Chang Hwan Lee

Chang Hwan Lee began the final day of the 2026 APT Incheon High Roller as the chip leader and ended it as the champion.

The Japanese player outlasted a field of 222 entries (154 unique) to claim the APT Rose Gold Lion Trophy and KRW 199,870,000 (~USD 142,765). Lee also received an APT Championship 2026 Main Event seat worth KRW 14,000,000 (~USD 10,000).

Lee defeated Jun Li heads-up, denying the British player the title after another deep run in Incheon. Li also finished runner-up to Edmond Chim in the 2025 edition, leaving him one place short in the same tournament for the second consecutive year.

The KRW 5,000,000 buy-in event generated a total prize pool of KRW 959,040,000 (~USD 685,030), nearly doubling its KRW 500 million guarantee. That figure includes the APT Championship seat awarded to Lee, with KRW 945,040,000 (~USD 675,030) paid out in cash to the top 31 finishers.

APT High Roller Final Table Results

*Chang Hwan Lee also received an APT Championship 2026 Main Event seat worth ~USD 10,000, in addition to the listed cash prize.

Winner’s Reaction

Speaking after his victory, Lee admitted the strength of the field had forced him to remain patient and think carefully about the intentions behind every action.

“There were so many professional players, so it was a very tough game for me,” Lee said. “I tried to be patient and respect their actions because everything they did had an intention.”

The result carried extra meaning after Lee narrowly missed out on another major APT title in Jeju earlier this year.

“I finished second and third at APT Jeju, and I was unhappy because I couldn’t get the trophy,” he said. “After studying a lot more about GTO and tournament theory, I achieved my goal. I’m so happy and very honored to have this trophy.”

Chang Hwan Lee

Lee balances poker with running four companies across Japan, Hong Kong and San Francisco, leaving him limited time to study. He said much of his preparation now takes place while travelling.

“I can mostly study only once or twice a month,” Lee said. “Before a tournament, I use my laptop on the flight to study GTO.”

The APT Championship seat included in his victory may now force another change to his busy schedule.

“I have never been to Taipei, but because of this ticket, I must find space in my schedule,” Lee said.

As for his immediate celebration plans, Lee kept them simple.

“I’m going to celebrate by myself and go to bed. I’m so sleepy.”

Day 2 Action

A total of 51 players returned to Paradise City Casino Resort for the final day, with only the top 31 guaranteed a share of the cash prize pool.

Lee led the way with 1,211,000, narrowly ahead of Yuan Lei on 1,183,000. Ryuta Nakai began the day in third with 1,173,000.

The field included several players with something extra to chase. Newly crowned Super High Roller champion Jeremy Chan was attempting to become the first player to win two APT Mega Lion trophies at the same festival. Jason Lau and Walter Lau were looking to add another Mega Lion to their collections, while Martin Sedlak was chasing another APT title.

Jason Lau

The field was reduced steadily before Wing Po Liu and Josh McCully departed to leave 32 players. McCully’s king-jack could not improve against Walter Lau’s pocket sevens, sending the tournament into hand-for-hand play one place away from the money.

What followed was a lengthy bubble filled with escapes.

Wei Sun survived with pocket nines, while Shotiwan Wattanalarp flopped a flush to double through Jason Lau. Wai Kiat Lee also stayed alive by cracking Ryan Plant’s pocket kings with a flopped set of sevens.

Tony Ren Lin announced, “Tony the Tiger is all-in!” before doubling through Plant, while Takanari Uchida survived with only 10,000 after flopping an ace against Chan’s pocket jacks.

Takanari Uchida

Uchida’s reprieve lasted just one orbit. He was forced all in again with jack-ten and initially held the advantage over Nakai’s ten-seven, but Nakai completed a flush on the turn to burst the bubble.

The remaining 31 players were guaranteed at least KRW 8,320,000 (~USD 5,940).

The eliminations came quickly once the bubble broke, with several of the start-of-day contenders falling short of the final table.

