Festival Recap: K Poker Cup King Poker Cup July Series
The K Poker Cup (KPC) wrapped its 2026 July K Poker Cup King Poker Cup Series , a combined festival pairing the KPC Series with the second King Poker Cup, and the numbers point to a very different kind of event to the one that preceded it. Running from July 25 to August 10, 2026, at LES A Casino in Jeju, South Korea , the joint series posted its largest ever combined prize pool despite drawing fewer total entries than the KPC x LPT Series back in January, a shift driven by a heavier high-roller schedule. Full breakdowns for both editions are available on Somuchpoker’s in-house statistics page .
Key Figures: 2026 July KPC by the Numbers
- Total Prize Pool
- $28,979,770
- Number of Events
- 86
- Number of Entries
- 7,377
Total Prize Pool: $28,979,770 (GTD: 2B KRW) - up 108.5% from the last KPC festival
Number of Events: 86 across 38 flights - up 4.9%
Total Entries: 7,377 from 27 countries - down 7.6%
Top Individual Payout: $1,954,000 to the United States’
Bryn Kenney
, winner of the King’s Charity Super High Roller
Prize Pool and Entries: Bigger Buy-ins, Smaller Field
2026 July KPC tells an unusual growth story. The total prize pool more than doubled on the previous festival, climbing from $13,901,385 to $28,979,770, yet total entries actually fell from 7,983 to 7,377. The explanation sits in the schedule itself: this edition leaned heavily into ultra-high-roller territory, headlined by a $100,000 King’s Charity Super High Roller and a $50,000 Sovereign, both of which dwarfed anything on the previous festival’s slate. Fewer players entered overall, but at far bigger buy-ins.
Festival Prize Pool Growth: KPC x LPT Series 2026 vs 2026 July KPC
| Metric | KPC x LPT Series 2026 | 2026 July KPC |
|---|---|---|
| Total Prize Pool | $13,901,385 | $28,979,770 |
| Number of Events | 82 | 86 |
| Flights | 28 | 38 |
| Total Entries | 7,983 | 7,377 |
| Countries Represented | 27 | 27 |
| Top Payout | $600,700 (Tony Ren Lin) | $1,954,000 (Bryn Kenney) |
Biggest Events by Prize Pool, 2026 July KPC
| Rank | Event | Prize Pool | Entries | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King’s Charity Super High Roller 100K #C1 | $6,674,000 | 71 | 23.03% |
| 2 | Sovereign 50K #C2 | $3,416,400 | 73 | 11.79% |
| 3 | The King’s Main Event #K9 | $2,527,200 | 180 | 8.72% |
| 4 | Final Coronation #K12 | $2,106,000 | 75 | 7.27% |
| 5 | Single Day Super High Roller #K16 | $2,021,760 | 54 | 6.98% |
By contrast, the previous festival’s biggest single draw by entries was the far more affordable KPC x LPT Main Event #17, which pulled in 2,030 entries. No comparable mass-field event appears among this edition’s top five, underlining the shift toward a smaller, higher-stakes field.
KPC Main Event Comparison
Alongside the King-branded schedule, the KPC side of the festival ran its own flagship event. The KPC Main Event attracted 1,692 entries across six starting flights, building a KRW 1,900,455,000 (~$1.31 million) prize pool that more than doubled its KRW 880 million guarantee. That’s down slightly on the equivalent KPC x LPT Main Event #17 from January, which drew 2,030 entries for a $1,577,010 prize pool.
