South Korea, LES A CasinoEVENT #1

2026.01.03 - 2026.01.04Add to Calendar

K Poker Cup

Blind level

Level 28: 60,000 / 120,000 ante: 120,000

Entries

1/429

Total Chips

10,725,000

Average

10,725,000

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 12:35:57 PM

Yixian Chen's Career-Defining Win Headlines the Jeju Opening

Level 28: 60,000 / 120,000 ante: 120,000

Yixian Chen

While the Jeju Opening event was a big win for the new KPC x LPT partnership, the real story of the day was the incredible run by Yixian Chen. Starting the final table in second place, Chen showed a perfect mix of patience and aggression to outlast a field of 429 entries. This wasn't just another win; it was a career-changing moment that saw him take home more than four times his previous lifetime earnings in a single day.

Final Table Results

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
1	YC Yixian ChenChina	$44,265
2	YH Yaoyu HeChina	$29,880
3	YD Yanbo DuChina	$21,855
4	LJ Long JinChina	$16,675
5	CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	$12,590
6	XL Xialin LiChina	$9,545
7	KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	$7,330
8	GD Guangdong DaiChina	$5,670
9	LZ Ledong ZhouChina	$4,435

Chen's performance throughout Day 2 proved he is a rising name to watch on the Asian poker scene. After staying near the top of the chip counts all day, he eventually defeated Yaoyu He in a brief heads-up battle to lock up the title. With a KRW 64,000,000 (USD 44,265) prize and the first trophy of the series in his hands, Chen has kicked off the 2026 season with a massive statement win.

That wraps up Event #1: Jeju Opening at the KPC x LPT Series 2026.

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 12:24:55 PM

Yaoyu He Eliminated in 2nd Place for KRW 43,200,000 (USD 29,880)

Level 28: 60,000 / 120,000 ante: 120,000

Yaoyu He

Yixian Chen raised the button to 300,000 and Yaoyu He defended his big blind.

On the 7♣ 6♥ T♣ flop, He checked to Chen, who shoved for 8,610,000. He thought for a few seconds before he called for 1,380,000, putting himself at risk.

Yaoyu He: Q♠ 7♦

Yixian Chen: K♣ T♦

Both players connected with the board, but Chen held the lead with a stronger pair of tens. The turn brought a 4♦, leaving He drawing to a queen or a seven.

Unfortunately for He, the 8♣ river bricked out, sending him to a runner-up finish for KRW 43,200,000 (USD 29,880).

Yaoyu He

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	10,750,000(90 BB)
YH Yaoyu HeChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
2	YH Yaoyu HeChina	$29,880

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 12:10:43 PM

First Blood Goes to Chen in the Final Duel

Level 28: 60,000 / 120,000 ante: 120,000

Yixian Chen

In the very first hand of the final duel, Chen turned up the aggression and left He short.

Yaoyu He raised the button to 250,000, and Yixian Chen defended his big blind.

The monochrome flop came 5♠ 8♠ Q♠, and Chen checked to He, who continued for 200,000. Chen then raised to 450,000, and He stuck around.

The 6♥ landed on the turn, where Chen fired 750,000 after some thought. He instantly called.

Chen fired again on the 7♣ river, this time for 800,000, putting He in a tough spot. He eventually laid it down.

After the hand, Chen held roughly 85% of the chips in play, leaving He with just 15 big blinds to continue his run.

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	9,000,000(75 BB)
YH Yaoyu HeChina	1,800,000(15 BB)

Level 28: 60,000 / 120,000 ante: 120,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 2/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 11:59:19 AM

Heads-Up Short Break

(L-R) Yixian Chen & Yaoyu He

Heads-Up Chip Counts

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	7,300,000
YH Yaoyu HeChina	3,200,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 10:40:25 AM

Yanbo Du Eliminated in 3rd Place for KRW 31,600,000 (USD 21,855)

Level 27: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Yanbo Du

Yixian Chen limped from the small blind and then called when big blind Yanbo Du shoved for 1,615,000.

Yanbo Du: K♠ Q♠

Yixian Chen: A♦ J♦

Du was in trouble as the dealer spread the A♣ 4♣ 6♣ flop. With neither player holding a club and no spades present, Chen's paired ace pushed him far into the lead. The 6♦ 7♠ runout did nothing to save Du, sending him to the rail in a very respectable third place.

His departure leaves Yixian Chen and Yaoyu He heads-up to battle it out for the title!

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	7,400,000(74 BB)
YD Yanbo DuChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
3	YD Yanbo DuChina	$21,855

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 10:38:35 AM

Long Jin Eliminated in 4th Place for KRW 24,110,000 (USD 16,675)

Level 27: 50,000 / 100,000 ante: 100,000

Long Jin

Yaoyu He raised to 500,000 from under the gun before Long Jin three-bet shoved to 1,205,000, with He quickly putting in the call with the covering stack.

Long Jin: A♣ Q♥

Yaoyu He: 9♦ 9♣

The relatively low runout of T♥ 6♥ 4♣ 6♦ 5♠ kept He's nines ahead, sending Jin so the rail and taking play three-handed.

Long Jin

Player	Chips
YH Yaoyu HeChina	2,500,000(25 BB)
LJ Long JinChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
4	LJ Long JinChina	$16,675

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 4/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 9:53:01 AM

Du's Eight Works Better

Level 26: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Yanbo Du

Yaoyu He raised A♣ 7♥ from under the gun to 160,000, and Yanbo Du defended his K♣ 8♠ in the big blind.

