A Closer Look at the APT Incheon 2026 Schedule; 10 Days, 9 APT Championship Main Event Seats & Over KRW 4 Billion (~USD 2.7 Million) in Guaranteed Prize Pools
After another record-breaking stop in Taiwan earlier this year, the Asian Poker Tour—sponsored by Natural8—now turns its attention back to South Korea for the third festival of the 2026 season: the highly anticipated APT Incheon 2026.
Held in partnership with Paradise Group, the ten-day poker festival will take place from Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 16 at the palatial Paradise City in Incheon, South Korea.
Every APT festival staged on Korean soil has established a new benchmark for the tour in the country, with the last four Main Events each setting new international attendance records as the largest ever held in South Korea. Building on that momentum, APT Incheon 2026 returns with a carefully curated schedule featuring over KRW 4 billion (~USD 2.7 million) in guaranteed prize pools across the festival.
As always, the centrepiece of the series is the KRW 1.5 billion (~USD 1 million) guaranteed APT Main Event, running from August 9 to 15 with a KRW 2.5M (~USD 1,700) buy-in.
The tour’s two other signature Lion Trophy events also return with substantial guarantees: the KRW 15M (~USD 10,200) APT Super High Roller and the KRW 5M (~USD 3,400) APT High Roller, both carrying KRW 500 million (~USD 340,000) guaranteed prize pools.
Beyond the headline events, the schedule once again caters to players across all bankrolls and formats. Other marquee guaranteed tournaments include the Korea National Cup – Sponsored by DeepRun, the fan-favourite Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8, the Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8, the Mini Main Event, and the ever-popular Ultra Stack.
Finally, as with previous festivals this year, several events will be giving out APT Championship Main Event tickets, a total of nine, which includes:
- APT Main Event (Top three finishers)
- APT Super High Roller
- APT High Roller
- Superstar Challenge
- High Roller - Ultra Stack
- Mini Main Event
- Zodiac Classic - Sponsored by Natural8
Read on as we take a closer look at the key events on the APT Incheon 2026 schedule, including buy-ins, guarantees, tournament structures, and the records that continue to shape the tour’s rapid growth across Asia.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Guarantee: KRW 1.5 billion (~USD 1M)
Date: Sunday, August 9 to Saturday, August 15
Buy-in: KRW 2.5M (~USD 1,700)
APT Incheon 2025 Main Event champion Junjie He
The crown jewel of the APT Incheon 2026 schedule, the APT Main Event returns with a KRW 1.5 billion (~USD 1 million) prize pool guarantee and the coveted 24K Gold Lion APT Main Event Trophy up for grabs. The top three finishers will also earn a seat to the APT Championship Main Event, set to take place later this year in Taipei.
As the flagship tournament of every APT festival, the Main Event has consistently delivered record-breaking numbers across the New Era. The current benchmark remains APT Taipei 2025, which still stands as the largest Main Event in APT history after drawing 2,547 entries (1,276 unique) from 45 countries and regions, generating a massive TWD 121 million (~USD 3.7 million) prize pool. Japan’s Akira Takasugi captured the title and etched his name into APT history with the largest Main Event victory of the season.
APT Incheon itself made headlines last year when China’s Junjie He conquered a historic 1,281-entry field inside the grand Paradise City Casino, breaking the tour’s previous South Korean Main Event attendance record set at APT Jeju 2024. He walked away with the prestigious Lion Trophy and a career-defining KRW 380,520,000 (~USD 275,140) top prize from the event’s KRW 2,766,660,000 (~USD 2 million) prize pool.
With every APT Main Event held in South Korea having established a new national attendance record for the tour, another massive turnout is expected as the APT returns to Incheon this August.
Players will begin with 40,000 in chips and have four starting flights to choose from between August 9 and 11. Flight A features ten 60-minute levels, while Flight B consists of six 45-minute levels followed by four 60-minute levels. Flights C and D will both feature accelerated structures with six 30-minute levels followed by four 45-minute levels.
From Day 2 onwards, the tournament adopts 60-minute levels throughout. Late registration closes after the first 60-minute level played (level 11) at 12:15pm (KST) on Day 2 on August 12, giving players multiple opportunities to enter the festival’s marquee event.
