Regional news

Regional news

Tony Ren Lin wins KPC Player of the Series title and reclaims POY World No. 1 ranking for 2026.

KPC Jeju Station | Tony Lin wins Player of the Series, reclaims 2026 POY World No. 1

Regional news

  In August 2026, Tony “Ren” Lin once again topped the global poker rankings. With the conclusion of the Jeju K Poker Cup and King Poker Cup series, Tony secured the King Poker Cup Player of the Series title thanks to numerous high-stakes runs, one championship, and a significant runner-up finish. The GPI 2026 Player of the Year rankings also showed him at number one globally with 4,026.47 points. This wasn't Tony's first time at the top of the POY rankings in 2026. From his four Jeju titles at the beginning of the year, his continuous point accumulation at the WSOP, to his high-density high-stakes performance this summer, he is transforming "occasional victories" into consistent competitiveness throughout the season. His performance at the KPC finale was another highlight, with Final Coronation securing a $394,500 runner-up finish. Tony's signature move in the final stages of this KPC came from Final Coronation, a buy-in 1TP 4T 30,000 game. The tournament attracted 75 entries, creating a total prize pool of $2,106,000. Tony entered the final nine as the chip leader with 8,500,000 chips, eliminating Vincent Huang, Zhi Ye, Xing, and David Coleman to reach the heads-up final. At the start of the final, Tony led Singapore's Bao Qiang Ho 22,000,000 to 16,000,000, but the tide turned in the later stages. Ho gradually regained control, ultimately eliminating Tony with A♥2♥ against his K♠10♦. Although Tony missed out on the championship, he finished as runner-up, earning **$394,500**; Bao Qiang Ho took home the $608,600 first-place prize. Final Coronation Top Nine Rankings by Country/Region Prize Money: 1. Bao Qiang Ho (Singapore, $, 608,600) 2. Tony Ren Lin (China, $, 394,500) 3. David Coleman (USA, $, 263,000) 4. Xing (China, $, 184,300) 5. Matthew Wantman (USA, $, 135,400) 6. Zhi Ye (China, $, 104,500) 7. Chi Zhang (UK, $, 84,900) 8. Bruno Volkmann (Brazil, $, 72,800) 9. Vincent Huang (Australia, $, 66,000) $10K NLH/PLO Mix wins, KPC multi-track deep run. Final Coronation runner-up is not Tony's only important achievement in this Jeju series.

Bryn Kenney leads the all-time poker winnings list, surpassing $92 million.

Poker All-Time Winnings Leaderboard | Bryn Kenney surpasses $92 million to lead the pack; only 9 players worldwide have surpassed $60 million.

Regional news

    The 2026 summer high-stakes poker season is drawing to a close, and the all-time live tournament money list has seen significant changes once again. As of August 15th, only nine players have surpassed $60 million in career live tournament winnings, with four adding over $1 million since early June and three adding millions of dollars. Bryn Kenney firmly holds the top spot, further extending his lead to over $12 million; Alex Foxen, thanks to a strong run in the summer of 2026, officially broke the $60 million mark, becoming the ninth player in history to join this elite club. Currently, only nine players worldwide have surpassed $60 million. Bryn Kenney leads the "$60 Million Club," followed by Stephen Chidwick and Jason Koon in second and third place respectively. Mikita Badziakouski and Adrian Mateos have also crossed the $70 million mark, while Justin Bonomo, Isaac Haxton, Dan Smith, and Alex Foxen occupy sixth through ninth place respectively. Ranked Players | Career Tournament Prize Money | Highest Career Single Winnings Over One Million USD (Cash) 1. Bryn Kenney | $ | 92,002,616 | $ | 20,606,421 | 17 2. Stephen Chidwick | $ | 79,964,075 | $ | 5,380,200 | 17 3. Jason Koon | $ | 77,592,535 | $ | 3,653,260 | 17 4. Mikita Badziakouski | $ | 72,137,501 | $ | 7,114,500 | 19 5. Adrian Mateos | $ | 70,315,713 | $ | 6,370,000 | 15 6. Justin Bonomo | $ | 69,415,857 $10,000,000 11 7 Isaac Haxton $67,810,176 $3,672,000 14 8 Dan Smith $64,197,682 $8,784,000 13 9 Alex Foxen $61,071,703 $4,563,700 10 Bryn Kenney surpasses $92 million, the lead widens. 39-year-old Bryn Kenney was already at the top of the all-time money list, but his performance in the summer of 2026 further solidified his lead. Since the start of the summer season, Kenney has accumulated $5,813,322, including three single winnings exceeding seven figures. First, he finished as runner-up in the WSOP $250,000 High Roller event, earning $2,776,634; then he also...

