Main Event

Coming into the final table with the smallest stack of 15 big blinds, Hungary’s Hanusi Mate emerged as this year’s WPT Korea Championship Event winner, having outlasted the 1,065 entry field and besting the final nine from behind. Hanusi patiently waited for the right spots and overtook the lead only by the heads up battle against China’s Ma Li. It took nearly seven hours of final table play before Hanusi secured the overall victory with a final flip to knock his last opponent out and claim the KRW 434,936,000 (~USD 323,500) top prize, WPT Korea Main Event trophy, along with the inaugural WPT Korea Main Event Ring.

Final Table Results

Button Zhang Chi open shoved his big stack in with 2♠ 2♣ and saw big blind Dai Linghui call off with T♥ T♣ for his remaining 7,400,000. At a huge advantage, Dai was left in pieces after the flop 7♥ 8♠ 2♥ K♣ 7♣ quickly landed his opponent a set to eventually knock him out.

Button Hanusi Mate shoved in his 4,400,000 stack with A♣ Q♣ and was called by small blind Dai Linghui with A♦ 3♦ . In great shape, Hasuni secured the double up after landing a better two pair on the turn 3♥ A♠ 4♦ Q♦ J♣ .

Button Dai Linghui opened to 1,100,000 with 7♠ 9♠ , joined by big blind Zhang Chi with Q♦ J♥ . On flop 2♦ 6♦ 3♦ , Dai continued for 600,000, check called by Zhang. Turn T♠ went check check, revealing river 8♠ . Zhang leads for 1,100,000, called by Dai. Dai with a straight, takes the boost and is back to 18 BB.

Folded to small blind Dai Linghui, he shoved all-in with A♥ 4♠ , called by Ma Li for her reamaining 7,400,000 with K♣ J♣ . At risk, Ma earned the pot after the board 2♥ 9♣ J♥ 8♥ 5♣ landed her top pair.

Utg Dai Linghui opened to 1,000,000 with A♥ 3♥ and found big blind Hanusi Mate completing with T♣ 8♠ . On flop 8♣ 6♦ Q♣ , Hanusi check jammed 7,000,000 and Dai folds.

Button Zhang Chi opened to 1,100,000 with Q♥ Q♠ and saw big blind Dai Linghui fire a three bet to 2,600,000 with 7♣ 8♥ . Zhang answered with an all-in, leaving Dai no choice but to give it up.

Utg Ma Li open shoved her 5,700,000 in with A♣ Q♥ and was called by big blind Dai Linghui with A♦ J♦ . Ma quickly landed two pair on the flop Q♣ 5♥ A♥ 7♣ 5♣ and cruised to a double up.

Folded to small blind Fang Po Wen, he shoved his 4,100,000 stack in with K♣ 3♣ and was called by big blind Dai Linghui with Q♦ 9♦ . In for a race, the board 8♦ J♣ 3♦ 4♦ Q♣ , unfortunately for Fang, landed a flush for Dai to take it down.

Five players remain in the running for the Main Event title.

Chip Counts

Cutoff Hanusi Mate opened to 875,000 with A♣ Q♠ , joined by big blind Dai Linghui with 7♣ 5♦ on flop 8♦ 5♥ 2♠ . Hanusi continued for 800,000, check called by Dai. On turn 4♥ , Hanusi over bet jammed 4,700,000 in and picked up the pot after Dai check folded.

Folded to small blind Dai Linghui, he shoved all-in with 5♥ 3♦ and saw big blind Ma Li call off for her 2,200,000 stack with A♦ 8♥ . The board ran 4♥ 8♦ T♠ A♥ K♠ , earning Ma the much needed double up.

Utg+2 Dai Linghui opened to 625,000 with A♦ A♣ and saw big blind Ding Yayun complete with 2♣ 3♣ . Action on flop 8♥ 8♣ 5♠ was checked through, revealing turn 3♠ . Ding led out for 525,000 and a final 900,000 on river J♠ with Dai calling both streets. Ding wins the pot with two pair aces and eights.

Button Dai Linghui open shoved his 6,800,000 stack in with A♦ J♥ and saw big blind Nguyen Duy call off his 3,400,000 with A♣ 7♠ . Dominated, Nguyen was drawing dead by the turn 3♥ K♥ T♦ Q♠ T♣ , leaving him to exit in 9th place.