The dealer revealed the Q♣ 7♠ 8♣ flop, giving both players a pair, with Du holding the lead. Du then check-called a 140,000 bet from He to see the 4♠ turn, which went check-check.

The river brought a 9♥, and both players tapped the table, taking it to a free showdown. Du dragged in the pot with his stronger pair of eights.

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	4,600,000(58 BB)
LJ Long JinChina	2,500,000(31 BB)
YD Yanbo DuChina	1,500,000(19 BB)
YH Yaoyu HeChina	1,400,000(18 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 9:34:10 AM

Chien Chih Weng Eliminated in 5th Place for KRW 18,200,000 (USD 12,590)

Level 26: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Chien Chih Weng

Chien Chih Weng moved her 270,000-chip short stack into the middle from the small blind, and big blind Yixian Chen stuck in the call, looking to take play four-handed.

Chien Chih Weng: Q♣ 6♥

Yixian Chen: J♦ 8♣

A disastrous flop fell for Weng, with Chen making two pair on the 8♥ J♠ T♦ board. She needed to find a nine or runner-runner to stay in the game, but no such salvation came on the 7♠ turn or T♠ river, sending her out in fifth place.

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	2,500,000(31 BB)
CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
5	CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	$12,590

Level 26: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 5/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 9:07:17 AM

Xialin Li Eliminated in 6th Place for KRW 13,800,000 (USD 9,545)

Level 25: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Xialin Li

Xialin Li raised to 125,000 in the cutoff, and Yaoyu He defended his big blind.

The flop came 3♥ 3♠ 4♥, and He checked to Li, who continued for 60,000. He then raised to 200,000, only to face a shove for 725,000 from Li. He snap-called.

Yaoyu He: K♥ 7♥

Xialin Li: K♦ K♣

Li started strong with his pocket kings, but the tension wasn’t over as He picked up a flush draw. The turn brought a 7♠, leaving He still looking for a heart to eliminate Li.

Unfortunately for Li, the river delivered the heartbreaking T♥, completing He’s flush and sending Li to the cash desk in sixth place for KRW 13,800,000 (USD 9,545).

Xialin Li

Player	Chips
YH Yaoyu HeChina	1,440,000(24 BB)
XL Xialin LiChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
6	XL Xialin LiChina	$9,545

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 9:00:36 AM

Kai Cheng Hsu Eliminated in 7th Place for KRW 10,600,000 (USD 7,330)

Level 25: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Kai Cheng Hsu

After losing the majority of his stack in a previous hand, where his K♥ 5♠ failed to overcome Long Jin's A♥ K♣ on a board of A♣ Q♥ A♠ 8♥ 4♥, Kai Cheng Hsu was left with just 25,000, which was less than half a big blind.

Hsu managed to chip up slightly before moving his remaining 95,000 into the middle from early position. He found two callers: Yixian Chen in the cutoff and Yanbo Du in the big blind.

Chen and Du checked through the 7♦ 9♣ 4♠ 3♥ A♦ runout. At showdown, Du turned over A♠ J♣ for top pair, besting Chen's K♣ J♥ and Hsu's 9♦ 8♥. With that, Hsu was sent to the rail in 7th place.

Player	Chips
YD Yanbo DuChina	2,200,000(37 BB)
YC Yixian ChenChina	2,100,000(35 BB)
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
7	KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	$7,330

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 8:56:42 AM

Guangdong Dai Eliminated in 8th Place for KRW 8,200,000 (USD 5,670)

Level 25: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

Guangdong Dai

Guangdong Dai raised to 120,000 from early position, and Yanbo Du shoved for 1,450,000 from the big blind. Dai snap-called.

Yanbo Du: 3♦ 3♣

Guangdong Dai: K♦ K♣

Dai was far ahead with pocket kings against Du’s pocket threes and looked poised to score an elimination.

However, the twist came immediately as the dealer delivered the 7♥ 4♥ 3♠ flop, improving Du to a set and leaving Dai nearly drawing dead.

The board ran out A♥ 9♣, sending Dai to the rail in eighth place for KRW 8,200,000 (USD 5,670).

Guangdong Dai

Player	Chips
YD Yanbo DuChina	2,200,000(37 BB)
GD Guangdong DaiChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
8	GD Guangdong DaiChina	$5,670

Level 25: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 9/429

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 8:33:26 AM

Ledong Zhou Eliminated in 9th Place for KRW 6,410,000 (USD 4,435)

Level 24: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Ledong Zhou

Button Ledong Zhou got his 275,000 short stack into the middle and received a call from small blind Long Jin. Yanbo Du, sat in the big blind, also got involved with a flat call.

The dealer fanned the 5♠ 9♣ 8♥ flop and both blinds checked.

The T♣ landed on the turn and Jin led out for 125,000, prompting Du to utilise a timebank before ultimately giving it up, and both Zhou and Jin tabled their cards. Zhou was disappointed, but still in good spirits to see that Jin had turned the nut straight, holding Q♥ J♦, leaving his A♥ 8♣ drawing dead.

The inconsequential 4♥ landed on the river and Zhou exited as the first casualty of the final table.

Player	Chips
LJ Long JinChina	2,900,000(58 BB)
YD Yanbo DuChina	1,500,000(30 BB)
LZ Ledong ZhouChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
9	LZ Ledong ZhouChina	$4,435

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 8:13:02 AM

Hand-for-Hand Structure

Level 24: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

The final table will feature a hand-for-hand structure, deviating from the 30-minute levels that have preceded it. Each level will now comprise 15 hands, ensuring that the blinds increase based on actual play rather than time elapsed.