WDHL Seoul Championship Season 1 Opening Main Event Day 1A attracted 172 players.

WDHL Seoul Championship Season 1 | Main Event Day 1A: 172 players, Mini Main Event Day 1: 496 players

Regional news

  On August 14, 2026, the first season of the WDHL 2026 Championship Season officially kicked off at the Seoul Main Arena in South Korea. The founders from both China and South Korea took to the final table to conduct the opening ceremony, and the 7-day series immediately began. The season boasts a fixed prize pool of 2 billion Korean Won, and the first day of competition featured multiple events including the Main Event, Mini Main Event, and Dream Turbo. At noon, the Main Event Day 1A officially began. The 1,300-pyeong (approximately 1,500 square meters) Main Arena featured 120 custom WDHL tables, and players from various regions entered the arena. The first day of the Main Event ultimately saw 172 players participate. With 172 players participating in Day 1A, the series officially began. As the core event of the first season of the Championship Season, Day 1A of the Main Event was the first major event to start on August 14th. This group ultimately saw 172 players participate, setting the stage for the Main Event competition over the following days. Although the original article has not yet released the Day 1A qualifying list, chip standings, and final total number of entries, the scale of the first day has already established a basic level of excitement for the entire series. WDHL Day 1 Key Entry Data: Main Event Day 1A: 172 players; Mini Main Event Day 1A: 496 players; Mini Main Event Limit: 550 players; Dream Turbo: 314 players. The Mini Main Event saw 496 players on Day 1, just 54 seats short of the 550-player limit. One of the most popular events on Day 1 was the Mini Main Event Day 1A. This event has a total limit of 550 players, and the first starting group alone recorded 496 players, just 54 seats away from the limit, making it one of the most prominent entry statistics of the opening day. Compared to the Main Event, which was still in its first starting group stage, the Mini Main Event was close to its limit on the first day, reflecting a large number of players quickly joining the tables after the series began. Dream Turbo: 314 Players Battle Until 5:20 AM. Another highlight of the tournament, extending into the late night, was Dream Turbo, with 314 participants. The competition raged until 5:20 AM the following morning, with the winner ultimately determined by a single "66" hand. Since the original report did not disclose the champion's name or the complete details of the final hand, this article will not provide further details on the unconfirmed hand. From the main event starting at noon to the Turbo event continuing into the early morning, the first day of the WDHL tournament featured almost non-stop competition. A 1,300-pyeong (approximately 430 square meters) arena with 120 custom tables. Besides the participant data, the scale of the Seoul venue was also a major highlight of the event. The WDHL Seoul main arena covers approximately 1,300 pyeong (approximately 430 square meters), divided into six competition zones (A to F), and equipped with 120 custom WDHL tables. From the table body, tablecloth, cup holders to the table logo, everything features a series-exclusive design. The venue also features an information desk, a separate final table, a smoking area, on-site restrooms, a W Shop, and a WDHL café, with separate zones for competition, rest, and supplies. Officials specifically remind attendees that only the on-site restrooms and smoking area are open; other needs must be met at [other facilities/services].