Akira Ide is out of the gates fairly quickly in the Main Event, winning two consecutive pots and beginning to build his stack during the first level of the day.

After rivering a ten to make top pair with jack-ten against Ryuta Nakai, Ide picked up the very next pot against Jianping Cai, once again with a ten doing the damage.

Ide raised to 300 from early position and Cai defended his big blind. Both checked the 8 T K flop to the 5 turn, where Cai check-called Ide's 400 bet.

Both checked the 8 river, where Cai flicked over 4 4 for pocket fours, but it was Ide who was ahead all the way with Q T , having flopped second pair.

Cards are now in the air for Flight A of the KRW 2.2 billion guaranteed APT Jeju 2026 Main Event.

The APT Main Event returns to the idyllic island of Jeju, South Korea, for another highly anticipated stop on the Asian Poker Tour calendar. Running from September 27 to October 3, the festival gets underway today at 11:00 a.m. KST, with Flight A, the first of four starting flights, taking place at A Les Casino in Jeju Shinhwa World.

For a buy-in of KRW 2,700,000 (~USD2,000), players will battle for a guaranteed KRW 2,200,000,000 (~USD1,500,000) prize pool, with another shot at etching their names into APT history.

There is something special about APT Jeju. Set against the island’s dramatic volcanic landscapes, turquoise waters, and laid-back charm, the stop has become one of the tour’s most anticipated destinations. Year after year, the festival delivers big fields, memorable performances, and champions whose victories become part of the APT story.

Now, another group of players arrives with the same goal: to leave Jeju with a Main Event title and a career-defining victory.

Each player begins with 40,000 chips and will play ten 60-minute levels, with those who survive advancing to Day 2. As with all Day 1 flights, play concludes after Level 10.

There will be three 15-minute breaks, scheduled after every two levels, as well as a 75-minute dinner break after Level 8. Late registration for all Day 1 flights will remain open until the start of Level 12 on Day 2. With unlimited re-entries available, players may forfeit their stack before registration closes and re-enter the tournament.

The event will also have the equivalent of USD 50,000 withheld from the prize pool, representing five seats to the APT Championship Event taking place in Taipei in November 2026.

The celebrations are now in full swing as another chapter of the Asian Poker Tour begins in Jeju.

Live updates and notable moments will follow as the action unfolds, so stay locked in with APT as we bring you all the excitement straight from the felt.