KPC Main Event Results by Edition
| Edition | Event | Prize Pool | Entries |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPC x LPT Series 2026 | KPC x LPT Main Event #17 | $1,577,010 | 2,030 |
| 2026 July KPC | KPC Main Event #23 | ~$1,310,000 (KRW 1,900,455,000) | 1,692 |
Festival Highlights
Xin Jiang Opens the Festival With the Jeju Opening Title
China’s Xin Jiang claimed the first major title of the festival, overcoming 370 entries to win the KPC Jeju Opening. The tournament comfortably surpassed its KRW 180 million guarantee across three starting flights, building a KRW 287,712,000 (~$198,000) prize pool. Jiang collected KRW 57,632,000 (~$39,445) after defeating Hong Kong’s Horace Leung heads-up, the largest recorded cash of his career.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₩57,632,000 $39,445 | XJ Xin Jiang ![China [CHN]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/cn.svg "China [CHN]"){kind=small} China | 1,561.67 |
| 2 | ₩39,540,000 $27,065 | HL Horace Leung ![Hong Kong [HKG]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/hk.svg "Hong Kong [HKG]"){kind=small} Hong Kong | 1,104.27 |
| 3 | ₩29,060,000 $19,890 | YW Yunfeng Wang China | 901.63 |
| 4 | ₩21,610,000 $14,790 | DH Dong Hou China | 780.83 |
| 5 | ₩16,200,000 $11,090 | SZ Suyun Zhou China | 698.40 |
| 6 | ₩12,260,000 $8,390 | LS Liu Shu China | 637.55 |
| 7 | ₩9,380,000 $6,420 | TL Ting Lin ![Taiwan [TWN]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/tw.svg "Taiwan [TWN]"){kind=small} Taiwan | 590.25 |
| 8 | ₩7,230,000 $4,950 | CT Chuning Tan China | 552.13 |
| 9 | ₩5,600,000 $3,835 | WZ Weiyong Zeng China | 520.56 |
Yuhan Liu Completes Huge Comeback to Win the KPC Main Event
Yuhan Liu produced a remarkable heads-up comeback to win the KPC Main Event, recovering from a 35,000,000 to 13,000,000 chip deficit against compatriot Jing Su to claim the KRW 224,255,000 (~$153,495) top prize. The result narrowly missed becoming Liu’s largest career cash but took his recorded live tournament earnings beyond $1.2 million, his fifth title overall. Su collected KRW 169,000,000 (~$115,675) as runner-up, the biggest recorded cash of his own career. The 1,692-entry field built a KRW 1,900,455,000 prize pool that more than doubled the tournament’s original guarantee.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₩224,255,000 $153,495 | YL Yuhan Liu China | 3,547.92 |
| 2 | ₩169,000,000 $115,675 | JS Jing Su China | 2,508.76 |
| 3 | ₩124,000,000 $84,875 | JC Jingwei Cheng China | 2,048.39 |
| 4 | ₩89,000,000 $60,915 | CA Chen An Lin Taiwan | 1,773.96 |
| 5 | ₩69,000,000 $47,230 | WG Weidong Guo China | 1,586.68 |
| 6 | ₩52,000,000 $35,590 | QW Qian Wu China | 1,448.43 |
| 7 | ₩39,000,000 $26,695 | BC Bo Chen China | 1,340.99 |
| 8 | ₩30,000,000 $20,535 | YY Yu Yung Lin Taiwan | 1,254.38 |
| 9 | ₩23,000,000 $15,745 | ZZ Zhengqing Zhao China | 1,182.64 |
Bryn Kenney Wins $1.954 Million and Extends All-Time Money List Lead
Bryn Kenney produced a remarkable recovery from sixth in chips to win the $100,000 King’s Charity Super High Roller, defeating Jesse Lonis heads-up for the $1,954,000 top prize. The result extended Kenney’s lead at the top of poker’s All-Time Money List, taking his recorded live tournament earnings beyond $90 million. The tournament drew 71 entries for a $6,674,000 prize pool, with the $426,000 collected in administration fees donated to charity. For context, the $100,000 High Roller at the 2026 WSOP drew 115 entries for $11,040,000, meaning the King’s Charity event reached almost 62% of that field and over 60% of its prize pool from an event held outside poker’s largest festival.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,954,000 | BK Bryn Kenney ![United States of America [USA]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/us.svg "United States of America [USA]"){kind=small} United States of America | 3,831.23 |
| 2 | $1,300,000 | JL Jesse Lonis United States of America | 2,709.09 |
| 3 | $880,000 | ET Elton Tsang Hong Kong | 2,211.96 |
| 4 | $630,000 | XW Xuanyi Wang China | 1,915.62 |
| 5 | $450,000 | X Xing China | 1,713.38 |