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 7:10:22 AM

Final Table is Set

Level 24: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Top row (L-R): Yixian Chen, Kai Cheng Hsu, Guangdong Dai, Yanbo Du, Yaoyu He; Bottom Row (L-R): Chien Chih Weng, Xialin Li, Ledong Zhou, Long Jin

Final Table Chip Counts

Player	Chips
LJ Long JinChina	2,125,000(43 BB)
YC Yixian ChenChina	1,835,000(37 BB)
YH Yaoyu HeChina	1,440,000(29 BB)
CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	1,300,000(26 BB)
XL Xialin LiChina	1,165,000(23 BB)
YD Yanbo DuChina	1,065,000(21 BB)
GD Guangdong DaiChina	870,000(17 BB)
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	410,000(8 BB)
LZ Ledong ZhouChina	400,000(8 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 7:09:10 AM

Guangdong Dai Eliminated in 10th Place for KRW 6,410,000 (USD 4,435)

Level 24: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Hao Wang

Hao Wang open-shoved the button for 185,000 and was put at risk by Guangdong Dai in the big blind.

Hao Wang: K♦ 9♦

Guangdong Dai: A♦ T♠

Wang trailed with king-high against Dai's ace-high and picked up a flush draw on the Q♦ 3♣ 8♦ flop. The dealer then revealed a board-pairing Q♠ on the turn, but Wang still had many out for his survival.

Much to Wang's dismay, the river bricked out a Q♥, sending him to the rail in tenth place for KRW 6,410,000 (USD 4,435).

Player	Chips
GD Guangdong DaiChina	870,000(17 BB)
HW Hao WangTaiwan	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
10	HW Hao WangTaiwan	$4,435

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 6:57:06 AM

Kanwen Du Eliminated in 11th Place for KRW 5,070,000 (USD 3,505)

Level 24: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Kanwen Du

Long Jin raised to 80,000 from the hijack before Kanwen Du raised to 350,000, leaving just 10,000 behind.

Jin called, though there was some initial confusion as to whether he had put in a covering raise or was simply matching the 350,000. Once it was established the bet was 350,000, the two players saw a flop.

The dealer fanned K♥ 5♦ 9♠ and Jin moved all in. Du bided his time before ultimately sticking his last 10,000 in, and the cards were turned over.

Kanwen Du: A♠ K♠

Long Jin: Q♣ T♦

Du looked set for a double, and the 4♦ bricked the turn. However, the dealer delivered a crushing blow on the river with the J♥, completing Jin's straight and sending Du to the rail in 11th place.

Player	Chips
LJ Long JinChina	2,100,000(42 BB)
KD Kanwen DuChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
11	KD Kanwen DuChina	$3,505

Level 24: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 10/429

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 6:49:40 AM

Yuanfeng Dai Eliminated in 12th Place for KRW 5,070,000 (USD 3,505)

Level 23: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Yuanfeng Dai

Yuanfeng Dai got the remainder of his 385,000-chip stack into the middle and received a call from big blind Xialin Li.

Yuanfeng Dai: K♦ Q♥

Xialin Li: A♥ 9♥

It wasn't an ideal flop for Dai, as Li paired his nine when the dealer fanned 8♠ 9♣ 4♠. No help came on the remainder of the 6♣ 4♥ runout and Dai was out in 12th place.

Player	Chips
XL Xialin LiChina	1,350,000(34 BB)
YD Yuanfeng DaiChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
12	YD Yuanfeng DaiChina	$3,505

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 6:33:20 AM

Yunhui Liu Eliminated in 13th Place for KRW 4,130,000 (USD 2,855)

Level 23: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Yunhui Liu

Yunhui Liu open-shoved for 330,000 from early position, only to face a re-shove from Yanbo Du for 780,000 in the cutoff. After a string of folds around the felt, Liu was left at risk against Du.

Yunhui Liu: T♥ T♣

Yanbo Du: J♥ J♦

Liu trailed behind with pocket tens, running straight into Du's pocket jacks. Du extended his dominance on the A♦ 7♥ J♣ flop, improving him to a set and leaving Liu nearly drawing dead.

The dealer delivered a 2♣ turn to seal Liu’s fate in 13th place, while the 9♥ river came as a formality as Liu collected KRW 4,130,000 (USD 2,855).

Player	Chips
YD Yanbo DuChina	1,200,000(30 BB)
YL Yunhui LiuChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
13	YL Yunhui LiuChina	$2,855

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 6:32:36 AM

Jinguo Tao Eliminated in 14th Place for KRW 4,130,000 (USD 2,855)

Level 23: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Jinguo Tao

Chien Chih Weng opened to 80,000 in the hijack and Jinguo Tao defended his big blind.

On the 4♥ A♠ 5♥ flop, Tao checked to Weng, who continued for 40,000. Tao stuck around to see the Q♣ turn, where Tao checked, and Weng fired 425,000, sending Tai into the tank. After burning all his time bank cards, Tao eventually announced to call.

Jinguo Tao: A♣ 8♦

Chien Chih Weng: A♦ 9♦

Weng was ahead with her stronger nine kicker. The dealer then sealed Tao’s fate with the 3♦ river, sending him out in 14th place for KRW 4,130,000 (USD 2,855).

