WPT Seoul 2026 kicked off yesterday to plenty of positive feedback from the players, who were impressed by the venue at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort. Beyond the stunning surroundings, players also spoke highly of their experience at the tables, with the dealers and the overall running of the festival receiving positive reviews.

With the first day now in the books, players are already looking ahead to what the rest of the festival has in store. If the opening day was any indication, there will be no shortage of exciting moments, fun, and thrilling poker action in the days to come, all set against the spectacular backdrop of INSPIRE.

Here's a look at what's on tap for Saturday:

11:30 a.m.: Championship Warm Up to ITM Dia KRW 100 Million GTD (₩700,000 buy-in)

11:30 a.m.:Big O (₩500,000 buy-in)

12:30 p.m.: Mini HR Warm Up (₩2.2 million buy-in)

4:00 p.m.: Championship Warm Up to ITM Dib KRW 100 Million GTD (₩700,000 buy-in)

6:00 p.m.: Megastack Turbo (₩500,000 buy-in)

8:00 p.m.: Championship Warm Up to ITM Dic KRW 100 Million GTD (₩700,000 buy-in)

8:30 p.m.: Evening Hyper Turbo (₩1 million buy-in)

8:30 p.m.: Satellite to Mystery Bounty (₩300,000 buy-in)

Want to plan your day? Check out the full WPT Seoul 2026 schedule for more details on all the events taking place throughout the festival.

Cash Game Perks at YY Poker Club

The tournament action isn't the only thing heating up at INSPIRE.

YY Poker Club is adding to the opening weekend festivities with a special Cash Game Promotion. The first six players to complete two hours of cash game action will receive free WPT merchandise and enjoy the two hours rake-free.

The promotion began at 22:00 on October 30 and runs through the opening weekend, so players looking to get in on the action should head over to YY Poker Club and grab a seat early.

Poker by Day, Halloween by Night

And once the cards are bagged for the day, there is still plenty to look forward to.

WPT Seoul players can trade the poker table for the dance floor at the Halloween Party on October 31, held at Ultra Lounge at INSPIRE Resort. Japanese musician MIYAVI will take the stage, giving players a chance to unwind and celebrate Halloween alongside fellow players.

Doors open at 9:00 p.m. at Ultra Lounge, located at the 3F Rotunda.

From a packed day of tournaments to cash game perks and a Halloween celebration to cap off the night, WPT Seoul 2026 offers plenty of action both on and off the felt, with INSPIRE keeping the excitement going well into the night.

Daisuke Nagano

The first day of WPT Seoul 2026 at Inspire Casino wrapped up with a rare three-way all-in that decided the winner of the opening event, the Inspire Superstack.

Chip leader Daisuke Nagano had both Iwase Takahiro and Yan Zongjun covered when all three players got their chips in preflop. A massive cooler unfolded, with three players putting their tournament lives on the line in the same hand.

Daisuke Nagano: A♥K♥
Iwase Takahiro: A♠J♥
Yan Zongjun: K♣K♦

The board ran A♣A♦6♦9♣7♠, giving Nagano trip aces with a king kicker. He came out ahead of Takahiro's tip aces with a jack kicker and cracked Zongjun's pocket kings to claim the title.

Nagano took first place, with Takahiro finishing runner-up and Zongjun settling for third.

That brings Day 1 of WPT Seoul 2026 to a close. There's more action on the schedule tomorrow, so the festival is only getting started.

The World Poker Tour's debut at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort is already generating positive reactions from players, with many praising the venue, atmosphere, and the opportunities the partnership brings to the Asian poker scene.

As WPT Seoul at INSPIRE gets underway, players from different backgrounds have been sharing their first impressions of the festival and what they expect from this new addition to the international poker calendar.

Kevin Wei is optimistic about what lies ahead, expressing his confidence in the partnership. "I like the WPT. I think it's going to be big," he said.

For Anson Tan, this marks his first experience playing a WPT event, making the festival an opportunity to discover what the tour has to offer. "This is my first time to join the WPT, so everything is new to me. I think I will continue to see what's next," he shared.

Others were quick to highlight the appeal of the venue and the opportunity to compete in South Korea. Sofo Bjorn described the setting as an "amazing venue," adding, "It's great to be in Asia playing. I really like South Korea."

