Ren Lin Turns Tiny Stack Into APT Super High Roller Victory at APT Jeju Classic

Sometimes, when players are down to a couple of big blinds, the plan is already forming in their head. Ren Lin never went there.

On the final day of the APT Super High Roller at the APT Jeju Classic 2026, Lin was reduced to around two big blinds with three players remaining and sat firmly on the edge of elimination. He stayed calm, trusted his reads, and waited for situations he believed in. What followed was a rapid reversal of fortune that ended with Lin defeating Ryuta Nakai heads up at Les A Casino to lift the Pewter Lion Trophy, along with KRW 396,317,500 (~USD 275,220) and a USD ~10,000 APT Championship Main Event seat.

The victory came in Korea’s richest Super High Roller ever staged by the Asian Poker Tour. A total of 115 entries from 75 unique players generated a prize pool of KRW 1,589,587,500 (~USD 1,103,880), setting a new tour record at this buy-in level.

From the brink of elimination to the top of the podium, Lin’s final-day run underlined how quickly fortunes can swing when patience meets timing at the highest stakes.

Winner’s Reaction

Speaking after the win, Lin reflected on the mindset that kept him going through the toughest moments of the final day.

“Twelve hours ago, I was joking that if you just have an average stack, that’s already enough to win the championship. So I kept holding on to that belief. I’m also extremely confident. I think confidence is very important. If you believe you can win, then in the end you will win.”

That confidence was tested most severely when he was down to almost nothing three-handed.

“When we were down to three players, I only had about two big blinds left. Someone shoved all in on me and I looked down at seven-deuce suited. Mathematically, it was supposed to be a call, but I felt that waiting for a better spot where I was actually ahead made more sense. I folded, and after that it felt like everything started going my way.”

For Lin, the win also tied into a broader sense of resilience built over years of ups and downs away from the table.

“My life has gone through a lot of highs and lows. I’ve hit rock bottom many times, but I bounce back quickly. No matter how difficult things feel, I sleep on it, and the next day I’m full of positive energy again.”

The trophy itself carried added meaning after a near miss earlier in his APT career.

“The APT trophy is honestly the best-looking trophy in poker. I lost heads up at APT Taipei in 2024 and finished second, and that really hurt. This time, when I got to heads up, I just felt like I was going to win.”

Final Day Action

Day 2 began with 23 players returning and only 17 places paid, making the early focus all about survival. Lin found a crucial early double when he turned the nuts with seven-six, helping him stabilize before the bubble burst with Dylan Foster falling in eighteenth.

From there, eliminations came quickly. Quang Ming Nguyen, Daming Kang, and Teeraphat Rangkatekarn all exited without a cash, while Yosuke Miki, Kento Nasu, and Ryan Plant were among those sent to the rail as the field condensed toward the final table.

Once nine-handed, Quang Dinh Do held a commanding chip lead, with Lin sitting in the middle of the pack. Momentum swung repeatedly, but the tournament’s turning point arrived three-handed when Lin’s pocket queens ran into Nakai’s pocket kings. A set on the flop followed by quads on the turn vaulted Lin into the chip lead and shifted the balance decisively.

Shortly after, Lin eliminated Do in third place, setting up a brief heads-up duel. Holding close to a two-to-one advantage, Lin needed just four hands to close it out, flopping trips against Nakai’s pair to seal one of the most dramatic comebacks of the APT Jeju Classic.

From two big blinds to champion, Ren Lin’s Super High Roller victory was built on restraint, confidence, and perfectly timed aggression at the biggest moments.

All quotes and photos courtesy of APT