Player	Chips
CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	1,500,000(38 BB)
JT Jinguo TaoChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
14	JT Jinguo TaoChina	$2,855

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 6:16:51 AM

Ping Dong Eliminated in 15th Place for KRW 3,330,000 (USD 2,305)

Level 23: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Ping Dong

Long Jin raised the hijack to 85,000, only to face a jam from Ping Dong on the buttong for 300,000. Jin dropped in the call to put his opponent at risk.

Ping Dong: A♣ T♠

Long Jin: J♠ J♥

Dong was trailing behind with ace-high against Jin's pocket jacks and got little help on the 6♦ 3♠ 2♥ flop. The dealer revealed a 7♦ on the turn, leaving Dong drawing very thin.

Unfortunately for Dong, the river bricked out the Q♣, sending him out of the tournament for a payday of KRW 3,330,000 (USD 2,305).

Player	Chips
LJ Long JinChina	1,780,000(45 BB)
PD Ping DongChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
15	PD Ping DongChina	$2,305

Level 23: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 15/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 5:51:45 AM

Fangzhou Zhu Eliminated in 16th Place for KRW 3,330,000 (USD 2,305)

Level 22: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Fangzhou Zhu

Fangzhou Zhu shoved all in from the cutoff for 180,000, only to face a re-shove from Hao Wang on the button for 260,000. After a string of folds around the table, Zhu was left at risk against Wang.

Fangzhou Zhu: A♦ T♥

Hao Wang: A♠ Q♠

Wang started well with a stronger queen kicker and extended his dominance on the Q♣ 8♣ 7♥ flop, improving him to top pair of queens. The 5♦ came on the turn, leaving Zhu drawing dead already.

The 4♦ river came merely as a formality, sending Zhu to the rail for a payout of KRW 3,330,000 (USD 2,305).

Player	Chips
HW Hao WangTaiwan	197,000(7 BB)
FZ Fangzhou ZhuChina	busted

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
16	FZ Fangzhou ZhuChina	$2,305

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 5:45:05 AM

He Walks Out in 17th Place

Level 22: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Zong Chi He

Zong Chi He shoved all in from the hijack for 270,000, only to face a reshove for 380,000 from Xialin Li in the cutoff. After a string of folds around the table, He was left at risk againt Li.

Zong Chi He: A♥ 7♥

Xialin Li: A♠ Q♥

Li started well with a stronger queen kicker and held control on the 2♣ 9♠ 3♥ flop. The 6♥ landed on the turn, giving Li a sweat as Chi picked up a flush draw.

Much to He's dismay, the river bricked out a J♣, sending him to the rail in 17th.

Player	Chips
XL Xialin LiChina	725,000(24 BB)
ZC Zong Chi HeTaiwan	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 5:44:58 AM

Payouts 23-18

Level 22: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
18	YC Yaochen CaiChina	$1,865
19	YG Yunqing GeChina	$1,865
20	KX Keliang XieChina	$1,865
21	XZ Xiang ZhangChina	$1,865
22	JL Jun LiUnited Kingdom	$1,865
23	XD Xu Dong JinChina	$1,865

Level 22: 15,000 / 30,000 ante: 30,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 18/429

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 5:29:01 AM

2-2 Sends Li Out in 22nd

Level 21: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Jun Li

Small blind Long Jin shoved and Jun Li called to put himself at risk.

Jun Li: 2♣ 2♥

Long Jin: A♦ 5♣

Unfortunately for Li, his pocket deuces failed to hold when both of Jin's overcards paired on the 5♦ 8♠ Q♦ A♠ 9♠ runout, sending him out, rather fittingly, in 22nd place.

Player	Chips
LJ Long JinChina	790,000(32 BB)
JL Jun LiUnited Kingdom	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 5:27:20 AM

Chen’s Cowboys Lasso One Elimination

Level 21: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Xiang Zhang

Xiang Zhang opened the hijack to 100,000, only to face a shove for around 1,180,000 from Yixian Chen. Zhang called off his remaining 300,000, putting his tournament life on the line.

Xiang Zhang: A♣ Q♠

Yixian Chen: K♥ K♣

Zhang's ace-high ran straight into Chen's pocket kings and received little help from the dealer on the 4♣ J♦ 4♠ flop. The turn brought a 3♣, while Zhang was still looking for an ace for his survival.

Unfortunately for Zhang, the T♣ river bricked out, sending him to the cash desk and adding another name to Chen’s growing list of victims.

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	1,480,000(59 BB)
XZ Xiang ZhangChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 5:24:24 AM

Jacks Prevail Over Big Slick

Level 21: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Guangdong Dai raised to 50,000 from under the gun. It folded around to Yunqing Ge on the button, who shoved for 375,000, only for Yuanfeng Dai to cold-call from the small blind to put himself at risk.

Yuanfeng Dai: J♣ J♥

Yunqing Ge: A♦ K♦

Ge's Big Slick failed to connect on the T♦ 6♣ 5♥ T♥ 8♣ runout, severely denting his stack and giving Dai a crucial double as the final two tables near.

Player	Chips
GD Guangdong DaiChina	675,000(27 BB)
YD Yuanfeng DaiChina	520,000(21 BB)
YG Yunqing GeChina	115,000(5 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 5:10:38 AM

Xie Left on Fumes

Level 21: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

Keliang Xie

Xialin Li open-shoved from middle position for 150,000 and Keliang Xie dropped in the call to put his opponent's tournament life on the line.