Matias Henri was equally positive about the experience, saying, "It feels great. Nothing to complain about. I think it's going to be a great festival."

The resort's design and facilities also made an impression on Gary Moon, who praised the interior, simply noting that "they did a really good job on the interior and it's fun."

Kevin Moon offered a more detailed perspective, highlighting the venue's spacious layout and atmosphere. "The venue is really nice in terms of space and atmosphere. It's incomparable," he said.

He also pointed to the diversity of the tournament field as an important part of the experience, particularly for players looking to develop their skills. "The field is a lot more diverse, so I think if you want to build poker experience, this series will be a very good place to start."

Perhaps one of the most enthusiastic reactions came from George Nelson, who admitted that he arrived without knowing quite what to expect. That quickly changed once he experienced the resort and its poker facilities.

"I actually came in here not really knowing what to expect, and then when I rocked up, firstly, the venue, I'm like, 'Whoa, what are we doing here? What's going on?'" he recalled.

The scale of INSPIRE particularly impressed Nelson, who described the resort as phenomenal and praised the effort put into creating the overall experience.

"I'm super excited to see when this room fills up for the Main Event because that would be sick," he added.

Beyond the venue itself, Nelson also commended the tournament operations, giving a positive nod to the dealers and WPT's Danny McDonagh for helping make the experience enjoyable.

With players already responding positively to the inaugural festival, WPT Seoul at INSPIRE is setting the stage for an exciting debut.

As the series progresses and more players take their seats, the partnership will have an opportunity to establish itself as a significant addition to Asia's growing poker landscape.

Emi Oike

On the bubble to the final table, Emi Oike open-shoved for 120,000 on the button and small blind Yan Jongzun, covered, made the call putting his tournament life on the line.

Yan Jongzun: A♥A♦

Emi Oike: A♠6♦

Oike didn't expect to run into aces. Upon tabling the cards, Oike was ready to leave but waited for the dealer to complete the board which ran 3♦2♣7♥6♣4♣.

Oike was about to leave when she was told that she covered Jongzun by 21,000, just a big blind. Play continued and after 2 hands, Oike found herself open-shoving for the rest of her chips under the gun.

She immediately knew she was going to bust when the rest of the four players on the table - Yan Jongzun, Bo Duo, Batchuluun Chinzorig, and Daisuke Nagano - called.

The flop came J♥8♠3♠. Small blind Chinzorig fired 60,000 to the dismay of the rest of the players who wanted to get to the final table as soon as possible. Despite all the groans, the remaining players folded leaving Chinzorig and Oike to head to showdown.

Emi Oike: T♦9♠

Batchuluun Chinzorig: A♠J♠

Oike had an open-ended straight draw, but Chinzorig, apart from hitting top pair, also had outs to improve to a flush.

The dealer peeled a K♦ turn and a 4♣ river, giving no aid to Oike. As Oike was leaving, Daisuke Nakayama was eliminated at the other table, leaving just 8 players to head to the final table.

Sasaki Daisuke

After nearly an hour of hand-for-hand play, the bubble has finally burst in the Inspire Super Stack.

Under the gun, Sasaki Daisuke moved all-in for 44,000. Button Chen Ziwei reshoved, forcing the blinds out of the hand and leaving Daisuke at risk.

Sasaki Daisuke: A♣6♠
Chen Ziwei: A♠K♥

The board ran J♥7♦3♠K♣Q♦, giving Ziwei top pair on the turn. Daisuke was already drawing dead on the flop, ending his run as the tournament's bubble boy.

Adding even more excitement to WPT Seoul 2026, YY Poker Club is rolling out a special Cash Game Promotion for opening weekend!

The first six players to complete two hours of cash game action will receive free WPT merchandise and enjoy the two hours rake-free.

The promotion kicks off at 22:00 on October 30 and runs through the opening weekend.

So be ready to get in on the action? Head over to YY Poker Club, take your seat, and be among the first six to claim your rewards!

It’s been a good start to a fairly chill first day of WPT Seoul 2026 at Inspire Casino, with three side events already closing registration.

The PLO event drew 25 entries, building a prize pool of KRW 10,800,000 (~USD 8,100). The Turbo Bounty attracted 46 entries, with KRW 8,997,600 (~USD 6,745) in the prize pool, excluding the bounty payouts. Meanwhile, the Hyper Turbo recorded 33 entries and a prize pool of KRW 8,553,600 (~USD 6,410).

