RDPT Plus Jeju Debut Sets New Standard With $9M+ Prize Pool, Next Stop Confirmed July 8-19

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The debut of the Red Dragon Poker Tour (RDPT) Plus Jeju at LES A Casino has officially come to an end, and it’s safe to say the first-ever series was a massive success. As a brand already known for bringing world-class poker to the region, the RDPT didn’t just meet expectations; it set a high bar for the tour’s upcoming stops and showed why it is one of the must-attend events on the Asian poker scene.

Over the 12-day festival, the series recorded a total of 6,410 entries and generated more than KRW 13.4 billion (~USD 9 million) in prize money, easily surpassing the original KRW 1.8 billion (~USD 1.22 million) guarantee. In total, 66 trophies were awarded across a packed schedule, showing strong turnout and steady action from start to finish.

China was the clear dominant force throughout the series, collecting 55 trophies out of 66 events. Japan (3), Denmark (2), Serbia (2), Vietnam (2), Poland (1), and Switzerland (1) also picked up wins, but the Chinese run of victories stood out from start to finish and set the tone of the entire festival.

Jieming Xu Claims Massive Red Dragon Plus Championship

Jieming Xu
Jieming Xu (Credit: RDPT)

The highlight of the festival was the Red Dragon Plus Championship , the only event with a KRW 1.8 billion (~USD 1.22 million) guarantee, which was comfortably exceeded. The event drew a massive 931 entries and built a total prize pool of KRW 3.2 billion (~USD 2.18 million), with 140 players finishing in the money. After a long five-hour heads-up battle, China’s Jieming Xu came out on top, defeating American pro Christian Harder .

Xu claimed a massive KRW 508,000,000 (~USD 343,475) for his victory, while Harder finished as the runner-up for KRW 400,000,000 (~USD 270,467). This secured the biggest score of Xu’s career, far surpassing his previous best result and marking a breakthrough win on a big stage.

Place
1st
Prize
$343,475
Prize (KRW)
₩508,000,000

High Roller Highlights

High roller action at RDPT Plus Jeju 2026 produced two standout moments, with China’s Xixiang Luo and Germany’s Konstantin Held both taking down major high roller titles in separate events, each featuring fields of more than 100 entries.

Xixiang Luo
Xixiang Luo (Credit: RDPT)

The Red Dragon Prestige High Roller saw Luo power through a 157-entry field that generated a prize pool of KRW 1,115,733,000 (~USD 751,180). The three-time WSOP bracelet winner continued his strong form, defeating John Perry heads-up to secure the KRW 276,483,300 (~USD 186,145) top prize.

Konstantin Held
Konstantin Held (Credit: RDPT)

Meanwhile, the $8,000 Super U Challenge featured an even larger prize pool of USD 783,600, where Held emerged victorious after outlasting a 108-entry field in a tough final stretch. Held earned the USD 205,300 first-place prize along with the complete Red Dragon winner’s package, including the trophy, signature jacket, and diamond bracelet. Already a WPT champion and two-time WSOP bracelet winner, this latest result pushes his career earnings past USD 1.8 million.

Multiple Winners Strengthen China’s Trophy Dominance

A major storyline of the series was the number of repeat champions, which further underlined China’s overall dominance in the trophy count.

Xiangyu Yu
Xiangyu Yu (Credit: RDPT)

China’s Xiangyu Yu led the way with three titles across different formats, winning the NLH Short Deck , 9 Game Dragon Mix High Roller , and NLH Super Hyper Turbo . His victories added significant weight to China’s already strong medal haul across the festival.

Several other players also contributed multiple wins, reinforcing the depth of the Chinese lineup throughout the series. Jianting Cai , Dong Li , Tian Liu, Tianhao Zheng, and Yujie Sun each collected two trophies, helping push China’s total control of the leaderboard even further.

Complete results of RDPT Plus Jeju 2026 are available on Somuchpoker .

Christian Harder Tops Earnings List

Christian Harder
Christian Harder (Credit: RDPT)

Even without a title win, Harder finished as the biggest earner of the series with $381,152 in total winnings. His results came from consistent deep runs, including a runner-up finish in the Red Dragon Plus Championship, a third-place finish in the Red Dragon Prestige High Roller, and two additional cashes that kept him near the top of the earnings list throughout the festival.

RDPT Plus Jeju Returns In July 8-19

RDPT Plus Jeju 2026
Credit: RDPT
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RDPT Plus Jeju Summer 2026
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Red Dragon Poker Tour

With the successful debut complete, RDPT has officially confirmed its return to Jeju from July 8 to 19. Following record-breaking turnouts, the summer edition is expected to draw an even larger international field, solidifying Jeju’s reputation as a premier poker destination.

Stay tuned for the full schedule and special announcements, including satellite opportunities and upcoming promotions for the July series.

For more details and to stay updated, follow the official RDPT social media accounts:

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