roller field to 95 — tantalizingly close to the 100-entry mark — taking the total prize pool to KRW 414,675,000 (~USD $279,100).

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 4:48:51 AM

Nguyen Shakes Harder Off the River

Level 14: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Christian Harder

Button Huu Dung Nguyen raised before calling Christian Harder's three-bet to 90,000 in the small blind.

Harder led for 75,000 on the eight-two-jack flop, and Nguyen eventually stuck in the call.

The turn paired the eight, slowing action down with a check-check.

On the river, Harder checked once more; Nguyen fired a hefty 180,000 into the middle, and after a final glance at his cards, Harder let them go, awarding Nguyen the pot.

Player	Chips
CH Christian HarderUnited States of America	1,000,000(83 BB)
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	890,000(74 BB)

Level 14: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 44/80

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 4:10:14 AM

Fresh Additions

Level 13: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Player	Chips
DC Defeng ChenChina	300,000(30 BB)
RS Ranno SootlaEstonia	300,000(30 BB)
HM Haohui MaChina	300,000(30 BB)
WS Wenjie SunChina	300,000(30 BB)
ZZ Zhili ZhouChina	300,000(30 BB)
YC Yingjie ChenChina	300,000(30 BB)

Level 13: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 44/80

Callum JuryCallum Jury

4/12/2026, 3:58:14 AM

Dragon's Gate High Roller Concludes Today

Denmark's Martin Nielsen returns to the felt today as chip leader, carrying 1,939,000 into the final day of the Dragon's Gate High Roller at RDPT Plus Jeju 2026. Nielsen holds a commanding lead over China's Yin Zhang (1,058,000) and compatriot Zhuzhai Wang (1,042,000), with 36 survivors returning from a 72-entry field to play down to a winner.

Germany's Martin Sedlak (944,000), American veteran Christian Harder (738,000), and EPT Paris champion Patrik Demus (301,000) are among those with eyes on the growing KRW 314,280,000 prize pool. Cards are in the air — stay tuned to Somuchpoker for live updates throughout the day.

SMPSMP

4/11/2026, 7:22:48 PM

Day 2 Seat Draw and Chip Count

Seat Draw

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	795,000	32	1
CZ Congya ZhangChina	677,000	32	3
YL Yayun LiuChina	636,000	32	6
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	795,000	32	7
CH Christian HarderUnited States of America	738,000	32	8
WL Wenchao LiuChina	188,000	33	1
DW Dylan Wayne FosterAustralia	608,000	33	2
SZ Shouda ZhangChina	530,000	33	3
SO Sean OoiMalaysia	487,000	33	7
AR Amin RiyazatiAustralia	458,000	33	8
XS Xue SongChina	420,000	34	1
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	230,000	34	2
JC Jianting CaiChina	608,000	34	3
AG Andrey GolikovRussia	595,000	34	5
ZL Zhaoyi LinChina	216,000	34	8
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	845,000	35	1
PD Patrik DemusHungary	301,000	35	2
MN Martin NielsenDenmark	1,939,000	35	3
YL Yuhang LiuAustralia	616,000	35	4
YZ Yin ZhangChina	1,058,000	35	6
DW Dapeng WangChina	482,000	36	1
GW Guoliang WeiChina	773,000	36	2
XZ Xiao ZhangChina	300,000	36	5
YL Yuhan LiuChina	243,000	36	6
WC Wei ChaoChina	614,000	36	7
MS Martin SedlakGermany	944,000	37	1
MT Methavee TaveekitvateeThailand	418,000	37	3
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	1,042,000	37	5
YC Yita ChoongAustralia	341,000	37	6
TC Toan Chan TruongViet Nam	703,000	37	7
YW Yuzhu WangChina	417,000	38	1
XL Xianglai LiChina	115,000	38	2
PC Peng ChenChina	390,000	38	4
CP Chuyuan PengChina	454,000	38	6
XW Xu WangChina	845,000	38	7
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	783,000	38	8

Chip Count

Player	Chips
MN Martin NielsenDenmark	1,939,000
YZ Yin ZhangChina	1,058,000
ZW Zhuzhai WangChina	1,042,000
MS Martin SedlakGermany	944,000
ZC Zengxiang ChenChina	845,000
XW Xu WangChina	845,000
HD Huu Dung NguyenViet Nam	795,000
MT Minh Thang TranViet Nam	795,000
IK Ivan KaratayeuBelarus	783,000
GW Guoliang WeiChina	773,000
CH Christian HarderUnited States of America	738,000
TC Toan Chan TruongViet Nam	703,000
CZ Congya ZhangChina	677,000
YL Yayun LiuChina	636,000
YL Yuhang LiuAustralia	616,000
WC Wei ChaoChina	614,000
DW Dylan Wayne FosterAustralia	608,000
JC Jianting CaiChina	608,000
AG Andrey GolikovRussia	595,000
SZ Shouda ZhangChina	530,000
SO Sean OoiMalaysia	487,000
DW Dapeng WangChina	482,000
AR Amin RiyazatiAustralia	458,000
CP Chuyuan PengChina	454,000
XS Xue SongChina	420,000
MT Methavee TaveekitvateeThailand	418,000
YW Yuzhu WangChina	417,000
PC Peng ChenChina	390,000
YC Yita ChoongAustralia	341,000
PD Patrik DemusHungary	301,000
XZ Xiao ZhangChina	300,000
YL Yuhan LiuChina	243,000
KA Khoa Anh NgoViet Nam	230,000
ZL Zhaoyi LinChina	216,000
WL Wenchao LiuChina	188,000
XL Xianglai LiChina	115,000