Zengxiang Chen 🇨🇳

Hailing from China, Zengxiang Chen is a classic example of a “cash game specialist” successfully crossing over to the tournament arena. According to post-win interviews, he had only been playing tournaments for roughly six months prior to his WPT Prime victory, having spent most of his poker career grinding cash games. His rapid ascent in the tournament world highlights the transferability of deep-stack cash game skills to the structure of modern Main Events. His victory in Jeju – a central hub for Asian poker – has instantly established him as a player to watch in future Asian Poker Tour (APT) and WPT Global events.

Chen’s background in cash games suggests a play style rooted in strong post-flop fundamentals and deep-stack maneuvering. This was evident during his WPT Prime run, where he was reported to have made a bold hero call with bottom pair on Day 1 to build his stack – a move characteristic of a player capable of high-level hand reading rather than robotic ABC play. His ability to navigate a large field and close out a major final table in one of his first attempts indicates a natural aptitude for high-pressure ICM scenarios and heads-up dynamics.

With over $392,000 in total live earnings (according to The Hendon Mob), Zengxiang Chen’s tournament résumé is defined by a spectacular breakout performance in late 2025. His career-defining moment occurred at the Jeju Poker Festival 2025 , where he triumphed in the WPT Prime Korea Main Event. Chen outlasted a field of 515 entries to capture his first major trophy and a career-best payout of KRW 129,030,000 (~$90,365). He followed this in early 2026 with a massive $193,000 score for finishing 4th in the King Poker Cup Main Event and a victory in the APT Jeju Classic High Roller for $27,900. This victory was particularly impressive given his limited experience in multi-table tournaments (MTTs). He defeated a final table that included seasoned regulars, eventually beating compatriot Changliang Sun heads-up to secure the title. Zengxiang Chen – photo APT