Plant had built one of the largest stacks in the tournament before losing it in a huge preflop confrontation with Wai Kiat Lee. Plant six-bet shoved around 40 big blinds with ace-nine, but Lee snap-called with pocket kings. The kings held and improved to a full house on the river, sending Plant to the rail.

Ryan Plant

Lei’s run ended in 16th after running pocket queens into Martin Sedlak’s pocket aces. The board offered Lei no help, bringing an abrupt end to the day for the player who had started second in chips.

Li then climbed the leaderboard with consecutive double-ups. His ace-king held against Wai Kiat Lee’s ace-ten before his pocket jacks beat Sedlak’s king-jack, moving Li beyond 3 million.

Sun and Matthew Chan were the next two players eliminated. Nakai followed in 13th when his ace-deuce failed to improve against Konstantin Solovev’s pocket nines.

Saifah Chanpanya

Saifah Chanpanya departed in 12th before Jason Lau was eliminated by Wai Kiat Lee in 11th. Lau held ace-king against ace-seven, but Lee paired his seven on the flop and completed a flush on the turn.

That left ten players competing for the nine official final-table places.

Pongsapak Himathongkom became the final-table bubble after shoving queen-nine from the cutoff. Chang Hwan Lee called with ace-king and flopped trip aces, leaving Himathongkom drawing dead before the turn.

Pongsapak Himathongkom

Final Table Action

Lau entered the final table with the chip lead after bagging 5,050,000. Chang Hwan Lee was second with 3,855,000, while Wai Kiat Lee began with 3,375,000.

TOP ROW, L-R: Konstantin Solovev, Maxim Lykov, Walter Lau, Jun Li and Chang Hwan Lee. BOTTOM ROW, L-R: Wai Kiat Lee, Martin Sedlak, Hiroyuki Noda and Shotiwan Wattanalarp.

APT High Roller Final Table Chip Counts

The first elimination arrived in just the fifth hand of the final table after Li raised from early position and Wattanalarp shoved around sixteen big blinds from the next seat.

Li called with pocket kings and had Wattanalarp’s pocket queens dominated. Wattanalarp collected KRW 20,410,000 (~USD 14,580) for ninth.

Shotiwan Wattanalarp

The next elimination produced a major clash between the two Lees. Chang opened from early position before Wai Kiat shoved around 28 big blinds with ace-king. Chang called with pocket jacks, setting up a huge flip.

The pocket pair remained ahead throughout the low board, eliminating Wai Kiat in eighth for KRW 24,670,000 (~USD 17,620) and moving Chang into the chip lead.

Wai Kiat Lee

Chang continued pulling away before sending Sedlak to the rail. Sedlak shoved just under ten big blinds with ace-jack after Chang opened under the gun, and Chang called with king-jack.

Sedlak was in excellent shape to double, but a king on the flop gave Chang the lead. No help arrived for Sedlak, leaving him out in seventh for KRW 33,740,000 (~USD 24,100).

Hiroyuki Noda followed in sixth after moving all in for a little over six big blinds with ace-five. Chang isolated with ace-king and remained ahead to score another knockout.

Noda collected KRW 46,210,000 (~USD 33,000), while the pot took Chang beyond 10 million.

Hiroyuki Noda

Maxim Lykov was next to challenge Chang’s growing stack. Lykov shoved around nine big blinds from the small blind with pocket fours, and Chang called from the big blind with king-deuce.

A king on the flop moved Chang in front, and no four arrived on the turn or river. Lykov headed out in fifth for KRW 60,860,000 (~USD 43,470).

Chang continued to control the action during four-handed play, winning a sizeable pot from Lau after making a straight on the river.

Solovev eventually committed his last five big blinds from the small blind with eight-five. Lau woke up with ace-queen in the big blind and made the call.

Solovev picked up an open-ended straight draw on the flop, but the turn paired Lau’s queen. The river offered no help, sending Solovev out in fourth for KRW 76,930,000 (~USD 54,950).