After a grueling nine hours of play, the 45 runner pack drew down to its final nine players led by China’s Fang Po Wen. Fang stormed to the lead by the last level after a blind vs blind confrontation with Luo Jianming earned him a massive pot. Fang bagged a mighty 12,350,000 (61 BB) with Ding Yayun right on his tail with 12,175,000 (60 BB). All returning players are guaranteed a KRW 43,500,000 payout and a chance to claim the KR₩ 434,936,000 (~USD 323,500) top prize at stake.

Chip Counts

Remaining Payouts

Utg Aghayev Farhad limped and saw flop 8♣ T♦ 4♣ together with both players on the blinds. Checked to Aghayev, he fired a 250,000 bet, raised by small blind Dai Linghui. Aghayev shoved all-in for 2,075,000 total, called by Dai.

Aghayev Q♠ T♠ Dai Q♣ 9♣

Up against a combo draw, the turn 9♥ and river A♦ bricked for Dai, earning Aghayev the pot.

Utg+1 Aghayev Farhad opened and saw big blind Dai Linghui complete to see flop 3♣ 3♠ 3♦ . Dai check called a 200,000 continuation bet from Aghayev and proceeded to turn 5♣ . Aghayev fired another 500,000 and Dai check raised to 1,100,000. Aghayev moved all-in and Dai snap called for his 2,200,000 behind with Q♥ 3♥ . Aghayev shows T♠ J♣ and is drawing dead against quads.

13 players remain in contention for the Main Event title and KRW 434,936,000 top prize.

Chip Counts

Total chips in play: 53,250,000

A limp pot, both players on the blinds saw flop T♠ 7♣ 4♣ . Small blind Nguyen Pham Duy Khanh led for 150,000 and called a 400,000 raise from Dai Linghui. Turn 6♦ saw Dai barrel another 750,000, Nguyen with a check fold.

Utg+1 Dai Linghui opened to 250,000 and called a click back to 500,000 from cutoff Duan Qifeng. Both players checked flop A♠ 6♣ T♣ through, revealing turn K♥ . Checked to Duan once more, he fired a 500,000 bet and picked up the pot shortly after Dai folded.

Button Lin Yan opened to 275,000, called by big blind Dai Linghui. Flop came 3♣ 7♣ A♠ and Dai check called for 225,000. On turn Q♣ , Lin fired another 750,000, Dai with a fold.

17 players remain in battle for the WPT Korea 2024 Main Event title with Ding Yayun towering over the field.

Top Chip Counts

Cutoff Aghayev Farhad opened to 200,000, joined by both players on the blinds on flop 7♠ 8♣ Q♥ . Checked to Aghayev, he continued for 150,000, called by Lu Yingjun. Big blind Dai Linghui raised it up to 450,000 and found both oppponents with a complete. On turn 5♥ , Dai barreled a hefty 1,500,000 and took the pot down after none made the call.

Cutoff Dai Linghui opened to 225,000 and was followed with a three bet to 650,000 from button Nguyen Pham Duy Khanh. Dai answered with an all-in for 3,700,000 and picked up the pot after Nguyen folded.

Folded to Tai Hsing Hsiung on the button, he shoved all-in for his remaining 1,100,000 with Q♦ J♥ and was called by Dai Linghui on the big blind with A♠ T♦ . The board ran 9♣ 7♥ 9♦ 9♥ 3♥ , eliminating Tai from the Main Event games.

Small blind Carlos Chang moved all-in for 1,200,000 with A♥ 8♦ and was called by big blind Dai Linghui with Q♦ Q♣ . At risk, Chang headed for the exit after no bad beats were delivered on 7♣ 2♠ 2♣ 9♥ 9♣ .

Short stacked Zhuo Dajie got his remaining 200,000 in on flop K♠ 9♥ 8♦ with K♦ Q♠ and ran into big blind Dai Linghui’s K♠ 9♠ . The turn T♥ and river 8♠ failed to improve Zhuo, eliminating him from the running.

Utg+1 Dai Linghui opened to 19,000 and called Wang Chao’s 73,000 all-in with T♥ T♦ . Behind against Wang’s A♥ A♠ , Dai was in luck as the board J♦ Q♥ 9♣ 8♥ 7♣ landed him a straight to take it down.

A fourway three bet pot saw flop 7♥ 7♦ 6♣ . Aggressor Dai Linghui continued for 2,000 and found Ruan Jiayu next to him bump it up to 6,000. Dai continues, peeling turn 3♥ . Both check it through leading to river 9♣ . Dai led out for 7,000, Ruan with a final call. Dai shows 7♠ 5♠ and takes the pot with trips.