Xialin Li: A♥ 8♦

Keliang Xie: A♣ J♠

Xie was ahead with a stronger jack kicker and maintained his dominance on the A♦ T♦ A♠ flop. The dealer sent a 7♦ on the turn, giving Xie a sweat as Li picked up a flush draw.

The river flipped the script for Li, revealing a T♣ to complete his flush and send the pot his way. Xie was left on the brink of elimination with just 50,000 chips.

Player	Chips
XL Xialin LiChina	380,000(15 BB)
KX Keliang XieChina	50,000(2 BB)

Level 21: 15,000 / 25,000 ante: 25,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 22/429

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 22/429

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 5:02:21 AM

Payouts 33-24

Level 20: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
24	TC Tianyu ChenChina	$1,865
25	DK Daming KangChina	$1,520
26	QY Qingshan YaoChina	$1,520
27	YL Yanchao LiChina	$1,520
28	HT Haonan TianChina	$1,520
29	MW Mengqin WuChina	$1,520
30	YZ Yankai ZhangChina	$1,520
31	YL Ying LiChina	$1,520
32	YX Yuan XinChina	$1,520
33	KW Kuo Wei KaoTaiwan	$1,520

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 4:58:25 AM

Chen Calls, Du Gets Paid

Level 20: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Kanwen Du

Yixian Chen opened the cutoff to 40,000 and Kanwen Du defended his big blind.

The duet tapped the table on the 3♥ 3♦ J♥ flop to the 2♠ turn, where Du shoved for 82,000, sending Chen into the tank. After burning one time bank card, Chen responded with the call.

Yixian Chen: A♥ 4♦

Kanwen Du: K♣ 2♥

Du started well with a turned pair of deuces against Chen's ace-high, but still needed to fade a few outs for his survival.

The dealer sealed a double-up for Du with the 7♥ river, prolonging his tournament life.

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	735,000(37 BB)
KD Kanwen DuChina	270,000(14 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 4:48:58 AM

Du's Tens Hold Strong

Level 20: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Yanbo Du

With around 115,000 chips in the pot, the dealer delivered the 9♣ 2♥ 6♣ flop, and Kai Cheng Hsu checked from the small blind. Yanbo Du then led out for 65,000 in the big blind, which Hsu made the call.

Both players tapped the table on the J♠ turn to the 3♥ river, where Hsu fired 90,000, prompting a snap-call from Du.

Hsu flipped over a flopped pair of nines with 9♠ 8♣, but it was overcame Du's stronger pair with T♣ T♦.

Player	Chips
YD Yanbo DuChina	515,000(26 BB)
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	403,000(20 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 4:40:41 AM

Liu Turns a Flush

Level 20: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Yanbo Du raised to 45,000 from early position and found one customer in big blind Yunhui Liu.

On the Q♠ T♥ 5♠ flop, Liu checked it over to Du, who continued for 35,000, and Liu stuck around.

The action repeated on the J♠ turn, this time for 56,000.

The T♦ completed the board and Liu checked once more; Du checked behind to see the bad news. Liu had turned a flush holding 8♠ 7♠, and Du could only wryly muck, flashing the A♠ in the process.

Player	Chips
YL Yunhui LiuChina	780,000(39 BB)
YD Yanbo DuChina	490,000(25 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 4:25:35 AM

He Claims Another

Level 20: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

Mengqin Wu

Small blind Yaoyu He shoved and Mengqin Wu called off her short stack in the big.

Mengqin Wu: 7♠ 7♥

Yaoyu He: K♠ 8♥

The flip didn't go Wu's way, with He pairing his eight on the 4♥ J♣ 3♠ 8♠ 2♣ runout to eliminate her from the tournament.

Player	Chips
YH Yaoyu HeChina	840,000(42 BB)
MW Mengqin WuChina	busted

Level 20: 10,000 / 20,000 ante: 20,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 29/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 4:24:14 AM

Chen Mucks to He, Hsu Steals a Limped Pot

Level 19: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Zong Chi He made it 32,000 to go from early position and Yixian Chen called from the small blind.

On the J♠ Q♣ 4♣ flop, Chen check-called a 25,000 continuation-bet from He to see an A♣ turn, where Chen checked and He fired again, this time for 35,000. After thinking for a while, Chen tossed his cards into the muck.

At another table, Yunhui Liu limped from the small blind and Kai Chen Hsu checked over his big blind.

Both players saw the flop come 3♣ 8♠ 4♥, and Liu checked. Chen led out for 32,000, and it was enough for the pot.

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	855,000(53 BB)
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	650,000(41 BB)
YL Yunhui LiuChina	495,000(31 BB)
ZC Zong Chi HeTaiwan	302,000(19 BB)

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 4:21:41 AM

Ge Doubles Through Li

Level 19: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Yunqing Ge

Jun Li opened to 32,000 from early position, and Yunqing Ge defended his big blind.

On the J♥ 9♦ 6♣ flop, Ge shoved all in for 43,000, and Li snap-called, putting his tablemate at risk.

Yunqing Ge: K♣ Q♦

Jun Li: A♣ 8♣

Ge trailed behind with king-high against Li's ace-high. The turn brought a board-pairing J♣, while Ge still had plenty of outs to stay alive.

Fortunately for him, the T♠ river completed a straight for Ge, giving him a much-needed double-up.

