Why the CPG Championship Returns to Sanya Every August

My first reaction after walking into the CPG Championship Finals 2026 was simple: wow.

The scale becomes apparent almost immediately. Around 200 tables are divided between four enormous tournament areas, named Red, Blue, Orange and Purple. Each room has its own entrance and tournament staff, yet the entire operation runs as one connected festival inside the Howard Johnson Resort Sanya Bay .

Everything feels organised. The dealers and floor staff are highly trained, players are moved efficiently and the operation runs smoothly despite the number of people passing through the venue.

It is difficult to imagine an event of this size taking place anywhere else in mainland China. That is exactly why Sanya has become such an important part of the CPG story.

Why Sanya and Why August?

China Poker Games (CPG) holds events in different destinations throughout the year, but its Championship Finals return to Sanya every August.

The timing was not originally chosen because August offered Sanya’s best weather or its largest number of visitors. It was chosen because the month traditionally sits outside the city’s busiest tourism period.

“Before the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, tourism was the main driver of Hainan’s economy. The local government was therefore more positive towards major events such as poker tournaments, which is how CPG received its original permit,” a CPG spokesperson told Somuchpoker.

Bringing a major event to Sanya during a quieter period gave hotels and surrounding businesses an additional reason to prepare for visitors. It also gave CPG access to the space required for a competition that would eventually grow to occupy four tournament areas.

“August is an off-peak period for tourism in Sanya. The government initially selected the month for the event, and it then became part of CPG’s annual routine.”

That routine now brings players from across China to Hainan every year. Sanya is not the permanent home of every CPG event, but it has become the established home of the Championship Finals.

The Hotel That Gave CPG an Opportunity

Finding a suitable venue was not easy during CPG’s early years.

The organisers needed a hotel with enough space to accommodate a large competition, but poker’s public image made some properties reluctant to become involved.

“When CPG first started looking for a large venue, not every hotel welcomed us because of the public stereotypes surrounding poker. Howard Johnson was one of the few that supported us, so we built a long-term partnership with the hotel.”

That early support has developed into a relationship capable of handling one of Asia’s largest annual poker gatherings.

The Howard Johnson Resort is full during the current Championship Finals and frequently reaches capacity when CPG comes to Sanya. The impact can also be felt outside the resort.

CPG staff explained that nearby shops increase their stock when they know the festival is approaching. Flights into Sanya become busier, while local restaurants welcome considerably more customers throughout the event.

There are no official figures calculating the Championship’s complete economic impact, but the additional activity is visible. CPG brings a large group of visitors to Sanya during what has traditionally been a quieter tourism period, with many staying for the full festival.

The size of that travelling audience was clear during the 2025 CPG Championship Finals , and the hotel is again operating at capacity during the current edition.

A Tournament Floor Built for Competition

The most noticeable difference inside the CPG Championship is the absence of spectators.

Friends cannot stand behind the tables to watch. Family members are not permitted to wander through the tournament rooms, while general visitors cannot enter simply to see what is happening.

Access is restricted to players and working staff. At first, that may seem unusual for a poker festival. CPG sees it differently.

“CPG is defined as a sport in China, so a proper sporting event needs separation between the players and the audience. We want to keep the tournament areas professional and open only to players.”

The reasoning makes sense once inside. Someone would not be allowed to stand beside a player on a tennis court or walk onto a baseball field during a game. CPG applies the same principle to its tournament areas, creating a controlled environment in which the competition remains the focus.

It also changes the atmosphere. The rooms feel quieter and more serious than many large poker festivals, despite the number of tables in operation.

There are no crowds gathering around individual tables. Players have space to compete, while staff can move through the room without constantly asking spectators to step aside.

That approach supports the wider message explored in Somuchpoker’s guide to how poker operates in China . CPG is not attempting to recreate a conventional casino festival. It is building an organised competition around poker’s sporting elements.

A Poker Festival and Family Holiday

The tournament areas may be restricted, but the rest of the resort is filled with families.

The player field remains predominantly male, yet many participants have travelled with partners or children. While one family member competes, the others can use the pools or spend time on the beach directly opposite the hotel.

That gives the Championship a genuine two-in-one quality.

Players can compete in the largest event of their year without turning the entire trip into a poker-only holiday. Their families have a full resort available, while Sanya offers more to explore away from the hotel.

Food is not difficult to find either. The resort has several dining options, while local restaurants around Sanya become noticeably busier during the festival.

This connection between competition and travel is central to CPG’s sports-tourism plans . Poker may provide the original reason for visiting, but the beach resort and wider destination make it easier for players to turn the event into a family trip.

CPG Becomes a Recognisable Brand

The Championship’s growth can also be seen away from the tables.

Inside the resort, CPG operates a complete merchandise store selling branded shirts, polo shirts, bags and other clothing. Some items use traditional Chinese designs, while others are built around the Championship and Sanya.

The merchandise gives players something physical to take home from the festival, but it also shows how CPG has developed beyond being an event organiser.

Players wear the clothing around the resort and inside the tournament rooms. Sponsors appear throughout the venue, while the CPG Championship branding is visible across the hotel.

It feels like an established annual sporting event with its own identity.

Bringing Poker Into the Light

Sanya provides CPG with something that would be difficult to reproduce in a conventional city venue.

The Howard Johnson Resort has the physical space to hold around 200 tables, while the beachfront setting gives players and their families a reason to stay beyond the competition itself. Holding the event during a quieter tourism period also brings additional visitors to local businesses when they are especially valuable.

The partnership was not inevitable. Howard Johnson supported CPG when other hotels were reluctant, and CPG has rewarded that support by returning with its Championship Finals each August.

What began as a practical decision has become part of the festival’s identity.

For CPG, however, the ambition extends beyond filling tournament rooms or selling hotel rooms.

“Our ultimate goal is to bring poker into the light. By changing how we run the game, we can shake off the shadow of gambling.”

Four tournament areas, around 200 tables and a resort operating at capacity suggest that the approach is working.

CPG travels to other destinations throughout the year, but every August the road leads back to Sanya.

All images courtesy of China Poker Games.