Main Event

Coming into the final table with the smallest stack of 15 big blinds, Hungary’s Hanusi Mate emerged as this year’s WPT Korea Championship Event winner, having outlasted the 1,065 entry field and besting the final nine from behind. Hanusi patiently waited for the right spots and overtook the lead only by the heads up battle against China’s Ma Li. It took nearly seven hours of final table play before Hanusi secured the overall victory with a final flip to knock his last opponent out and claim the KRW 434,936,000 (~USD 323,500) top prize, WPT Korea Main Event trophy, along with the inaugural WPT Korea Main Event Ring.

Final Table Results

Button Hanusi Mate limped in with 8♥ 8♣ and saw big blind Ma Li raise to 11,000,000 with A♦ 9♠ . Hanusi moved all-in for 26,300,000 and Ma called off for her remaining chips. Flipping for the victory, the board J♦ 5♠ Q♦ K♥ 4♣ ran in favor of the pocket pair, earning Hanusi the WPT Korea 2024 Championship Event title.

Button Ma Li limped in with T♥ 5♥ , checked by big blind Hanusi Mate with 6♣ 4♥ . Both players checked flop 8♠ 3♣ J♥ through, revealing turn 7♠ . Hanusi this time, led for 1,200,000, called by Ma. On river 3♠ , Hanusi check folded after Ma pushed out a 4,000,000 bet.

The Main Event is down to its final two players!

Three players remain in battle for the Main Event glory with China’s Ma Li in the forefront.

Chip Counts

Remaining Payouts

Small blind Zhang Chi limped in with 9♦ 6♣ , followed by a check back from big blind Hanusi Mate with 9♥ 8♠ . Flop came 9♣ 3♥ 8♣ and saw Hanusi bet 1,000,000. Zhang check raised to 3,000,000 and Hanusi moved all-in for 11,000,000 total. Zhang gives it up and throws his hand in the muck.

Utg Hanusi Mate opened to 1,300,000 with A♥ K♦ , called by big blind Zhang Chi with 8♣ 6♠ . On flop 7♣ A♦ 8♠ , Zhang check called for 1,300,000 and headed to turn Q♥ . Action went check check and proceeded to river Q♥ . Hanusi fired 3,000,000, Zhang with a check fold.

Button Hanusi Mate shoved in his 4,400,000 stack with A♣ Q♣ and was called by small blind Dai Linghui with A♦ 3♦ . In great shape, Hasuni secured the double up after landing a better two pair on the turn 3♥ A♠ 4♦ Q♦ J♣ .

Utg Dai Linghui opened to 1,000,000 with A♥ 3♥ and found big blind Hanusi Mate completing with T♣ 8♠ . On flop 8♣ 6♦ Q♣ , Hanusi check jammed 7,000,000 and Dai folds.

Zhang Chi defended his J♣ 9♦ on the big blind vs utg Hanusi Mate‘s 1,100,000 open and saw flop 9♣ 6♠ K♣ . Zhang check called another 1,100,000, revealing turn 2♠ . Both players checked it through and headed to river K♥ . Zhang this time, led for 2,400,000, Hanusi with a fold.

Five players remain in the running for the Main Event title.

Chip Counts

Small blind Zhang Chi opened to 900,000 with Q♥ 6♦ , called by big blind Hanusi Mate with 8♦ 7♣ . Flop came 6♥ K♣ 8♠ and Zhang continued for 400,000. Hanusi bumped it up to 1,600,000 with Zhang calling behind. However on turn 9♠ , Zhang check folded after Hasuni moved all-in for 7,300,000.

Hijack Hanusi Mate opened to 875,000 with 7♦ 7♣ and saw big blind Ma Li complete with K♦ Q♥ . On flop 9♦ 3♥ 5♥ , Ma led for 800,000 yet shortly folded after Hanusi pushed a raise to 2,300,000.

Cutoff Hanusi Mate opened to 875,000 with A♣ Q♠ , joined by big blind Dai Linghui with 7♣ 5♦ on flop 8♦ 5♥ 2♠ . Hanusi continued for 800,000, check called by Dai. On turn 4♥ , Hanusi over bet jammed 4,700,000 in and picked up the pot after Dai check folded.