Player	Chips
YG Yunqing GeChina	174,000(11 BB)
JL Jun LiUnited Kingdom	130,000(8 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 4:20:38 AM

Payouts 43-34

Level 19: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
34	ZX Zhan Xi GuoTaiwan	$1,520
35	JS Jinlin ShiChina	$1,520
36	YC Yingjie ChenChina	$1,520
37	WH Wei Huang 3China	$1,520
38	DP Danilo PerisicSerbia	$1,520
39	JL Jason LiCanada	$1,520
40	CS Changliang SunChina	$1,520
41	CL Cheng Li 2China	$1,245
42	MZ Mingyang ZhangChina	$1,245
43	SL She Lok WongUnited States of America	$1,245

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 4:11:25 AM

Cowboys for Weng

Level 19: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

Chien Chih Weng

Chien Chih Weng got the last of her 42,000-chip stack into the middle from middle position and received a call from big blind Xiang Zhang.

Chien Chih Weng: K♣ K♥

Xiang Zhang: 8♥ 8♠

Weng had Zhang dominated and secured a full double once the dealer ran out the 3♦ J♥ 4♣ K♠ 9♦ board, improving to a set on the turn just to rub it in.

Player	Chips
XZ Xiang ZhangChina	370,000(23 BB)
CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	100,000(6 BB)

Level 19: 8,000 / 16,000 ante: 16,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 31/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 3:53:21 AM

Hsu Rivers a Pair to Call Cai’s Bluff

Level 18: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Kai Cheng Hsu

With around 75,000 chips in the middle, the flop came 4♣ T♦ 8♥, and Yaochen Cai checked from the big blind, as did Kai Cheng Hsu in the hijack.

Cai then fired 17,000 on the 3♥ turn and Hsu stuck around to see the J♠ fall on the river, where Cai sent another barrel of 52,000. Hsu took just a few seconds to announce the call.

Cai tabled a bluff with K♠ 5♠, while Hsu revealed a rivered pair of jacks with K♥ J♥ and raked in the pot.

Player	Chips
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	775,000(65 BB)
YC Yaochen CaiChina	452,000(38 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 3:50:15 AM

Payouts 54-44

Level 18: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Place	Player	Prize (USD)
44	YQ Yi QinChina	$1,245
45	HH Huiyu HuangChina	$1,245
46	LH Lu HuangChina	$1,245
47	HW Haozhao WangChina	$1,245
48	LC Liangjian ChengChina	$1,245
49	CZ Chunhao ZhangChina	$1,245
50	ZW Zhiyi WangChina	$1,245
51	LD Lu DaiChina	$1,245
52	HQ Haisheng QiuChina	$1,245
53	YW Yuhan WangChina	$1,245
54	ZS Zhongyan SuiChina	$1,245

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 3:47:13 AM

Du's Crabs Pay for Liu's Double-Up

Level 18: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Yunhui Liu open-shoved for 118,000 on the button, and Yanbo Du called, putting his tablemate at risk.

Yunhui Liu: A♥ J♣

Yanbo Du: 3♦ 3♠

Du started strong with his pocket threes, but the dealer revealed bad news on the 9♣ A♦ 2♠ flop, giving Liu top pair of aces.

The turn brought a 6♦, leaving Du drawing thin. Unfortunately for him, the Q♥ river forced him to cough over chips to Liu’s double-up.

Player	Chips
YD Yanbo DuChina	500,000(42 BB)
YL Yunhui LiuChina	266,000(22 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 3:45:32 AM

Day 2 Departures

Level 18: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

The action has been relentless during the opening stages of Day 2. After less than two levels of play, the field has already shrunk by nearly 40%; thinning out from the 54 players who returned this morning to just 34 remaining at the felt.

Player	Chips
JL Jason LiCanada	busted
JS Jinlin ShiChina	busted
DP Danilo PerisicSerbia	busted
CL Cheng Li 2China	busted
SL She Lok WongUnited States of America	busted
YQ Yi QinChina	busted
LD Lu DaiChina	busted
YC Yingjie ChenChina	busted
CS Changliang SunChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 3:34:01 AM

Huang Falls to Yao's Fives

Level 18: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

Qingshan Yao

Qingshan Yao raised to 25,000 from middle position before being three-bet shoved for 81,000 by button Wei Huang. Once action was back on him, Yao tossed in the call to put Huang’s tournament life at risk.

Wei Huang: A♠ J♣

Qingshan Yao: 5♦ 5♣

Yao's fives held on the 7♣ 3♣ 2♦ 4♠ 2♠ runout, fading Huang's overcards to eliminate him from the field and add a healthy chunk of chips to his stack.

Player	Chips
QY Qingshan YaoChina	365,000(30 BB)
WH Wei Huang 3China	busted

Level 18: 6,000 / 12,000 ante: 12,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 46/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 3:25:17 AM

Li's Jack Works to Send Huang Home

Level 17: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Xialin Li

Xialin Li opened to 100,000 from middle position and Lu Huang called off her remaining chips for roughly 90,000, putting her tournament life on the line.

Xialin Li: A♥ J♥

Lu Huang: A♦ K♥

Huang started ahead with the stronger king kicker, but Li took the lead on the J♣ 9♥ 4♠ flop, hitting his jack. The T♠ turn gave Huang a gutshot.

Unfortunately for Li, the 5♣ river failed to save her, sending her out early in Day 2.

