Day 2 of the KPC x LPT Series 2026 Main Event delivered exactly the kind of field we’ve come to expect at this KPC event in 2026. And the final table, now underway, is a fierce line-up, with none other than Ren “Tony” Lin in the mix, hot on everyone’s lips at the moment with his controversial WPT Ambassador appointment.
How the King Cup Day 2 Actually Played Out (Beyond the Chip Counts)
Day 2 of the King’s Main Event at the King Poker Cup 2026 concluded at LES A Casino in Jeju, South Korea, with the field reduced from 50 returning players down to the final eight after ten levels of play.
The event attracted 191 total entries, generating a USD 2,681,700 prize pool, with USD 600,700 set aside for the eventual champion. All remaining players have secured a minimum payout of USD 68,000.
At the end of Level 22 (150,000 / 300,000, ante 300,000), Ren Lin (China) finished Day 2 as the chip leader with 19,825,000 chips, equivalent to 66 big blinds, heading into the final day.
Key Eliminations and Hands from the King Cup Day 2
Seunghyun Nam moved into contention late in the day after eliminating Yuhan Liu. Nam shoved the river holding A♠8♠, and Liu called with A♣5♣. Nam’s kicker played, sending Liu to the rail and boosting Nam into second place overall.
Zengxiang Chen Eliminates Tsz Kin Heung (10th Place)
China’s Zengxiang Chen climbed to over 13 million chips by eliminating Tsz Kin Heung in tenth place late in the session, positioning himself third on the leaderboard going into the final day.
Takumi Odani Bluff vs Christopher Park
With 31 players remaining, Takumi Odani ran a multi-street bluff against Christopher Park shortly before a scheduled break. Odani check-raised the flop, bet the turn, and shoved the river.
Park used six time-bank cards before folding. Odani revealed ten-high, confirming the bluff and collecting a sizable pot that helped keep him afloat deep into Day 2.
Trung Hieu Nguyen River Bluff vs Quang Minh Nguyen
In another notable hand, Trung Hieu Nguyen shoved the river against Quang Minh Nguyen. After a prolonged decision, Quang Minh Nguyen folded, and Trung Hieu Nguyen showed four-high, successfully executing a river bluff against his countryman.
Wanpeng Lim Eliminated (Stone Bubble)
Wanpeng Lim four-bet shoved with pocket tens, running into Trung Hieu Nguyen’s pocket queens. The board offered no help, ending Lim’s run just before the stone bubble.
Nan Zhang Eliminated on the Money Bubble
The official bubble burst when Nan Zhang was eliminated in a three-way all-in pot against Lei Yu and Trung Hieu Nguyen.
- Nguyen shoved 9♠6♠
- Zhang called with A♠J♦ for 325,000
- Yu called with A♣K♠ for 425,000
A king on the board secured the pot for Yu, sending Zhang out as the bubble boy.
Calvin Lee Eliminated in 9th Place (USD 58,000)
Calvin Lee (USA) was eliminated in ninth place to end Day 2. Lee shoved pocket jacks from under the gun and was called by Abraham Ceesvin on the button holding pocket aces.
The board ran out clean, confirming Lee’s elimination and setting the official final table.
Tony Lin’s Position Heading Into Final Day
Tony Lin enters the final day as the chip leader with a commanding stack and extensive live tournament experience. With over USD 16.8 million in recorded live earnings, Lin ranks third on China’s All-Time Money List and inside the global top 100.
This deep run also comes amid broader attention on Lin following recent discussion around his role as WPT Global Ambassador, making his performance here closely watched within the industry.
