GGPoker celebrates the Lunar New Year with Asia’s biggest online poker festival. The Ace Poker League (APL) Lunar New Year Series runs February 8-28, 2026, with ¥250,000,000 guaranteed across 27 championship events.
Quick Series Overview
The APL Lunar New Year Series is GGPoker’s premier Asian poker festival. This year celebrates the Red Horse zodiac with three weeks of non-stop tournament action.
Key Details:
- Dates: February 8-28, 2026
- Total Guaranteed: ¥250,000,000 (approx. $36 million USD)
- Events: 27 trophy tournaments
- Buy-ins: ¥250 to ¥20,260
- Main Event GTD: ¥25,000,000
The Red Horse Main Event
The festival’s centerpiece is the APL Red Horse Main Event on March 1st. This 2-Day Championship features a symbolic ¥2,026 buy-in (approx. $290 USD) and a massive ¥25,000,000 guarantee.
Multiple Day 1 flights run throughout the series, giving you plenty of chances to qualify. Day 2 begins March 1st at 13:05 CST, where all survivors compete for a seven-figure first prize.
¥5M Red Envelope Cash Drops
Active players get extra value through the Red Envelope promotion. Random cash prizes drop during gameplay with no opt-in required. Simply play APL tournaments between February 8-28 for your chance at instant rewards up to ¥220,000 per day.
Red Envelopes are completely random—the more you play, the more chances you have to catch one.
Unlock Exclusive Zodiac Avatars
Special Zodiac-themed tournaments reward deep runs with limited-edition avatars. These collectibles attach permanently to your GGPoker profile and can’t be obtained any other way.
Events like Zodiac Dragon High Roller, Zodiac Tiger Grand Deepstack, and Zodiac Monkey King Wukong offer unique avatar rewards alongside massive prize pools.
Featured Trophy Events
| Event | Date | Buy-In | GTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| APL 2026 Tip-Off | Feb 8 | ¥250 | ¥1,500,000 |
| King of the Zodiac High Roller [2-Day] | Feb 8 | ¥5,000 | ¥3,000,000 |
| Zodiac Dragon High Roller Bounty | Feb 13 | ¥8,000 | ¥3,000,000 |
| Zodiac Goat Super High Roller [2-Day] | Feb 15 | ¥20,260 | ¥5,000,000 |
| APL Winter Championship [Day 2] | Feb 15 | ¥888 | ¥10,000,000 |
| APL Lunar Mystery Bounty [Day 2] | Feb 22 | ¥1,100 | ¥10,000,000 |
| Beijing Mystery Bounty Millions [2-Day] | Mar 1 | ¥10,000 | ¥6,000,000 |
| APL Red Horse Main Event [Day 2] | Mar 1 | ¥2,026 | ¥25,000,000 |
Tournament Formats for Every Player
The series includes multiple tournament structures:
- Bounty Tournaments: Progressive and Big Bounty formats with knockout prizes
- Mystery Bounty: Two massive mystery bounty events with ¥10M and ¥6M guarantees
- Deep Stack: Extended blind levels for strategic play
- Turbo & Hyper: Fast-paced action for quick sessions
- 6-Max: Shorter tables for aggressive players
- 2-Day Events: Multi-flight championships with Day 2 finals
Why Play This Series
Massive Value: ¥250 million guaranteed makes this the biggest Lunar New Year poker festival ever hosted online. GGPoker’s huge traffic ensures full prize pools.
Free Money: Red Envelope drops add up to ¥5 million in extra cash rewards on top of tournament prizes. No extra buy-in needed.
Flexible Schedule: 27 events spread across three weeks means you can play around your schedule. Daily tournaments start at 13:00 UTC.
Collectible Rewards: Exclusive Zodiac avatars make this series memorable beyond just prize money. These limited badges prove you were part of poker history.
Sign Up to GGPoker with VIPGRINDERS
Don’t miss the APL Lunar New Year Series. Sign up to GGPoker and choose between two welcome offers:
- 100% deposit bonus up to $600 – Released in $1 increments as you generate $5 in rake
- $100 in free play rewards – Including $52.50 in All-In or Fold tickets and up to $47.50 in Cash Game Dollars
Both bonuses require a minimum deposit of $20. Use bonus code VIPGRINDERS to unlock exclusive perks:
- Up to 80% rakeback through the Ocean Rewards loyalty program
- Honeymoon for Newcomers – Up to $350 in rewards over your first 30 days
- Daily Freebie – Free tournament tickets every day (up to $2.50/week)
- Exclusive $250 monthly freerolls – Two VIP-Grinders private tournaments worth $500 total
