Jeju Poker Festival 2024: Yita Choong Holds the Reins Over KPC Main Event Day 1A; First Three KPC Trophies Awarded

The Jeju Poker Festival games continue on at Landing Casino, Jeju Shinhwa World, with its second leg, Korea Poker Cup, currently taking flight. The tour’s opening day was centered immediately on its KPC Main Event games, where the initial heat saw Australia’s Yita Choong top the charts. Three runners, Bohao Huang, Dong Li, and Zihao Wang, likewise had a fruitful day, having laid claim to the first three KPC trophies awarded across the side event lineup.

Stay tuned to SMP Live Updates as the games unfold, and catch the latest action directly off the floor.

Jeju Poker Festival 2024 - Player Guide
Jeju Poker Festival 2024 - Festival Results
Jeju Poker Festival 2024 - Live Updates

Yita Choong Tops KPC Main Event Day 1A Counts

The initial flight booked a great start, having recorded 195 total entries across nine levels of registration. Only 45 players remained by the end of the twelfth level, with Australia's Yita Choong capping off the lead with a final chip count of 401,000. Choong ran hot across the last level of play, earning two crucial pots which led to his advantage. Choong firstly shaved some off Boxin Jin, and used this newly gained ammo to the fullest a few hands later. A big stack clash against Hongji Chen saw Choong scoop up his opponent's entire 72 BB stack with pocket aces against pocket queens just as the day finished.

Joining him across the top three ranks are USA's Peter Park with 304,000, followed by China's Nan Zhang with 257,000. Other notables also advancing through include Taiwan’s Chen An Lin (166,500), and China’s Wen Wen Chen (164,000), Boxin Jin (105,500), and Renji Mao (66,000).

All Day 1A survivors have a day to rest as they prepare to return to battle on Sunday, November 24th. Two more flights are set on schedule, both of which run this Saturday, November 23rd.

Korea Poker Cup Main Event Review

• Dates: November 22-26, 2024

• Buy-in: KRW 1,600,000 (~USD 1,145)

• Guarantee: KRW 1,000,000,000 (~USD 718,110)

• Day 1A: 195 entries, 45 qualified

• Day 1B: Saturday, November 23

• Day 1C Turbo: Saturday, November 23

• Day 2: Sunday, November 24

• Day 3: Monday, November 25

• Day 4 /Final: Tuesday, November 26

KPC Main Event Top Ten Day 1A Survivors

Backtrack on the day’s action via SMP Live Updates

Side Event Winners

Bohao Huang Wins KPC Single Day High Roller

The first KPC High Roller highlight drew in a total of 29 entries, with only five players cutting a share of the KRW 147,246,000 (~USD 104,690) prize pool. Ten hours of play ran through before China’s Bohao Huang emerged victorious over the KPC Single Day High Roller games. Huang defeated The Lord Poker Tour’s Lirui Zhang across the final duel, and secured the KRW 55,856,000 (~USD 39,910) top prize in reward.

• Date/s: November 22, 2024

• Buy-in: KRW 5,000,000 (~USD 3,550)

• Entries: 29 (25 unique)

• Prize pool: KRW 147,246,000 (~USD 104,690)

• ITM: 5 places

KPC Single Day High Roller Full Payouts

Dong Li Finds Success at Pot Limit Omaha

Following his third place finish at the day's WPT Main Event games, Dong Li jumped in the Pot Limit Omaha side event and closed out the win across fourteen levels of play, ending his day with a trophy in hand. While a smaller feat, Li's victory over the 20-entry field did not go unrewarded, earning him an additional KRW 8,730,000 (~USD 6,210) in winnings, along with the first KPC hardware to be awarded across the series.

• Date/s: November 22, 2024

• Buy-in: KRW 1,000,000 (~USD 710)

• Entries: 20 (18 unique)

• Prize pool: KRW 17,460,000 (~USD 12,420)

• ITM: 3 places

Pot Limit Omaha Full Payouts

Zihao Wang Lands Turbo NLH Victory

China’s Zihao Wang captured one of the first few KPC trophies up for grabs, having shipped the victory across the Turbo NLH games. Wang bested the 64-entry field following 21 levels of play and captured the largest payout on the list at KRW 10,437,000 (~USD 7,455). The recent feat stands to be Wang’s second career win, pairing his CPG Championship trophy with the exquisite KPC collectible.

• Date/s: November 22, 2024

• Buy-in: KRW 500,000 (~USD 355)

• Entries: 64 (50 unique)

• Prize pool: KRW 34,047,000 (~USD 24,205)

• ITM: 10 places

Turbo NLH Full Payouts