Player	Chips
XL Xialin LiChina	220,000(22 BB)
LH Lu HuangChina	busted

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 3:16:31 AM

Chen’s Shove and Li’s Flush Steal the Spotlight

Level 17: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Yixian Chen

With approximately 90,000 in the pot, the board ran out A♠ J♦ Q♥ K♥. Action checked to Yixian Chen under the gun, who fired 75,000.

Ying Li then check-raised to 150,000 from the big blind, only to be met with a shove for roughly 600,000 from Chen.

Li went deep into the tank before eventually open-mucking A♦ J♠, surrendering the sizable pot to Chen.

At another table, the dealer spread a J♠ 6♠ Q♥ flop with around 50,000 chips in the middle. Jun Li checked from under the gun, as did Zhiyi Wang from middle position.

The 7♠ fell on the turn. Li fired 28,000 and Wang stuck around to see the 3♦ on the river, where Li sent another chunky barrel of 44,000, leaving just one yellow 1,000 chip behind. Wang snap-called.

Li quickly tabled Q♠ 4♠ for a flush, dragging in the massive pot as Wang mucked.

Jun Li

Player	Chips
YC Yixian ChenChina	780,000(78 BB)
ZW Zhiyi WangChina	262,000(26 BB)
YL Ying LiChina	121,000(12 BB)
JL Jun LiUnited Kingdom	19,000(2 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 3:14:09 AM

Brutal Double Knockout

Level 17: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

Yaoyu He raised from early position before Chunhao Zhang shoved his ~75,000 short stack from the next seat. Small blind Liangjian Cheng then re-shoved, and after He made the call, they went three-ways to a showdown.

Chunhao Zhang: 7♠ 7♦

Liangjian Cheng: 4♣ 4♥

Yaoyu He: A♠ J♣

Cheng was in rough shape heading into the battle, and his prospects didn't improve when the dealer fanned the 7♣ Q♣ A♣ flop. While it gave Zhang a set of sevens, He did pick up some decent equity with a flush draw. That equity was realised on the T♣ turn as He completed his flush.

Cheng was drawing dead, and only a seven or board pair would save Zhang. However, an insulting 4♠ landed on the river - improving Cheng to an irrelevant set - and since He covered both players, he scored a brutal double knockout in the early stages of Day 2.

Player	Chips
YH Yaoyu HeChina	685,000(69 BB)
CZ Chunhao ZhangChina	busted
LC Liangjian ChengChina	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

1/4/2026, 3:10:37 AM

Kang Stays Alive

Level 17: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

In one of the first hands of the day, small blind Yi Qin shoved and big blind Daming Kang called, putting his tournament life on the line.

Daming Kang: A♣ 8♣

Yi Qin: A♠ 2♦

Kang was in good shape and remained so throughout the 4♣ J♥ Q♣ 9♣ 9♥ runout, improving to a flush to secure a double and stay in the game.

Player	Chips
DK Daming KangChina	220,000(22 BB)
YQ Yi QinChina	80,000(8 BB)

Level 17: 5,000 / 10,000 ante: 10,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 46/429

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/4/2026, 2:54:18 AM

Cards are in the Air

Play has started on Day 2 of the Jeju Opening, and players have begun their journey towards the ultimate glory.

Zoe ChangZoe Chang

1/3/2026, 1:57:57 PM

New Year’s Poker Resolution Kicks Off on Jeju Opening Day 2 as Kai Cheng Hsu Leads the Charge

Kai Cheng Hsu

The stadium in 2026 is set pristinely for the KPC x LPT Series 2026 as the Jeju Opening Day 2 gets underway inside the premier gaming destination, LES A Casino, with just 54 contenders keeping their tournament run alive in the field after a gruelling Day 1 tested both grit and skill.

Riding the magical energy of the new year, the Jeju Opening has confirmed a staggering 429-entry field across three opening flights yesterday, prompting a KRW 333,590,000 prize pool. With the absolute value KRW 64,000,000, the iconic trophy, and a place in the KPC history books up for grabs, the remaining players will battle through 30-minute levels until the ultimate winner emerges.

Leading the pack is Taiwan’s Kai Cheng Hsu, who bagged up a dominant stack of 744,000 chips. With over half a million in total live earnings, Hsu is now in prime position to pursue his maiden KPC title and a major milestone in his career.

Player	Chips
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	744,000
YC Yixian ChenChina	670,000
GD Guangdong DaiChina	582,000
YH Yaoyu HeChina	476,000
YD Yanbo DuChina	472,000
YD Yuanfeng DaiChina	422,000
LJ Long JinChina	341,000
YC Yaochen CaiChina	335,000
PD Ping DongChina	333,000
YL Ying LiChina	316,000

Sitting in second place on the leaderboard is China’s Yixian Chen, who amassed an impressive 670,000 chips after an outstanding performance in Flight A. Rounding out the top three is Chen’s compatriot, Guangdong Dai, with 582,000 chips heading into Day 2.

All three players carry over half a million chips and are well-positioned to apply early pressure as the action starts.

The mix features several experienced pros with over $1 million in total live earnings, including She Lok Wong (223,000), Zong Chi He (174,000), and Jun Li (103,000), all of whom remain in contention heading into Day 2.

Place	Payout (USD)
1	$44,265
2	$29,880
3	$21,855
4	$16,675
5	$12,590
6	$9,545
7	$7,330
8	$5,670
9	$4,435
10	$4,435

Action kicks off at 12:00 local time, with blinds resuming at Level 17 (5,000/10,000 and a 10,000 big blind ante) and 26 minutes remaining in the level. The remaining players will battle it out for eventual glory, setting the stage for a thrilling start to the new year.