Utg Hanusi Mate opened to 650,000 with K♦ K♣ and called cutoff Fokin Valeriy‘s 2,000,000 jam. Fokin shows A♦ T♦ and headed for the exit after the board 3♣ 4♦ 9♥ Q♣ 8♦ spared no aces.

Button Mate Hanusi opened to 525,000 with Q♦ 9♣ , called by big blind Ding Yayun with Q♥ 7♠ . On flop 6♣ K♣ 7♦ , Ding check called for 700,000 and got to showdown after the turn 9♥ and river A♥ were checked through. Hanusi picks up the pot with his pair of nines.

Utg Ding Yayun opened to 525,000 with 6♠ 7♠ and called off small blind Mate Hanusi‘s 2,500,000 jam. Hanusi shows J♠ J♦ , earning a double up with a full house on board 3♥ 6♦ 3♠ A♦ J♣ .

After a grueling nine hours of play, the 45 runner pack drew down to its final nine players led by China’s Fang Po Wen. Fang stormed to the lead by the last level after a blind vs blind confrontation with Luo Jianming earned him a massive pot. Fang bagged a mighty 12,350,000 (61 BB) with Ding Yayun right on his tail with 12,175,000 (60 BB). All returning players are guaranteed a KRW 43,500,000 payout and a chance to claim the KR₩ 434,936,000 (~USD 323,500) top prize at stake.

Chip Counts

Remaining Payouts

13 players remain in contention for the Main Event title and KRW 434,936,000 top prize.

Chip Counts

Total chips in play: 53,250,000

Folded to Qi Xuming on the small blind, he shoved all-in for 1,050,000 with K♠ 7♦ and was called by Hanusi Mate behind with K♦ T♣ . Hanusi ahead once more, bagged the loss after the river A♣ 8♥ J♦ T♥ 9♣ ran a one card straight for his opponent.

Cutoff Hanusi Mate opened to 225,000, called by the small blind. Big blind Nie Yizhou stuffed his 1,375,000 in and was up against the raiser’s A♣ K♥ . Nie with A♥ Q♥ was dominated but was saved from elimination after the board rolled 3♥ 8♠ 8♥ 3♣ 4♠ for a split pot.

A blind vs blind battle saw Xu Jieming commit his last 1,400,000 with 4♦ 7♥ , called by Hanusi Mate behind with K♦ K♥ . In rough shape, Xu exited shortly after the board Q♦ 9♠ J♣ 8♥ 3♠ ran dry.

A blind vs blind all-in saw Hanusi Mate at risk with 8♣ 9♣ , called by Lu Yingjun with A♦ Q♠ . In for a race, Hanusi was in luck after he flopped the nuts on T♠ 7♥ J♠ 7♣ J♦ to gain the double up.

Hijack Hanusi Mate opened to 60,000 and was followed by a three bet to 175,000 from button Lin Yan. Small blind Nguyen Pham Duy Khanh pushed out a heftier 400,000 and collected the pot after both players folded.

Utg+1 Hanusi Mate opened and faced a three bet to 72,000 from Kim Vladislav. Hanusi shoved all-in for 320,000 and picked up the pot after Kim threw in the fold.

The Main Event Day 2 games wrapped up another ten levels of play and saw its 321 runner field drop down to 45 remaining players. China’s Lu Yingjun closed the night with the lead, stacking a massive 3,535,000 (88 BB) to start the Day 3 rounds. Lu inched over second in the running, Aghayev Farhad by the last the hour and claimed the chip lead status. All Day 2 qualifiers returning tomorrow, April 1st are already guaranteed a minimum payout of KRW 9,700,000 and a fighting chance to claim the KRW 434,936,000 top prize.

Chip Counts

Facing an utg open, Hanusi Mate shoved his 21,000 stack in with 4♦ 4♣ and was followed with another all-in from Chzhen Evgenii. Original raiser got out of the way and Chzhen shows A♦ J♦ for a flip. The board ran Q♦ 3♠ Q♣ 6♦ 4♠ , landing Hanusi a full house for a double up.

The first flight of the Main Event is in the books after eleven hours of play with 84 runners out of the 319 entry field making it through to Day 2. Leading the pack is Lin Yan with a massive 836,000 chip stack to end the night. Lin was amongst the top counts by the time registration closed and soared to the lead after scooping up Zhang Jiintao’s entire stack late in the day. Lin maintained his advantage over the field all the way, bringing a whopping 278 BB through to the next round.

Chip Counts