One more event remains on today's schedule: the Evening Hyper Turbo, with a KRW 1,000,000 (~USD 750) buy-in, rounding out the day's side event lineup.

Zhou Yuda

Action was picked up with three players engaged in an all-in situation with both Rob Hollink and Manaka Kuichi, covered by Zhou Yuda.

Rob Hollink: A♠6♠

Manaka Kuichi: J♠J♦

Zhou Yuda: A♣A♦

Yuda was ahead but Hollink was looking at a potential triple up when the flop came 9♠6♣6♦ giving him trips.

The 4♠ fell on the turn keeping his lead but the dealer completed the board with an A♥ river, giving Yuda the higher full house and sending both Hollink and Kuichi to the rails together.

Jason Li

After 16 levels of play, Jason Li finally got his first ace. He was satisfied enough with it that when action landed on him, he went all-in for around 45,000. Ka Ho Tsui, limped-called from early position, putting Li's tournament life at risk.

Jason Li: A♠6♠

Ka Ho Tsui: T♣9♥

Li was ahead with his ace-high when the dealer fanned out K♣J♠K♥. Tsui had more outs with a straight draw but bricked out on the 3♣ turn.

Li's lead was sealed when he hit the board with a pair on the 6♦ river. As Tsui visibly contemplated what had happened to his chips, Li complained that it was his very first ace in the tournament.

Despite having had that double up, Li was seen leaving the floor, eliminated.

Still have some energy left after a day at the tables? WPT Seoul players have a Halloween party to look forward to tomorrow, October 31, at Ultra Lounge, Inspire Resort. Japanese musician MIYAVI will be taking the stage, so there’s a little something beyond poker on the schedule.

Doors open at 9:00 PM at Ultra Lounge, 3F Rotunda. A chance to step away from the cards, catch some live music, and enjoy Halloween with fellow players.

Joseph Magnotti

Joseph Magnotti, founder of Empire Flippers and a poker player with more than $170,000 in live tournament earnings, came all the way to South Korea just to check out the new YY POKER Club at Inspire Casino. And so far, he’s loving it.

But the poker gods have been especially kind to him today. Magnotti has picked up pocket aces three times in the Inspire Ultra Stack. The first time, they were cracked. The next two brought him big pots, with the third giving him quads.

That last hand has helped send Magnotti to the top of the chip counts, putting him in the driver's seat as he chases his first cash in South Korea — and perhaps his first trophy here, too. There's still a long way to go, though.

When asked if he plans to stick around until the end of the festival, he kept it simple: “We’ll see, if the results are good to me then sure!”

Rob Hollink

Rob Hollink has entered the INSPIRE Superstack, bringing decades of poker experience and an impressive tournament résumé to the tables.

Currently ranked eighth on the Netherlands' All-Time Money List, the Dutch poker veteran has amassed $4,760,523 in total live tournament earnings, establishing himself as one of the country's most accomplished players.

Hollink captured one of the most prestigious titles of his career at the 39th World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, where he emerged victorious in the $10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em event, adding a coveted WSOP bracelet to his collection.

His name is also etched in European Poker Tour history. In 2005, Hollink became the very first champion of the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo, taking down the €10,000 No Limit Hold'em Main Event and securing his place among the tour's early legends.

In recent years, Hollink has become a familiar presence on the Asian poker circuit, continuing to compete against a new generation of international talent.

His appearances across several prestigious festivals have seen him make multiple final tables, demonstrating that his competitive edge remains very much intact.

Now bringing his wealth of experience to INSPIRE, Hollink will be looking to add another deep run to an already distinguished career as he takes on the Superstack field.

The first event of WPT Seoul 2026, the Inspire Super Stack, has drawn 73 entries, building a prize pool of KRW 37,843,200 (~USD 28,360).

There are currently 50 players remaining, with only 11 set to make the money. The eventual champion will take home KRW 10,974,528 (~USD 8,225) along with the first trophy of the festival.

The structure has also slowed down nicely. Levels have increased from 25 to 30 minutes after registration closed, giving the remaining players more time to work with as they chase the title.

Inspire Super Stack Payouts

Yan Zongjun

With around 38,000 in the middle and the board showing A♠7♠4♥6♠, Yan Zongjun moved all-in for 17,100. Takumi Nakayama snap-called, putting Zongjun at risk.

