Red Dragon Championship

Today's Red Dragon Championship Day 3 action has officially wrapped up following just four hours on the floor with the final eight players advancing onto the last stage. Only 24 runners made their way back to the scene, each looking to secure a spot into the final table. China's Jianting Cai, who started the day bottom of the ranks, was off to a great start, having caught a double up right on the first hand, to eventually stack the lead over the remaining eight. Cai delivered the final blow with his pocket kings crushing Cheng Chen just a few deals into the final round. The crucial boost propelled Cai right up the top, ending the day with 5,905,000 (74 BB), joined by fellow Chinese runner Zehao Li with 5,375,000 (67 BB) at the summit of the leaderboard.

Action resumes tomorrow, December 1st, 12 noon, where a winner will lay claim to the KRW 243,800,000 (~USD 174,470) top prize at stake.

Red Dragon Championship

Dates: November 27 – December 1, 2024

Buy-in: KRW 2,000,000 (~USD 1,435)

Guarantee: KRW 1,380,000,000 (~USD 990,995)

Entries: 642 (285 unique)

Prize pool: KRW 1,380,000,000 (~USD 990,995)

ITM: 119 places

Day 1A: 184 entries, 38 qualified

Day 1B: 104 entries, 31 qualified

Day 1C: 214 entries, 47 qualified

Day 1D: 140 entries, 31 qualified

Day 2: 147 players, 24 qualified

Day 3: 24 players, 8 qualified

Day 4 /Final: Sunday, December 1

Final Table Chip Counts

Remaining Payouts

A preflop back and forth between Jianting Cai and Cheng Chen saw the latter five bet jam his entire 2,500,000, snap called by Cai with his premium pocket pair.

Cai delivered a crushing win on board 8♠ 7♥ 5♠ Q♦ 8♥ , cutting's Chen final table run short.

The Red Dragon Championship games is down to its final nine players with China's Zehao Li holding down the lead with over five million in chips to start the final rounds. One more elimination is due before the day closes, leaving eight players standing onto the Final Day.

Catch the final table action LIVE via Red Dragon Poker Tour's YouTube channel!

Final Table Chip Counts

Chi Jen Chen opened utg, and called off David Tai's 880,000 all-in from the small blind. Flipping for his tournament life, Tai soon exited one spot shy of the final table, having missed to pair up on board 7♠ 2♥ 6♦ Q♠ 4♥ .

Chao Li shoved his last 510,000 on the small blind and saw table captain Zehao Li put in the call behind. At risk, Chao Li remained ahead with his eight-high all the way through 9♣ T♦ 9♥ 2♥ , up until the river landed a 5♦ to ship the win over to Zehao Li.

Yongbin Wang pushed his last 600,000 in on the button and was called by Ngoc Ha Nguyen on the big blind. In for a flip, Nguyen landed a monster flop 7♣ K♥ K♣ for the advantage and sealed the win as turn 3♥ and river 4♠ hit the felt.

Ngoc Ha Nguyen defended her open and called a 350,000 three bet from Chao Li right behind. On flop 2♦ 9♠ 2♠ , Li continued for 120,000, yet snap folded after Nguyen pulled a check raise to 350,000.

Xiaqing Ji open shoved 860,000 utg and was snap called by Zehao Li on the big blind. In search of an ace, the board Q♦ 6♣ J♠ 7♣ 2♣ felted none, leaving Ji quickly out of the running.

Zehao Li opened utg and called Lei Yu's 355,000 jam two seats after. Attempting to hang on, Yu failed to do so after board A♣ K♠ 9♦ T♠ 2♥ landed two pair for his opponent to knock him out.

Xianglai Li defended his big blind against Chi Jen Chen, and went on to call off for his last 300,000 with Q♥ J♠ on flop J♣ 5♠ 3♠ . Chen showed A♣ 4♣ , and delivered the bust shortly after turn A♦ and river K♦ completed the board.

A blind vs blind clash saw Jianting Cai all-in for 955,000 against Lei Yu right behind. Yu in rough shape, found no help on board 6♦ 8♦ J♦ 3♠ 3♥ , shooting him down to six big blinds.

David Tai moved all-in for 420,000 against Xianglai Li's button open, and saw the latter take the challenge with K♥ 9♦ . Tai is ahead with K♦ T♠ , and secured the full double up as his kicker ran in play on board A♥ 7♠ 2♣ J♠ K♠ .

A preflop back and forth saw utg raiser Jianting Cai fourbet 1,000,000 in against Zehao Li on the big blind. Li answered with an all-in for 1,020,000 more, and successfully convinced Cai to lay it down.

A three way all-in ensued with David Tai covering both Zhihao Chen's 525,000 and Chi Jen Chen's 1,590,000 stacks. Board T♣ J♠ 5♣ Q♠ 2♥ ran in favor of Chen's pocket pair, shooting him up to the top of the ranks.

