Jeju Poker Festival 2024: Dong Li Leads WPT Main Event Final Day Hunt; Dong Chen and Wanyu Zhang Clinch WPT Ring Highlights

Thrilling games have captivated the scene throughout the past week, with the WPT Korea Main Event festivities set under the lights at Landing Casino, Jeju Shinhwa World. All but one of the 28 WPT trophies have been claimed across the series, the last of which will be awarded at today’s WPT Main Event Final Day. Only six players of its 667-entry field remain in the running, with China’s Dong Li holding a commanding lead over the final rounds, having ended Day 4 with nearly 40% of the chips in play. 

Five runners celebrated victories across the lineup with Dong Chen and Wanyu Zhang clinching the biggest wins of the day for their dominating display at key events WPT Super High Roller and WPT Closer, respectively. Joining them in celebration were side event winners Jia Chen, Kanwen Du, and Tsuyoshi Ikeda, having likewise captured the last few WPT trophies up for grabs.

Stay tuned to SMP Live Updates as the games unfold, and catch the latest action directly off the floor.

Jeju Poker Festival 2024 – Player Guide
Jeju Poker Festival 2024 – Festival Results
Jeju Poker Festival 2024 – Live Updates

Dong Li Continues to Lead WPT Main Event Race

WPT Main Event Day 4 welcomed 24 runners back on the felt, all on the hunt for a spot into the Final table. Five levels of play ran through before action officially closed with the final six set for the Final Day race. Day chip leader Dong Li continues to hold the reins, once again on top of the list with a massive chip count of 12,700,000. Li has been a dominant force across the table all day, playing postflop aggressively while also unafraid to gamble against shorter stacks. With nearly 40% of the chips in play, Li stands to be in pole position to secure the KRW 300,000,000 (~USD 215,400) top prize, WPT Trophy, and the prestigious WPT Main Event Ring.

The Final Table took shape by midday following the exit of China’s Feng Xiang in 10th place, having lost a blind vs. blind race against table captain Dong Li. It didn’t take long for the first casualty across the Final Table to be seen with Japan’s Andrew Matahira knocked out within the first half hour. Matahira committed his 21 big blind stack with ace-queen following a preflop back and forth against Chenxiang Miao, and was crushed to see the board run a straight for his opponent’s king-jack.

Zhikang Dai followed suit not long after, having bagged a number of losses across the first two levels to eventually find himself down to 13 big blinds. Dai went with pocket sevens and ran smack into Baojie Lin’s better queens for his elimination in 8th place. Hongshuang Hu also found his momentum running thin with his earlier double up off chip leader Dong Li, all in thin air mere moments later. On a board of 7♦7♣2♦10♠9♣, both stacks rushed to the middle by the turn, with Hu’s K♥10♥ in rough shape against Li’s boat 10♣7♥. Hu exited shortly, signaling the day’s close with the final six in place.

WPT Main Event Review

• Dates: November 16-22, 2024
• Buy-in: KRW 2,500,000 (~USD 1,795)
• Guarantee: KRW 1,680,000,000 (~USD 1,206,430)
• Entries: 667 (378 unique)
• Prize pool: KRW 1,680,000,000 (~USD 1,206,430)
• ITM: 96 places

By The Numbers

• Day 1A: 120 entries, 42 qualified
• Day 1B: 207 entries, 70 qualified
• Day 1C: 340 entries, 117 qualified
• Day 2: 229 players, 79 qualified
• Day 3: 79 players; 24 qualified
• Day 4: 24 players; 6 qualified
• Day 5 /Final: Friday, November 22

WPT Main Event Final Day Chip Counts

Backtrack on the day’s action via SMP Live Updates

Dong Chen Clinches WPT Super High Roller

The two-day highlight, WPT Super High Roller, saw China’s Dong Chen close out the win in four hours of final table gameplay, earning him KRW 182,278,000 (~USD 130,240) in first place winnings, the WPT Trophy, and the prestigious WPT High Roller Ring in addition. Chen held the lead across the final rounds, and used this ammo to eliminate three of his six final opponents for the title. Mongolia’s Bayar Saran reached the final duel against Chen, and managed to cut an ICM deal, having landed an initial double up coming from a 4:1 disadvantage. Once the deal was set, Chen was guaranteed the trophy along with the higher payout, wrapping up the action.

