Yongbin Wang

The APT Jeju Classic 2026 kicked off one of its major events on the schedule earlier this afternoon with the Zodiac Classic - Sponsored by Natural8 - taking the spotlight.

A total of 426 entries (300 unique) filled the tables at the Les A Casino, generating a total prize pool of KRW 1,325,030,400 (~USD 910,160) from the KRW 3.6 million that they ponied up. The day concluded after thirteen 40-minute levels with 131 runners still with chips and a seat for tomorrow’s final day.

Leading the survivors are two Chinese Wangs. China's Yongbin Wang sits at the top with 378,500 chips, followed closely by Jing Wang with 351,500. Vietnam's Van Hien Dang rounds up the podium with 341,500.

TOP TEN CHIP COUNTS

The returning 131 players will still compete for 63 ITM slots, which will pay a minimum cash of KRW 5,640,000 (~USD 3,915). The focus, of course, will be on the massive first-place prize of KRW 252,980,400 (~USD 175,680), which is the largest cash prize ever awarded for a Zodiac Classic played in Korea. The eventual champion will also be awarded a USD 10,000 ticket into the APT Championship Main Event held in Taipei this November.

CLICK HERE for the complete payout list.

CLICK HERE for the complete chip counts and seat draw.

James Mendoza

Outside of the top ten, some of the prominent names finding a bag include Andres Vasquez (207,000), James Mendoza (180,000), Horace Leung (176,500), Maxim Sorokin (143,500) and two-time Zodiac Classic winner Joseph Cheong (94,000).

Some big names that will need to do some work include Natural8 Ambassador Sparrow Cheung (34,000), Alexandru Papazian (66,000), Jun Obara (66,000) and former Zodiac Classic winner Natalia Rozova (48,000).

Notables who failed to advance to the Day 2 final included the likes of Natural8 Ambassadors Nevan Chang and Hua Wei Lin, former APT Super High Roller champ Mingcong Chen, former APT Main Event winner Rene von Reden, APT High Roller champion Trung Quan Nguyen and two-time APT Main Event winner Lester Edoc among others.

Tony Ren Lin - who made APT headlines by winning the Super High Roller and Superstar Challenge within days - was hoping to cash in this event to have a 4-of-4 ITM rate, but he fell short today, proving that even greatness deserves a rest.

Play resumes tomorrow at 11:15 AM local time.

Xiao Zhang and Jose Colada had all their chips in on a board of 4 6 5 8 beside a pot of around 30,000.

Zhang was ahead with two pair, showing 5 4

Colada showed 9 9 and needed some help.

The poker gods threw a 8 on the river, pairing the board to improve Colada to a better two pair for a major double up while leaving Zhang with just 31,000 left.

On the next hand, Colada opened for 5,000 on the button. David Lo then three-bet to 12,000 on the small blind. Zhang jammed the rest of his 31,000 to defend his big blind.

Colada stood down, but Lo stayed on.

David Lo: J J

Xiao Zhang: A 5

The board ran 7 2 5 J J

The turn gave Lo a set and had Zhang drawing dead. The river improved Lo to quads to give a convincing KO punch to Zhang and end his Zodiac Classic campaign.

The clock has now been paused, and the floor has announced that five more hands will be played for the night.

The remaining players will then bag up their chips to bring back for the final day tomorrow, February 6, and play down to a winner.

Andres Vasquez

Action folded to Yi Feng Zhang in the small blind who raised it up to 9,000 to play and was looked up by Andres Vasquez in the big blind.

The players checked down the K 4 7 T board to see the A peel off on the river.

Zhang checked to Vasquez who fired out a river bet of 13,500. Zhang didn't take long and tossed in the call but soon tossed his cards into the muck on seeing Vasquez table A 5 for a rivered top pair.

Kento Nasu

Lezi Chen was on the hijack and was heads-up against Kento Nasu on the cutoff.

Both players had a very appetizing pot of around 45,000 beside a board that showed K 9 4 8

Chen had checked his option to Nasu, who didn't shy away from firing a bet of 36,000.

Chen took one last look at his cards before bidding them farewell and giving up the pot to Nasu.

Bei Shi defended his big blind against Wang Qian from under the gun.

Both players had a complete board of Q 7 5 3 T with a sizable pot of around 40,000.

After much contemplation, Shi decided to check his option. Qian also sided with caution and checked back.

Shi peeled open 8 7 for a pair of sevens, which was good enough to win the pot as Qian mucked her hand.

Xiao Zhang

Heads up to the river with the board of T 3 A 3 A fanned out across the table and nearing 60,000 in the pot.

Yuzhu Wang put out a 10,000 feeler bet, only for Xiao Zhang to move all in for about 45,000. Wang didn't think long and tossed in the call.

Zhang tabled A 2 for a full house, and Wang flipped over A 2 for the same full house, and the pot was chopped.

'Crazy player this guy is!' exclaimed Wang.

Kyosuke Nagami

Action folded to Kyosuke Nagami in the hijack who made it 4,000 to play and was looked up by Ting Yi Tsai in the small blind and Tingjia Cao in the big blind.

The dealer fanned out the flop of 9 2 4 and it was checked to Nagami who continued for 5,000. Tsai folded and Cao called.

The turn brought the Q and Cao check it again to Nagami who fired a second barrel of 15,000. Cao called and both players checked the A river.

Cao tables 8 2 for bottom pair and a missed flush draw which was ahead until Nagami and his A J spiked the river.

Jin Feng Zhu

Yunpeng Bai opened for 5,500 from under the gun and was matched by Mahiro Shirono on the hijack and Jing Feng Zhu on the cutoff.

The three players were given a flop of K 2 4

Action checked to Zhu, who bet 5,000. Bai stood down, but Shirono continued.

The 5 came on the turn. Shirono checked and Zhu moved all in for 25,500.

Shirono did a quick chip count and made the call.

Zhu flipped over 6 6 and was ahead of Shirono's A J

The dealer gave a 6 on the river to gie Zhu a set to put a deserving stamp on his double up.

With registration now closed, the floor has done their calculations and announced the final numbers.

This edition of the Zodiac Classic, sponsored by Natural8 saw a total of 426 players (300 unique) stump up the KRW 3.6M buy-in, generating a whopping KRW 1,310,630,400 (~USD 910,160) prize pool, the largest ever prizepool generated for a Korean-based Zodiac Classic event.

63 players will be paid with a minimum cash prize of KRW 5,640,000 (~USD 3,915) being awarded, but all eyes will be on the huge first-place prize of KRW 252,980,400 (~USD 175,680), the largest ever awarded for a Korean based Zodiac Classic event, which the winner will take home along with the coveted trophy, and not to forget the bonus of a ticket into the APTC Main Event held in Taipei this November.

Full Payouts As Follows: