The APL Jeju Island Main Tournament prize pool has been significantly exceeded! A total of 260 participants joined the C/D group, with Li Huan and Zhang Xugang securing the CL (League 1) in their respective groups.

The 2026 APL Jeju Island Main Event continued to heat up, with the competition reaching its third day of group matches, and the atmosphere was electric. Groups C and D of the Main Event started on the same day, attracting a total of 260 participants and producing 39 players who advanced to the next round.

Group C attracted 203 participants, with 30 players advancing. Li Huan became the chip leader in Group C with 476,000 chips. Group D started in the evening and attracted 57 participants, with 9 players advancing. Zhang Xugang was crowned the chip leader in Group D with 404,000 chips.

As of now, the total number of participants in the APL Jeju Island main event (Groups A, B, C, and D) and the online Group G has reached 824. The guaranteed prize pool has been significantly broken, and the remaining participants in Groups E and F will continue to drive the number of participants to new highs.

Group C of the main event saw a surge in popularity.

At 12 noon local time, the APL main event Group C started on time.

Compared to the previous two days of competition, the atmosphere in Group C was noticeably more vibrant. A large number of professional players, seasoned veterans, and promising young talents took their seats, quickly filling many tables and elevating the atmosphere of the main event to new heights.

As the blinds advanced, the competition at the tables intensified. Players from each group fiercely battled for a spot in the next round, with several crucial hands becoming the focus of the day's competition.

Li Huan won by betting all three families and had the last laugh.

In Group C, Li Huan's hand of going all-in against three opponents became one of the most representative hands of the day.

At level 8, with blinds at 500/1000/1000, Xue Jiawen in the MP position flat-called, the button player raised to 2000, Li Huan in the BB position called, and Xue Jiawen subsequently completed the bet.

The cards are flipped over: 5♣10♦8♥.

Li Huan placed the first bet of 12,000, Xue Jiawen immediately went all in, and the player on the button also quickly went all in. Faced with the aggressive moves of his two opponents, Li Huan paused to think, guessing that his opponents might hold QQ or KK.

Ultimately, he chose to call.

After the showdown, Xue Jiawen revealed 7♣9♥, and the button player held 9♣J♣, both of them having straight draws; while Li Huan revealed K♣10♠, temporarily taking the lead with top pair.

The turn 9♦ and the river A♥ failed to help the two drawing players make a comeback. Li Huan successfully won the main pot, tripled his score to 32,400, and laid the foundation for becoming the C-group CL.

AK hits the river, eliminating the long-stacked opponent.

As the competition progressed into the later stages, the pace of the game gradually slowed down, and the pressure to advance began to emerge.

At level 15, with blinds at 2500/5000/5000, a long stack duel drew the attention of the entire audience.

The player in the UTG position raised to 11,000, and the player on the button 3-bet to 30,000. UTG then went all-in for 122,000, and the player on the button quickly called.

The UTG indicator shows 9♣9♠, while the button area displays A♥K♠.

After the flop of 3♥7♥10♣, pocket nines maintained the lead; the turn J♣ gave UTG hope of doubling up. But the river A♠ landed, and the button player successfully hit Ace-high pair, eliminating their opponent and causing their chip count to surge to over 200,000.

This hand also became a crucial turning point in the chip distribution in the latter half of Group C.

Group C's bubble phase ended dramatically.

When there were 32 players remaining in Group C, the competition was just two players away from the 30-player prize circle.

Before the synchronization phase, two tables made all-in calls. The previous table, QQ, was eliminated by KK, bringing the total number of players to 31.

Then another table's big and small blind showdown became a true bubble hand.

The player in the SB position shoved the blind after seeing the BB's short stack. The BB looked at their cards and called. The SB showed 6♦6♥, while the BB held A♦8♦.

The community cards were J♠2♣3♦7♥Q♥, which failed to help BB complete the comeback.

Ultimately, the player in position BB unfortunately became the bubble in the Group C prize pool, and the Group C competition ended immediately. 30 players successfully advanced, with Li Huan leading the group with 476,000 points.

Group D kicks off in the night session, with Zhang Xugang leading the pack.

The main event, Group D, officially kicked off at 8 PM.

Many players who prefer nighttime competitions chose to compete in Group D. Although the overall scale of the competition is smaller than that of Group C, the pace of the competition is faster and the competition is just as fierce.

Group D ultimately attracted 57 participants, resulting in 9 qualifying spots.

After several rounds of competition, Zhang Xugang became the chip leader in Group D with 404,000 chips, successfully securing his qualification for the next round and accumulating a solid chip foundation for the second round of the main event.

The guaranteed prize pool for the main event has officially been breached.

With the conclusion of Groups C and D, the number of participants in the main event of this year's APL Jeju Island tournament continues to climb.

The current data for each group is as follows:

• Group A: 172 participants
• Group B: 180 participants
• Group C: 203 participants
• Group D: 57 participants
• Online Group G: 212 participants

The total number of participants across the five groups has reached 824, officially breaking the guaranteed prize pool for the main event.

Next, Groups E and F will become the last two offline starting groups for the main event, representing the final "last train" to the second round. Players who have not yet qualified still have one last chance to break through.

CHEN DANQIU wins the single-day high roller tournament.

In addition to the main event, the side events are equally exciting.

The #26 single-day high roller tournament successfully concluded, with CHEN DANQIU emerging victorious and lifting the championship trophy.

CHEN DANQIU distinguished himself in a high-buy, high-intensity single-day high roller tournament, demonstrating excellent control of the game's pace and adding another important honor to his tournament resume.

The Mysterious Bounty Hunter Tournament continues.

The Day 1 Group B of the TP5T23 Mysterious Bounty Hunter Tournament has also concluded, and the advancing players have been successfully determined.

As one of the most popular and distinctive tournaments at the APL Jeju Island station, the Mystery Bounty Tournament continues to attract a large number of players with its unknown bounty mechanism. As the tournament progresses, even more high-value prizes and thrilling matches will soon be revealed.

The final two groups are about to start their battle.

Tomorrow, the APL Jeju Island main event will enter the final stage of the group stage.

At 12 noon, Group E will kick off the competition; at 8 pm, Group F will take the lead.

This will be the last chance for all players who have not yet qualified for the main event. With the prize pool already breached, the number of participants in the final two groups will inevitably continue to drive up the overall numbers, and will also determine the final lineup advancing to the second round.

For those who have already qualified, the focus can now shift to the qualifying rounds; while for those who haven't yet secured their tickets, tomorrow is the final sprint.

The real climax of the APL Jeju Island main event is approaching.

Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?

If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：

The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)

Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.

▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.

Want to learn more about Texas Hold'em gameplay and strategies?

Online Texas Hold'em free tournaments typically have no entry fee, making them ideal for beginners to familiarize themselves with the rules and for advanced players to test strategies and gain experience. View full brand profiles to learn about each platform's free tournament schedule, features, and target audience.

Go to learn more