| 6 | $350,000 | TD Tom Dwan United States of America | 1,564.09 |
| 7 | $280,000 | DM David Miscikowski United States of America | 1,448.07 |
| 8 | $230,000 | KH Kpc Hy China | 1,354.55 |
| 9 | $200,000 | FR Feixiang Ruan China | 1,277.08 |
Ye Wang Storms Back to Win the King’s Main Event
Ye Wang recovered from a three-to-one heads-up deficit to win the King’s Main Event for $587,200, defeating Taiwan’s Ting-Yi “Eric” Tsai after entering the final duel down 57,000,000 to 32,000,000. The title took Wang’s recorded career tournament earnings beyond $13.5 million.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $587,200 | YW Ye Wang China | 3,236.62 |
| 2 | $360,000 | TY Ting Yi Tsai Taiwan | 2,288.64 |
| 3 | $242,000 | RN Ryuta Nakai ![Japan [JPN]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/jp.svg "Japan [JPN]"){kind=small} Japan | 1,868.66 |
| 4 | $182,000 | RS Rodrigo Selouan ![Brazil [BRA]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/br.svg "Brazil [BRA]"){kind=small} Brazil | 1,618.31 |
| 5 | $142,000 | DC Defeng Chen China | 1,447.46 |
| 6 | $113,000 | GL Gytis Lazauninkas ![Lithuania [LTU]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/lt.svg "Lithuania [LTU]"){kind=small} Lithuania | 1,321.35 |
| 7 | $91,000 | RM Renji Mao China | 1,223.33 |
| 8 | $74,000 | HM Haohui Ma China | 1,144.32 |
| 9 | $61,000 | HZ Hongjun Zhao China | 1,078.87 |
Daniel Neilson Banks Career-Best $1,006,000 in the Sovereign 50K
Australia’s Daniel Neilson entered the final table third in chips before pulling away to defeat Malaysia’s Sean Ooi heads-up in the Sovereign 50K, sealing it with a king-high flush. The $1,006,000 top prize was the biggest live score of Neilson’s career and pushed his recorded earnings beyond $7 million, while Ooi’s $671,700 runner-up finish took his own earnings past $3 million. The $50,000 event drew 73 entries for a $3,416,400 prize pool.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,006,000 | DN Daniel Neilson ![Australia [AUS]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/au.svg "Australia [AUS]"){kind=small} Australia | 3,079.00 |
| 2 | $671,700 | SO Sean Ooi ![Malaysia [MYS]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/my.svg "Malaysia [MYS]"){kind=small} Malaysia | 2,177.18 |
| 3 | $455,000 | XT Xuan Tan China | 1,777.66 |
| 4 | $320,000 | FR Feixiang Ruan China | 1,539.50 |
| 5 | $231,900 | JW Jun Wang China | 1,376.97 |
| 6 | $175,800 | X Xing China | 1,257.00 |
| 7 | $138,500 | PP Punnat Punsri ![Thailand [THA]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/th.svg "Thailand [THA]"){kind=small} Thailand | 1,163.75 |
| 8 | $115,400 | ZW Zuo Wang China | 1,088.59 |
| 9 | $100,700 | RN Ryuta Nakai Japan | 1,026.33 |
Tien Loon Ling Completes Five-to-One Comeback to Win the Royal Ascent
Tien Loon Ling overcame a five-to-one heads-up chip deficit against Nang Quang Nguyen to win the Royal Ascent for $273,380, completing it with a turned flush. The 146-entry field generated a $1,088,980 prize pool, and the win took Ling’s career earnings beyond $5.5 million.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $273,380 | TL Tien Loon Ling Malaysia | 2,360.83 |
| 2 | $175,500 | NQ Nang Quang Nguyen ![Viet Nam [VNM]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/vn.svg "Viet Nam [VNM]"){kind=small} Viet Nam | 1,669.36 |
| 3 | $116,800 | HZ Hongjun Zhao China | 1,363.03 |
| 4 | $80,700 | QZ Quan Zhou China | 1,180.42 |
| 5 | $57,800 | JZ Jian Zhu China | 1,055.80 |
| 6 | $43,100 | TJ Toby Joyce ![Ireland [IRL]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/ie.svg "Ireland [IRL]"){kind=small} Ireland | 963.81 |
| 7 | $33,400 | RN Ryuta Nakai Japan | 892.31 |
| 8 | $27,100 | CW Chin Wei Lim Malaysia | 834.68 |
| 9 | $23,000 | PP Punnat Punsri Thailand | 786.94 |
Ryan Plant Wins Crown Hunt for $160,000
Ryan Plant bounced back from a 17th-place finish in the Royal Ascent to win the $10,000 Crown Hunt, defeating Tsai heads-up for $160,000 from a 95-entry field worth $604,200.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $160,000 | RP Ryan Plant ![United Kingdom [GBR]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/gb.svg "United Kingdom [GBR]"){kind=small} United Kingdom | 1,805.85 |