Korea National Cup – Sponsored by DeepRun
Guarantee: KRW 200 million (~USD 136K)
Date: Friday, August 7 to Saturday, August 8
Buy-in: KRW 700K (~USD 475)
APT Incheon 2025 Korea National Cup champion Kevin Choi
Kicking off the festival in style is the Korea National Cup – Sponsored by DeepRun, which returns to Incheon this year with a boosted KRW 200 million (~USD 136,000) prize pool guarantee.
The tournament continues to grow rapidly across the tour, with the latest edition at APT Taipei 2026 establishing a brand-new APT record for the event. That tournament attracted a massive 2,940 entries, generating a TWD 28.9 million (~USD 927,230) prize pool. South Korea’s Daeyoung Park emerged victorious, earning TWD 3,548,400 (~USD 113,730) and the biggest first-place payout ever awarded in this format.
Last year’s APT Incheon edition also delivered impressive numbers, drawing 707 entries for a KRW 408.3 million (~USD 293,112) prize pool. Hong Kong’s Kevin Choi lifted the trophy after a dramatic heads-up battle against Ka Chuen Yip, earning KRW 78,084,378 (~USD 56,055).
Players begin with 30,000 in chips and will have three starting flights to choose from on Friday, August 7. Flight A features 25-minute levels, Flight B runs with 20-minute levels, while Flight C adopts a faster 15-minute structure. The top 14 percent of each flight will advance to the Final Day and into the money, where the tournament will play down to a new Korea National Cup champion.
Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8
Guarantee: KRW 300 million (~USD 204K)
Date: Saturday, August 8 to Sunday, August 9
Buy-in: KRW 900K (~USD 610)
APT Incheon 2025 Mystery Bounty Hunter champion Hiromasa Syuto
One of the most popular events on the APT calendar, the Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8 returns to Incheon this year with an upgraded KRW 300 million (~USD 204,000) prize pool guarantee.
The current benchmark for the event remains APT Taipei 2025, where a massive 1,724-entry field generated a record-breaking TWD 24.3 million (~USD 750,795) prize pool. South Korea’s Jung Sangjun emerged victorious, earning the largest first-place payout ever awarded in this format with TWD 2.74 million (~USD 84,654).
Last year’s edition in Incheon also delivered an amazing turnout, attracting 889 entries and generating a KRW 672 million (~USD 482,472) prize pool. Japan’s Hiromasa Syuto captured the title and a KRW 61,024,000 (~USD 43,810) top prize after navigating one of the largest Mystery Bounty fields ever held in South Korea.
Players begin with 30,000 in chips and will once again have three starting flights to choose from on Saturday, August 8. Flight A starts with 25-minute levels, Flight B follows with a 20-minute structure, while Flight C features accelerated 15-minute levels. The top 14 percent of each flight will advance to Sunday’s Final Day and into the money, where the mystery bounty element comes into play.
Guarantee: KRW 500 million (~USD 340K)
Date: Saturday, August 8 to Sunday, August 9
Buy-in: KRW 15M (~USD 10,200)
APT Incheon 2025 APT Super High Roller champion Michael Foo
The APT Super High Roller remains one of the tour’s three premier signature events, featuring a KRW 500 million (~USD 340,000) guaranteed prize pool and the prestigious Pewter Lion APT Super High Roller Trophy. The eventual champion will also earn a coveted seat to the APT Championship Main Event later this year.
A staple of the APT New Era, the tournament consistently attracts stacked high-stakes fields from around the globe and regularly produces some of the largest prize pools of every festival.
The current record for the richest payout in tournament history still belongs to poker superstar Isaac Haxton, who conquered a 137-entry field to claim TWD 9 million (~USD 287,885) at APT Taipei 2025.
Last year’s edition in Incheon saw New Zealand’s Michael Foo rise to the top of an elite 89-entry field, overcoming a formidable lineup of high-stakes professionals to secure the title and KRW 319,292,500 (~USD 229,210) top prize from a KRW 1.23 billion (~USD 883,132) prize pool.