Konstantin Solovev

Chang held close to three-quarters of the chips when the final three players returned from a break.

Li briefly cut into the lead after doubling through Chang with trip jacks, but Lau remained the shortest stack and was the next player forced to make a move.

Chang opened the button before Lau defended his big blind and flopped top pair with ten-eight on an eight-six-four board. Lau check-shoved for seven big blinds and Chang quickly called with pocket queens.

Lau needed another eight or a ten, but neither arrived. The APT Taipei Main Event champion collected KRW 94,880,000 (~USD 67,770) for third.

Walter Lau

Lee Denies Li After Second Straight Incheon Heads-Up

Jun Li and Chang Hwan Lee

Chang entered heads-up play with 16,800,000 against Li’s 5,400,000, giving the Japanese player a lead of more than three-to-one.

Li was back in familiar territory after finishing runner-up to Edmond Chim in this event at APT Incheon 2025. This time, he was hoping to go one place better and prevent Chang from converting his start-of-day chip lead into the Rose Gold Lion.

Chang controlled much of the early action and extended his lead to approximately 18 million. Li remained within touching distance, however, and had recovered to 5.8 million when the deciding hand arrived.

Jun Li

Li limped on the button with king-queen before Chang moved all in from the big blind. Li snap-called for just over 23 big blinds and found himself flipping against Chang’s pocket tens.

The ace-eight-deuce flop kept Chang ahead, and the four on the turn changed nothing. Another four completed the board, leaving the pocket tens in front and ending Li’s latest challenge in second.

Li collected KRW 134,570,000 (~USD 96,120), adding another major result to his APT record but falling one place short in the Incheon High Roller for the second year running.

Jun Li & Chang Hwan Lee embrace

For Chang, the final river confirmed the title and completed a final day that began with him leading the last 51 players. He finished it with every chip in play, the KRW 199,870,000 (~USD 142,765) top prize and the APT Rose Gold Lion Trophy.

Chang Hwan Lee

Chang Hwan Lee has overcome a 222-entry field and bested Jun Li in a hard-fought heads-up battle to claim the Gold Rose Lion trophy and KRW 199,870,000 (~USD 142,765) first-place prize, which includes a seat into the APTC Main Event later this year.

Lee's dominating performance adds to an already stellar resume, especially considering Lee only started playing tournament poker last year. The victory marks his first APT title and adds to his over USD 4.5 million in live tournament earnings.

Stay tuned for a recap of the final day.

APT High Roller Final Table Results

*Denotes a seat into the APTC Main Event (valued at USD 10,000)

Jun Li

Hand 91: In what would be the final hand of the tournament, Jun Li limped on the button and Chang Hwan Lee moved all in from the big blind. Li snap-called to put himself at risk for 5,800,000 total, and a showdown was held.

Jun Li: K Q

Chang Hwan Lee: T T

Lee found himself one flip away from the title, and the A 8 2 4 4 runout kept his tens best to eliminate Li in second place.

Chang Hwan Lee

Hand 86: Chang Hwan Lee picked up T 6 on the button and limped in. Jun Li checked 9 7 to the 2 7 K flop, where he paired his seven.

Both checked to the Q turn, which gave Lee a flush draw. The action checked through again to the Q river, which again checked through and Li took it down with his pair of sevens.

Hand 87: Li looked down at J T and limped the button. Lee checked his option with 9 8 and flopped top pair on 4 5 8 .

Both checked to the 6 turn, where Li bet 450,000 after Lee checked. A few moments later, Lee folded his top pair.

Hand 88: Lee shoved 3 3 on the button and won the pot.

Hand 89: Li had K 8 and limped the button before Lee checked his option with J 6 .

The flop came 5 J 8 and Lee check-folded his top pair to a bet of 550,000 from Li.

Hand 90: Li got a walk.

Jun Li

Hand 83: Jun Li limped on the button with 9 7 and Chang Hwan Lee checked his option with 7 3 .