| 2 | $103,000 | TY Ting Yi Tsai Taiwan | 1,276.93 |
| 3 | $70,000 | MC Mingcong Chen China | 1,042.61 |
| 4 | $50,000 | SN Seunghyun Nam United States of America | 902.92 |
| 5 | $35,300 | QZ Quan Zhou China | 807.60 |
| 6 | $27,500 | JP John Perry Australia | 737.23 |
| 7 | $22,300 | SM Samuel Mullur ![Austria [AUT]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/at.svg "Austria [AUT]"){kind=small} Austria | 682.55 |
| 8 | $19,300 | CZ Chi Zhang United Kingdom | 638.46 |
| 9 | $17,700 | PN Phuong Ngoc Nguyen Viet Nam | 601.95 |
Bao Qiang Ho Closes the Festival With the Final Coronation
Bao Qiang Ho brought the series to a close by winning the $30,000 Final Coronation for $608,600, the largest cash of his career, defeating Tony Ren Lin heads-up. The event drew 75 entries for a $2,106,000 prize pool, up from 68 entries and $1,905,500 at the equivalent event last time out.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $608,600 | BQ Bao Qiang Ho ![Singapore [SGP]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/sg.svg "Singapore [SGP]"){kind=small} Singapore | 2,632.27 |
| 2 | $394,500 | TR Tony Ren Lin China | 1,861.29 |
| 3 | $263,000 | DC David Coleman United States of America | 1,519.74 |
| 4 | $184,300 | X Xing China | 1,316.13 |
| 5 | $135,400 | MW Matthew Wantman United States of America | 1,177.18 |
| 6 | $104,500 | ZY Zhi Ye China | 1,074.62 |
| 7 | $84,900 | CZ Chi Zhang United Kingdom | 994.90 |
| 8 | $72,800 | BV Bruno Volkmann Brazil | 930.65 |
| 9 | $66,000 | VH Vincent Huang Australia | 877.42 |
Tony Ren Lin Named Player of the Series
Despite falling just short of a second Final Coronation title, Tony Ren Lin’s runner-up finish capped an outstanding festival that also included a win in the $10,000 NLH/PLO Mix and an 11th-place finish worth $200,000 in the King’s Charity Super High Roller, earning him the King Poker Cup Player of the Series title.
Punnat Punsri Wins the $30,000 Single Day High Roller
Thailand’s Punnat Punsri also closed his campaign with a title, taking down the $30,000 Single Day High Roller for $262,640 from a 23-entry field worth $645,840.
| # | Payout | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $262,640 | PP Punnat Punsri Thailand | 1,457.68 |
| 2 | $175,100 | LY Lei Yu China | 1,030.74 |
| 3 | $115,900 | TL Tien Loon Ling Malaysia | 841.59 |
| 4 | $92,200 | EC Elizabeth Chen China | 728.84 |
Country Breakdown
China topped both festivals comfortably by prize money, though the runner-up nations changed significantly between editions.
Top 5 Countries by Total Prize, 2026 July KPC
| Rank | Country | Total Prize | ITMs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | $11,587,750 | 336 |
| 2 | United States of America | $5,092,770 | 18 |
| 3 | Malaysia | $2,483,925 | 14 |
| 4 | Hong Kong | $1,926,850 | 42 |
| 5 | Australia | $1,505,480 | 12 |
Top 5 Countries by Total Prize, KPC x LPT Series 2026
| Rank | Country | Total Prize | ITMs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | $7,151,019 | 401 |
| 2 | Vietnam | $1,418,940 | 17 |
| 3 | Hong Kong | $1,255,455 | 42 |
| 4 | Taiwan | $591,990 | 67 |
| 5 | Singapore | $535,440 | 9 |
Game Types
Texas Hold’em remains the overwhelming majority of prize money at both festivals, though the non-Hold’em share also grew alongside the wider prize pool.
| Edition | Hold’em Prize | Non-Hold’em Prize | Game Variants |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPC x LPT Series 2026 | $13,600,575 | $300,810 | 5 |
| 2026 July KPC | $28,117,860 | $861,910 | 4 |
Looking Ahead
The 2026 July K Poker Cup King Poker Cup Series closed out 17 consecutive days of action at LES A Casino with a very different profile to the festival that preceded it: fewer entries, but a far bigger prize pool built on a heavier high-roller schedule, headlined by Bryn Kenney’s $1.954 million King’s Charity Super High Roller win. Whether that structure carries forward to the next KPC festival remains to be seen. Complete results and coverage from the series are available through the landing page .