Players begin with 250,000 in chips, with a shot clock in effect from the very start of play. Each player receives two 30-second time banks initially, with an additional time bank awarded at every scheduled break. Day 1 features 16 levels of 40 minutes, before survivors return on Sunday, August 9 to play down to a new APT Super High Roller champion.
Date: Sunday, August 9
Buy-in: KRW 500K (~USD 340)
APT Incheon 2025 Sunday Super Stack champion Ngai Kan Chau
A fan-favourite one-day event on the APT calendar, the Sunday Super Stack returns to Incheon with its signature deep-stack structure and accessible buy-in, making it one of the most attractive tournaments in terms of value at the festival.
The current tour record for the event remains APT Taipei 2025, where 386 entries generated a record-breaking TWD 10 million (~USD 308,800) prize pool. Japan’s Taiga Tanida captured the title and the richest first-place payout ever awarded in the format, taking home TWD 1.94 million (~USD 59,973).
Last year’s edition in Incheon attracted 245 entries and produced a KRW 100.4 million (~USD 72,113) prize pool. Hong Kong’s Ngai Kan Chau emerged victorious, earning KRW 21,253,920 (~USD 15,260) after navigating a tough field.
Players begin with 100,000 in chips, with 25-minute levels in play until the close of registration. Following that point, levels reduce to 20 minutes for the remainder of the tournament as the field races toward the final table and trophy.
Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8
Guarantee: KRW 500 million (~USD 340K)
Date: Thursday, August 13 to Friday, August 14
Buy-in: KRW 3M (~USD 2,000)
APT Incheon 2025 Zodiac Classic champion Shigeji Kusakabe
The Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8 returns to Incheon this year with a significantly boosted KRW 500 million (~USD 340,000) guaranteed prize pool, making it one of the largest guaranteed marquee events outside of the Main Event. The eventual champion will also earn a coveted seat to the APT Championship Main Event later this year.
The current benchmark for the tournament remains APT Taipei 2025, where 626 entries generated a massive TWD 43.2 million (~USD 1.32 million) prize pool, setting new APT records for entries, prize pool, and first-place payout in the event. Hong Kong’s Kwan Chun Kit captured the title and a record-setting TWD 8.22 million (~USD 253,785) top prize.
Last year’s edition in Incheon also produced impressive numbers, attracting 400 entries and generating a KRW 1.02 billion (~USD 739,675) prize pool with Japan’s Shigeji Kusakabe emerging victorious for a KRW 198,470,000 (~USD 143,510) payday.
Players begin with 40,000 in chips and will compete with a shot clock in effect from the start of play. Each player receives two 30-second time banks initially, with additional time banks awarded at every scheduled break. Day 1 on Thursday, August 13 features 13 levels of 40 minutes each, before survivors return the following day to battle for the trophy.
Guarantee: KRW 400 million (~USD 272K)
Date: Friday, August 14 to Sunday, August 16
Buy-in: KRW 900K (~USD 610)
APT Incheon 2025 Mini Main Event champion Keigo Kubo
Modelled after the flagship Main Event but designed with a more accessible buy-in and compact structure, the Mini Main Event returns to Incheon this year with an upgraded KRW 400 million (~USD 272,000) guarantee. The eventual champion will also earn a coveted seat to the APT Championship Main Event later this year.
The current tour record for the event remains APT Taipei 2025, where a staggering 1,760 entries generated a massive TWD 38 million (~USD 1.32 million) prize pool. Taiwan’s Hung Te Lee captured the title and a record-setting TWD 6.51 million (~USD 201,080) first-place prize, the richest payout ever awarded in this format.
Last year’s APT Incheon edition also established a new South Korean benchmark for the event, drawing a record 1,029 entries and building a KRW 777.9 million (~USD 562,490) prize pool. Japan’s Keigo Kubo emerged victorious, earning KRW 127,884,000 (~USD 92,470) after overcoming one of the largest fields of the festival.
Players begin with 30,000 in chips and will have three starting flights available on Friday, August 14. Flight A features 25-minute levels, Flight B runs with 20-minute levels, while Flight C adopts a faster 15-minute structure. The top 14 percent of each flight will advance to the Final Day and into the money, where the tournament will play down to a new Mini Main Event champion.