Both players checked on the T 8 A flop, but Lee led out for 600,000 after the 8 fell on the turn. Li called with his open-ended straight draw.

The 9 filled out the board and Lee moved all in. Li had a tough decision after pairing his nine, but he eventually decided to let his hand go, conceding the pot to Lee.

Hand 84: Lee limped on the button with Q 8 and Li checked his option after looking down at a pretty Q J .

Both players checked on the K J 7 flop and then Lee folded facing a 200,000 bet from Li on the 2 turn.

Hand 85: Li limped on the button with Q 8 and then called after Lee raised to 600,000 holding Q 9 .

Lee continued for 400,000 on the 6 J 5 flop and Li called.

The 3 fell on the turn and Lee slowed down and checked. Li took the initiative with a bet of 700,000 and Lee let his hand go.

Hand 79: Jun Li limped 9 3 on the button and Chang Hwan Lee made it 700,000 with K T . Li folded.

Hand 80: Lee picked up A K and limped in from the button. Li checked his option in the big blind to the 5 J Q flop.

Li checked, Lee bet 250,000, and Li called to see the 8 drop on the turn. When it got to Lee, he took some time before he bet 1,300,000, which got Li to quickly fold his mystery hand.

Hand 81: Li limped J T on the button and Lee raised all in with K J . Li folded.

Hand 82: Lee limped 9 6 and Li raised 9 3 to 800,000. Lee folded.

Jun Li and Chang Hwan Lee

Hand 75: Jun Li limped on the button with K 2 and Chang Hwan Lee checked his option holding A 5 .

Lee check-called a bet of 300,000 from Li on the 6 A T flop and then both players checked on the 3 turn.

The 4 filled out the board and Lee bet 500,000 with his pair of aces. Li quickly called and was shown the bad news, sending Lee a nice pot.

Hand 76: Lee raised to 600,000 on the button with A 2 and Li defended his big blind holding J 9 .

Li checked after making top pair on the 2 J 5 flop and Lee checked behind with a pair of deuces.

The 7 fell on the turn and Li bet 800,000. Lee laid his hand down and Li collected the pot.

Hand 77: Li limped on the button with K 2 and Lee checked his option with A T .

Lee checked on the 5 3 9 flop and Li checked behind.

The 6 came on the turn and Lee bet 450,000, which got a fold from Li.

Hand 78: Lee limped after looking down at J 9 and Li checked his option holding 5 4 .

Li check-called a 200,000 bet from Lee on the 8 2 6 flop and then led out for 700,000 on the 2 turn. Lee laid down the best hand and Li was sent the pot.

Jun Li & Chang Hwan Lee

The two finalists are heading on a short break to prepare for heads-up play.

Walter Lau

Hand 74: Chang Hwan Lee opened the button to 450,000 and Walter Lau defended his big blind.

The flop came 6 8 4 and after Lau checked, Lee bet 325,000. Lau then shvoed for 1,400,000, and Lee quickly called.

Walter Lau: T 8

Chang Hwan Lee: Q Q

Lau needed to find a ten or an eight to stay alive, but both the 2 turn and 3 river were too low, leaving the APT Taipei Main Event Champion out in third.

Walter Lau

Jun Li

Hand 69: Chang Hwan Lee got a walk in the big blind.

Hand 70: Lee raised to 500,000 from the small blind with 6 5 and Jun Li folded T 7 in the big blind.

Hand 71: Li called in the small blind with K 8 and Walter Lau checked his option holding 9 5 .

The flop came A A 7 and Lau folded facing a 200,000 bet from Li.

Hand 72: Lee got a walk.

Hand 73: Lee called from the small blind with K 8 and Li checked his option holding J 6 .

The flop came 3 J 8 and Lee check-called a 400,000 bet from Li.

The J paired the board on the turn and both players checked.

Lee jammed after the A completed the board and Li called all in for 2,100,000 holding trips for a double up.