All images courtesy of KPC.
![United States of America [USA]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/us.svg "United States of America [USA]"){kind=small}
![Australia [AUS]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/au.svg "Australia [AUS]"){kind=small}
![Malaysia [MYS]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/my.svg "Malaysia [MYS]"){kind=small}
![United Kingdom [GBR]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/gb.svg "United Kingdom [GBR]"){kind=small}
![Singapore [SGP]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/sg.svg "Singapore [SGP]"){kind=small}
![Thailand [THA]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/th.svg "Thailand [THA]"){kind=small}
![China [CHN]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/cn.svg "China [CHN]"){kind=small}
Callum Jury is SoMuchPoker's Live Content and Social Media Specialist, reporting live from WSOP and Asia Pacific poker festivals including the APT and PokerStars LIVE series. Originally from the Lake District in the UK, he has covered the Southeast Asian poker circuit since 2025, combining day-by-day tournament reporting with the social and digital content that brings the action to fans.
14,059 Entries as Lee and Liao Close APT Incheon
APT Incheon 2026 ends with 14,059 entries and KRW 15.96 billion awarded as Chang Hwan Lee, Po Hao Liao and six more champions win titles.
Chang Hwan Lee Flies High With KRW 200M APT Incheon High Roller Victory
Chang Hwan "Jack" Lee turns the Day 1 chip lead into a KRW 199.87 million APT Incheon High Roller victory after defeating Jun Li heads-up.
Stephen Pang and Punnat Punsri Capture Special Lions at APT Incheon
Stephen Pang wins the APT Incheon Main Event for KRW 411 million as Punnat Punsri takes the Superstar Challenge and KRW 360 million.
Stephen Pang Wins Record APT Incheon Main Event for KRW 411M
Stephen Pang survives a wild heads-up battle to win the record 1,393-entry APT Incheon Main Event and KRW 411.18 million after an ICM deal.
Stephen Pang Leads Final 9 as Masatoshi Minowa Wins Zodiac Classic
Stephen Pang leads the APT Incheon 2026 Main Event final nine as Masatoshi Minowa wins the record-breaking Zodiac Classic for KRW 155m.
Shinichiro Kano Leads Final 47 as APT Incheon Records Continue to Fall
Shinichiro Kano leads the final 47 in the record APT Incheon Main Event, while the Zodiac Classic draws 403 entries and Yingjie Chen wins.
Asia’s Poker Revolution – Part 3: The Faces of Asian Poker
Meet the Asian poker players putting Asia on the global poker map, from established legends to new stars and influential female pros.
Deng Leads Record APT Incheon Main Event Into the Money; Lin Tops High Roller
The APT Incheon Main Event record falls as 1,393 entries build a KRW 3 billion prize pool, with 207 players advancing into the money.
Kunlei Xie Wins APT Incheon High Roller Ultra Stack as Main Event Tops 1K
Kunlei Xie wins the APT Incheon High Roller Ultra Stack for KRW 179.6 million as the Main Event grows to 1,177 entries.
Triton Poker Series: The Rise of High-Stakes Poker – Part 2
See how the Triton Poker Series reshaped high-stakes poker - Jeju's record fields, Triton ONE, and next-gen broadcasting.
Bao Qiang Ho Wins KPC Final Coronation for USD 608K; Punsri Claims Single Day High Roller Title
Bao Qiang Ho wins the KPC Final Coronation for USD 608,600, while Punnat Punsri closes the Jeju festival with a USD 262,640 High Roller victory.
Shawn Lee Leads Main Event as Jeremy Chan Breaks Curse on APT Incheon Day 4
APT Incheon 2026 Day 4 saw Shawn Lee take the Main Event lead, Jeremy Chan win KRW 236 million and Daniel Smiljkovic top the Ultra Stack
![South Korea [KOR]](/assets/images/flags/4x3/kr.svg "South Korea [KOR]"){kind=small}
![South Korea [KOR]](/assets/images/flags/1x1/kr.svg "South Korea [KOR]"){kind=small}