Yan Zongjun: 7♦4♠
Takumi Nakayama: A♣A♦

Nakayama was well ahead with top set and looked poised to eliminate Zongjun. However, the 8♠ river completed Zongjun's flush, cracking Nakayama's set of aces and securing a much-needed double-up.

Zhou Yuda

Zhou Yuda and Togtokh Erdene Batkhishig were caught battling each other in two massive pots.

In a huge pot worth around 15,000 sitting beside a J♣8♥8♣2♦7♦.

After a check Yuda, in cutoff, made an overbet of 18,000 and Batkhishig, unfazed, called taking them to showdown.

Yuda tabled A♠6♦ for ace-high while Batkhishig turned over Q♣J♦ for a two-pair on the flop.

On the very next hand, on a pot of around 8,000 beside a 3♦9♥6♠ flop, Batkhishig check-called Yuda's 2,500 bet to see another card.

The turn produced a Q♦. Batkhishig showed aggression with an overbet of 25,000, prompting Yuda to shove all-in for 62,500. Batkhishig snap-called making Yuda shake his head frustrated.

Zhou Yuda: Q♣9♣

Togtokh Erdene Batkhishig: K♦Q♠

This time, however, Yuda turned two pair on the turn, leaving Batkhishig trailing with top pair.

With no improvement on the river 3♠, Batkhishig's hand failed to catch up, forcing him to return the chips he had just won from Yuda.

The Inspire Super Stack has reached 51 entries, with four more levels remaining before registration closes at around 5:00 PM local time.

Meanwhile, the PLO event is set to get underway at 3:30 PM, featuring a KRW 500,000 (~USD 375) buy-in and a 20,000 starting stack. Levels run for 20 minutes, with late registration open until the end of Level 8, expected at around 6:00 PM.

Chen Xiaohuang

Action was picked up with Chen Xiaohuang and Yusuke Kayanoki in the big blind and at risk, in an all-in situation.

Yusuke Kayanoki: A♥Q♥

Chen Xiaohuang: A♠4♠

Kayanoki had his opponent dominated but the flop dropped 4♦2♦8♣ pushing Xiaohuang in the lead with a pair.

The 6♠ fell on the turn providing no help to Kayanoki. His fate was sealed when the T♠ fell on the river.

Kayanoki left the table as Xiaohuang scooped the chips.

Ryuta Akanuwa

With around half the field coming from Japan, two compatriots found themselves on opposite sides of a big pot.

With 25,300 in the middle and the board showing 3♥6♠8♠4♠8♣, Ryuta Akanuma bet 16,000, putting Emi Oike all-in for her remaining 15,100.

After more than a minute of thought, Oike made the call.

Emi Oike: J♣J♠
Ryuta Akanuma: A♥A♠

Akanuma revealed his pocket aces, and Oike quickly sat upright as she saw the bad news. Her pocket jacks couldn't catch up, sending her to the rail.

Set against the spectacular backdrop of INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, a world-class integrated destination for entertainment, dining, and luxury hospitality, WPT Seoul 2026 has officially kicked off in Incheon, South Korea.

The 11-day festival also marks the official opening of INSPIRE's new second-floor entertainment space, bringing together the purpose-built YY Poker Club, Daia, and Ultra Lounge under one roof.

The festival opened with the Inspire Superstack and features a packed schedule of more than 45 tournaments, with buy-ins ranging from KRW 300,000 to KRW 8,000,000.

The lineup caters to a wide spectrum of players, with bounty events, Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments, satellites, side events, and high-stakes competitions.

Leading the festival is the WPT Seoul Inspire Championship, running from November 5–9 and featuring a KRW 1 billion guaranteed prize pool across four starting flights.

Players seeking bigger challenges can also look forward to the KRW 8,000,000 Super High Roller on November 5 and the KRW 3,500,000 High Roller on November 8.

Directing the tournament is Danny McDonagh, Australian Poker Hall of Famer and one of the industry's most respected tournament directors.

With a diverse tournament lineup and INSPIRE's extensive entertainment offerings just steps away from the tables, WPT Seoul 2026 presents plenty of reasons to join the action. Whether you're competing for a major title or looking for an exciting poker getaway, there's an event to suit your game.

Check out the full tournament schedule and make your way to INSPIRE for 11 days of world-class poker.