• Date/s: November 20-21, 2024
• Buy-in: KRW 16,000,000 (~USD 11,440)
• Entries: 40 (30 unique)
• Prize pool: KRW 595,840,000 (~USD 426,145)
• ITM: 7 places

WPT Super High Roller Full Payouts

*Denotes deal was made

Wanyu Zhang Wins WPT Closer

The WPT Closer Final Day festivities welcomed 25 runners back on the felt, each ensured a mincash of KRW 3,920,000 (~USD 3,575) having survived the Day 1 carnage. Five hours of play cruised by before China’s Wanyu Zhang rose to claim the victory, defeating Ning Xin across heads up play for the title. Zhang likewise kicked off the day with the lead and closed out the win in style, earning him KRW 78,534,000 (~USD 56,165) in top prize winnings, the WPT Trophy, and the coveted WPT Ring for his dominating run.

• Date/s: November 20-21, 2024
• Buy-in: KRW 2,000,000 (~USD 1,430)
• Entries: 194 (126 unique)
• Prize pool: KRW 338,724,000 (~USD 242,255)
• ITM: 25 places

WPT Closer Final Table Results

Side Event Winners

Jie Chen Captures Maiden WPT Title at Mini High Roller – Turbo

A seven hour grind took place at the Mini High Roller – Turbo side event games, with Australia’s Jie Chen capping off the win over the 46-entry field. Chen secured the biggest payout on the list at KRW 29,495,000 (~USD 21,075), along with his maiden WPT Trophy to commemorate his career second best cash. Chen has had a swell year so far, having only entered the live tournament scene this 2024, and already a number of notable scores under his belt.

• Date/s: November 21, 2024
• Buy-in: KRW 2,500,000 (~USD 1,785)
• Entries: 46 (40 unique)
• Prize pool: KRW 100,395,000 (~USD 71,800)
• ITM: 7 places

Mini High Roller – Turbo Full Payouts

Kanwen Du Closes WPT Mini Closer – Turbo NLH

The final trophy event across the WPT Korea lineup, WPT Mini Closer – Turbo NLH, awarded China’s Kanwen Du the final victory following 23 levels of play. Du bested the 38-entry field and denied Japan’s Hiori Konisho the title, to lock up the KRW 17,691,000 (~USD 12,640) top prize. This recent feat stands to be Du’s best cash across his three-year career, padding his bankroll thicker for the ten-day Jeju Poker Festival grind ahead.

• Date/s: November 21, 2024
• Buy-in: KRW 1,500,000 (~USD 1,070)
• Entries: 38 (35 unique)
• Prize pool: KRW 49,761,000 (~USD 35,590)
• ITM: 6 places

WPT Mini Closer – Turbo NLH Full Payouts

Tsuyoshi Ikeda Wins Monster Stack Hyper Turbo NLH

The last side event to complete, Monster Stack Hyper Turbo NLH, found Japan’s Tsuyoshi Ikeda on top of the ranks just past midnight. Ikeda overcame the 80-entry field, and earned a mighty KRW 20,050,000 (~USD 14,325) in winnings and the coveted WPT Trophy, for his efforts. China’s Qiao Heng settled for a runner up finish, and likewise claimed a worthy KRW 13,370,000 (~USD 9,550) payday.

• Date/s: November 21, 2024
• Buy-in: KRW 1,000,000 (~USD 715)
• Entries: 80 (69 unique)
• Prize pool: KRW 69,840,000 (~USD 49,950)
• ITM: 12 places

Monster Stack Hyper Turbo NLH Full Payouts