The World Poker Tour (WPT) set an ambitious target for the WPT Korea Main Event by offering a KR₩ 2 billion prize pool. But while this seemed like an intimidating task, the results have far exceeded expectations with 758 participants signing up for the event. Each of these players paid a KR₩ 3,400,000 (USD 2,680) buy-in leading to the prize pool reaching up to KR₩ 2,246,947,400 or around USD 1,770,200. This massive response to the WPT Korean Main Event helped solidified the casino’s reputation and ensured its success as a poker event.
WPT Korea Main Event Day 1C Update
So far in the three days of the WPT Korea Main Event, a remarkable 758 players have visited the Jeju Shinhwa World Landing Casino to sign up for the event. Of these players, 274 entered, the third and final day for signups.
The day started with an exciting speech by the WPT organizers and officials from the Landing Casino to get the players excited about the upcoming event. Among the players who signed up were stars like the actress Arden Cho and poker stars such as the skillful Chen-An Lin and determined Cheng Chao-Ting. All of them and many others used this opportunity to show off their skills and talents.
Probably the biggest winner of the WPT Korea Main Event was Chinese poker star Ma Yanjun who ended the day with the largest stack. At 131 bb, he now boasts the 5th largest stack among all the players. With so many players taking part in this event, it is unsurprising that the competition was fierce at the poker tables.
After a full day of competition, less than half the 274 poker players would advance to the next round. The 102 lucky players will join the remaining 181 players from the previous days to the next stage of the WPT Korea Main Event. The second stage of the tournament began on July 20, 2023, when all the survivors will return and compete against each other for the prize money.
Unfortunately, not everyone will walk away with a reward as the WPT Korea Main Event bubble is estimated to be in 95th place. That means that only about a third of the players will receive any cash reward. The minimum cash reward is set at an impressive KR₩ 5,470,000 (approximately USD 4,310) while the grand prize is estimated at around KR₩ 405,188,000 (about USD 319,210).
Other Event Updates
Aside from the WPT Korea Main Event, there were several major events that took place as well. Among these was the Hyper Turbo NLH event which was won by Chinese player Mengdian Peng. He was the last man standing from a group of 153 poker players and even managed to outsmart the respected Fukui Ryoma for the championship title. This victory bagged him a prize money of KR₩ 13,837,000 or about USD 10,900. Along with that money is the distinction of being one of only two Chinese players to win an event in the World Poker Tour. This victory will no doubt serve as an inspiration to future Chinese players.
In addition to the highly anticipated WPT Korea Main Event, there is another anticipated tournament coming up, the WPT Alpha8 One Drop Korea charity event. This exclusive event is dedicated to the noble cause of providing access to clean water to poor communities. To achieve this goal a portion of the substantial buy-in of KR₩ 170,000,000 (~USD 133,930) goes directly to the One Drop Foundation.
Moreover, after the WPT Alpha8 One Drop Korea charity event, the excitement continues with the WPT Korea High Roller. With a buy-in of KRW 17,000,000 (USD 13,400), this high-stakes tournament promises to attract some of the most skilled and elite players. As the tension rises at the tables, spectators can expect to witness top-notch poker strategies and exhilarating gameplay.
With so much happening at once, it is difficult to remember that WPT Korea only started about a week ago.
To get all the exciting details of this festival and what WPT Korea has planned, you can read our WPT Korea Schedule post.