Stay tuned here as Somuchpoker stays at the venue for key hands from Day 2 of the 2026 Jeju Opening.

SMPSMP

1/3/2026, 1:56:57 PM

Day 2 Seat Draw

Seat Draw

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
YL Yunhui LiuChina	134,000	1	1
CL Cheng Li 2China	239,000	1	2
YD Yanbo DuChina	472,000	1	3
JT Jinguo TaoChina	30,000	1	4
YW Yuhan WangChina	62,000	1	5
JL Jason LiCanada	110,000	1	6
HH Huiyu HuangChina	82,000	1	7
YC Yixian ChenChina	670,000	2	1
MZ Mingyang ZhangChina	118,000	2	2
ZS Zhongyan SuiChina	47,000	2	3
HT Haonan TianChina	281,000	2	4
KD Kanwen DuChina	122,000	2	5
XD Xu Dong JinChina	150,000	2	6
KX Keliang XieChina	58,000	2	7
YL Ying LiChina	316,000	2	8
SL She Lok WongUnited States of America	223,000	3	1
JL Jun LiUnited Kingdom	103,000	3	2
LH Lu HuangChina	91,000	3	3
ZX Zhan Xi GuoTaiwan	82,000	3	4
QY Qingshan YaoChina	250,000	3	5
XL Xialin LiChina	160,000	3	6
CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	50,000	3	7
WH Wei Huang 3China	117,000	3	8
YC Yaochen CaiChina	335,000	4	1
DP Danilo PerisicSerbia	94,000	4	2
CS Changliang SunChina	90,000	4	3
ZW Zhiyi WangChina	81,000	4	4
YQ Yi QinChina	191,000	4	5
DK Daming KangChina	85,000	4	6
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	744,000	4	7
YC Yingjie ChenChina	141,000	4	8
LZ Ledong ZhouChina	257,000	5	1
HQ Haisheng QiuChina	127,000	5	2
YL Yanchao LiChina	306,000	5	3
PD Ping DongChina	333,000	5	4
YZ Yankai ZhangChina	117,000	5	5
YD Yuanfeng DaiChina	422,000	5	6
TC Tianyu ChenChina	93,000	5	7
GD Guangdong DaiChina	582,000	5	8
LD Lu DaiChina	43,000	6	1
HW Haozhao WangChina	114,000	6	2
FZ Fangzhou ZhuChina	193,000	6	3
YG Yunqing GeChina	30,000	6	4
ZC Zong Chi HeTaiwan	174,000	6	5
MW Mengqin WuChina	182,000	6	6
KW Kuo Wei KaoTaiwan	204,000	6	7
HW Hao WangTaiwan	197,000	7	1
YH Yaoyu HeChina	476,000	7	2
CZ Chunhao ZhangChina	93,000	7	3
YX Yuan XinChina	99,000	7	4
JS Jinlin ShiChina	88,000	7	5
LC Liangjian ChengChina	170,000	7	6
XZ Xiang ZhangChina	297,000	7	7
LJ Long JinChina	341,000	7	8

Chip Count

Player	Chips
KC Kai Cheng HsuTaiwan	744,000
YC Yixian ChenChina	670,000
GD Guangdong DaiChina	582,000
YH Yaoyu HeChina	476,000
YD Yanbo DuChina	472,000
YD Yuanfeng DaiChina	422,000
LJ Long JinChina	341,000
YC Yaochen CaiChina	335,000
PD Ping DongChina	333,000
YL Ying LiChina	316,000
YL Yanchao LiChina	306,000
XZ Xiang ZhangChina	297,000
HT Haonan TianChina	281,000
LZ Ledong ZhouChina	257,000
QY Qingshan YaoChina	250,000
CL Cheng Li 2China	239,000
SL She Lok WongUnited States of America	223,000
KW Kuo Wei KaoTaiwan	204,000
HW Hao WangTaiwan	197,000
FZ Fangzhou ZhuChina	193,000
YQ Yi QinChina	191,000
MW Mengqin WuChina	182,000
ZC Zong Chi HeTaiwan	174,000
LC Liangjian ChengChina	170,000
XL Xialin LiChina	160,000
XD Xu Dong JinChina	150,000
YC Yingjie ChenChina	141,000
YL Yunhui LiuChina	134,000
HQ Haisheng QiuChina	127,000
KD Kanwen DuChina	122,000
MZ Mingyang ZhangChina	118,000
WH Wei Huang 3China	117,000
YZ Yankai ZhangChina	117,000
HW Haozhao WangChina	114,000
JL Jason LiCanada	110,000
JL Jun LiUnited Kingdom	103,000
YX Yuan XinChina	99,000
DP Danilo PerisicSerbia	94,000
CZ Chunhao ZhangChina	93,000
TC Tianyu ChenChina	93,000
LH Lu HuangChina	91,000
CS Changliang SunChina	90,000
JS Jinlin ShiChina	88,000
DK Daming KangChina	85,000
HH Huiyu HuangChina	82,000
ZX Zhan Xi GuoTaiwan	82,000
ZW Zhiyi WangChina	81,000
YW Yuhan WangChina	62,000
KX Keliang XieChina	58,000
CC Chien Chih WengTaiwan	50,000
ZS Zhongyan SuiChina	47,000
LD Lu DaiChina	43,000
YG Yunqing GeChina	30,000
JT Jinguo TaoChina	30,000