Zehao Li open shoved 965,000 utg and was called by Lei Yu behind for a flip. At risk, Li landed a crucial boost as his pocket pair held on board 3♥ 2♦ 4♠ 8♣ 4♣ for the 2 million pot.

Catch the feature table action LIVE via Red Dragon Poker Tour's YouTube channel!

A raised pot saw Jianting Cai bet 225,000 on turn J♦ 7♣ 8♦ 5♦ , check called by Yongbin Wang on the big blind. On river 9♣ , Cai gunned for a final 350,000, leaving Wang to use up two time banks. Wang eventually paid the price, only to muck as Cai revealed a bottom straight A♥ 6♦ .

Tom Verbruggen raised 650,000 against an early open, leaving himself 25,000 behind. Cheng Chen a seat after raised it up, and Verbruggen flicked in his last blue chip.

At risk, Verbruggen missed to connect with 3♥ 6♠ 3♠ 2♥ 6♦ , knocking him out in 20th place.

Chi Jen Chen defended his big blind against Xianglai Li's cutoff open, and went on to check call two streets - 50,000 and 165,000 on board A♠ A♥ T♣ 4♣ . On river 4♦ , Chen led out 125,000 and shipped the pot following a fold from Li. Chen showed a busted club draw J♣ 5♣ .

Qidong He open shoved 735,000 in with A♣ J♥ and ran smack into Ngoc Ha Nguyen's A♥ A♠ . No help for He arrived on board 6♦ 3♥ 5♦ 8♠ K♣ , ending his Main Event run entirely.

Cheng Chen opened utg and called off Ye Na's 950,000 all-in for a crucial flip with almost similar stacks. Chen quickly landed the advantage on board J♥ A♣ Q♣ 6♥ A♦ , sending his opponent out of the running.

Yongbin Wang pushed all-in on the button for 630,000 and was looked up by Zehao Li on the small blind. Dominated, Wang escaped elimination as a jack-high board landed him the fortunate win.

Ngoc Ha Nguyen moved all-in for 515,000 following an early open, and saw Chi Jen Chen behind push likewise. A classic NLH flip, the runout 3♠ 7♣ K♣ 2♥ A♦ favored the overcards this time around, shipping Nguyen the full double up.

Jianting Cai opened utg and called off Cheng Chen's all-in for 435,000. A favorite to win, Chen secured the double up as board 2♣ 4♠ 5♠ 2♠ 5♦ ran safe for his pocket pair.

Tom Verbruggen raised all-in on the small blind against Jianting Cai's cutoff open, and saw his opponent tank call off his entire 1,240,000 behind.

In rough shape, Cai was in luck to find his two outer on board Q♠ 6♠ 5♦ K♦ 4♠ to survive through.

Lei Yu defended his big blind against Kyosuke Nagami, and went on to check raise 275,000 on flop 9♥ A♥ 4♠ . Yu fired a hefty 600,000 on turn 5♣ , and called 95,000 more after Nagami moved all-in.

Nagami 4♦ 4♥

Yu A♦ Q♦

Drawing dead against Nagami's set, Yu shipped a third of his stack to his Japanese opponent.

Xianglai Li opened on the button and called off Ngoc Ha Nguyen's 470,000 all-in. Dominated, Li dodged a bullet as the runout 2♠ 2♣ J♣ 5♣ 5♠ ran a split pot to save him from a potential loss.

Jianting Cai open shoved 530,000 on the small blind and was challenged behind by Gao Lei for a race. Slightly ahead, Cai booked the win as board ran 2♥ 5♣ 4♣ J♣ 2♣ , earning him a huge boost to start the day.

Shuffle up & deal, good luck to all the players!

The Red Dragon Poker Tour leg is close to wrapping up its games with the 17-day Jeju Poker Festival grind down to its tail end. Only two days of play remain on the agenda with all eyes laser focused on the Red Dragon Championship festivities. Its 642-entry field has whittled down to 24 players holding on to their seats, with bracelet winner Joseph Cheong leading the Day 3 action. Each remaining contender is now guaranteed an KRW 8 million (~USD 5,725) payday along with a fighting chance to claim the KRW 243,800,000 (~USD 174,470) top prize.

Today's games will close once the field is down to the final eight.

Red Dragon Championship

Dates: November 27 – December 1, 2024

Buy-in: KRW 2,000,000 (~USD 1,435)

Guarantee: KRW 1,380,000,000 (~USD 990,995)

Entries: 642 (285 unique)

Prize pool: KRW 1,380,000,000 (~USD 990,995)

ITM: 119 places

Day 1A: 184 entries, 38 qualified

Day 1B: 104 entries, 31 qualified

Day 1C: 214 entries, 47 qualified

Day 1D: 140 entries, 31 qualified

Day 2: 147 players, 24 qualified

Day 3: Saturday, November 30

Day 4 /Final: Sunday, December 1