Guarantee: KRW 500 million (~USD 340K)
Date: Saturday, August 15 to Sunday, August 16
Buy-in: KRW 5M (~USD 3,400)
APT Incheon 2025 APT High Roller champion Edmond Chim
The final signature Lion Trophy event of the festival, the APT High Roller returns with a hefty KRW 500 million (~USD 340,000) guaranteed prize pool and the prestigious Rose Gold Lion APT High Roller Trophy on the line. The eventual champion will also secure a seat to the APT Championship Main Event later this year.
One of the premier tournaments of the APT New Era, the High Roller continues to attract elite international fields and consistently produces some of the largest prize pools on the schedule.
The current record for the tournament remains APT Taipei 2025, where a massive 415-entry field built a TWD 39.4 million (~USD 1.27 million) prize pool. Vietnam’s Nguyen Trung Quan emerged victorious, claiming a record-setting TWD 7.58 million (~USD 253,785) first-place prize — the richest payout ever awarded in the event.
Last year’s edition in Incheon also delivered tremendous numbers, attracting 245 entries and generating a KRW 1.05 billion (~USD 765,293) prize pool. Hong Kong’s Edmond Chim lifted the Bronze Lion Trophy and earned KRW 220,910,000 (~USD 159,730) after overcoming a monstrous final table.
Players begin with 100,000 in chips and compete with a shot clock in effect from the very start of play. Each player receives two 30-second time banks initially, with an additional time bank awarded at every scheduled break. Day 1 on Saturday, August 15 features 16 levels of 40 minutes, before survivors return on Sunday, August 16 to battle for the title.
Guarantee: KRW 150 million (~USD 102K)
Date: Saturday, August 15 to Sunday, August 16
Buy-in: KRW 700K (~USD 475)
APT Incheon 2025 Double Stack champion Akihito Mori
Formerly known as the Double Stack, the Ultra Stack returns to Incheon as one of the most popular multi-flight events on the APT schedule, combining deep starting stacks with an accessible buy-in and strong value across two days of play.
The current benchmark for the event was set at the APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024, where 951 entries generated a record-breaking TWD 16.4 million (~USD 520,535) prize pool. South Korea’s Dongjae Kim emerged victorious, earning TWD 2,250,480 (~USD 70,615).
Last year’s edition in Incheon also produced an impressive turnout, attracting 693 entries and generating a KRW 400 million (~USD 289,385) prize pool. Japan’s Akihito Mori captured the title and KRW 63,309,142 (~USD 45,775) top prize after navigating one of the largest fields outside of the Main Event.
The tournament continues to perform strongly across the New Era festivals, consistently drawing sizeable fields and building prize pools well beyond its listed guarantee. Players begin with 100,000 in chips and will have three starting flights to choose from on Saturday, August 15. Flight A features 25-minute levels, Flight B runs with 20-minute levels, while Flight C adopts a faster 15-minute structure. The top 14 percent of each flight will advance to the Final Day and into the money, where the tournament will play down to a new Ultra Stack champion.
Date: Sunday, August 16
Buy-in: KRW 400K (~USD 270)
APT Incheon 2025 Micro Main Event champion Nagisa Shiomi
Bringing the festival to a close is the always-popular Micro Main Event, offering players one final shot at an APT title with a budget-friendly buy-in and fast-paced one-day structure.
The current tour record for the event was established at the APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024, where 635 entries generated a TWD 5.96 million (~USD 187,260) prize pool. Singapore’s Dhanesh Chainani captured the title and a record-setting TWD 1,154,984 (~USD 36,240) top prize.
Last year’s edition in Incheon meanwhile established new South Korean records for the event in terms of entries, prize pool, and first-place payout. A field of 384 entries produced a KRW 122.8 million (~USD 88,857) prize pool, with Japan’s Nagisa Shiomi emerging victorious for KRW 23,829,830 (~USD 17,230).
Players begin with 40,000 in chips and compete over 20-minute levels throughout the day as the field races toward the final APT trophy winner of the series.