The last time the Asian Poker Tour visited the South Korean island of Jeju, earlier this year, the result was the largest international poker tournament ever held in the country.
The APT Jeju Classic 2026 Main Event drew a huge 1,718 entries and created a prizepool of over $2.3M. But that was just one event in a packed schedule, and just one part of the story.
Zoom out a little, and you’ll see a multi-record-breaking series that saw more than 1,200 unique players from 44 different countries come together in Korea for 99 different trophy events.
The APT — sponsored by Natural8 — is returning to Jeju, September 25 to October 7, and true to form it will not merely be resting on its laurels or trading on past success.
Instead, it will be upping the ante.
136 different trophy events are on the schedule — full details of which have just become available — and the series has been extended for a further three days, past the originally scheduled end date of October 4.
Mind sports and mixed games return
Following on from their successful launch in Taipei, combined poker/mind sports events will be held with chess/poker and go/poker tournaments rewarding those who excel at multiple mental disciplines.
Two heads-up events are also on the schedule, including a Womens event — one of 11 different women-only poker tournaments taking place in Jeju.
And while the majority of the scheduled tournaments will be played as no–limit hold’em events, the APT’s traditional love of mixed games will be very much in evidence.
Here’s how the schedule breaks down in numbers:
- 90: the number of hold’em events
- 21: Omaha tournaments
- 17: stud and mixed game events
- 11: dedicated women’s events
- 8: draw poker events
- 2: combined mind sports/poker tournaments
- 2: heads-up tournaments
More APT Championship seats to be given away
Another number worth taking note of is 12: the number of seats to the APT Championship Main Event that will be awarded during the APT Jeju series.
Each is worth $10,000, and will get you a seat in the huge $5M GTD freezeout taking place at the APT’s end-of-season celebration in Taipei this November.
Five will be awarded in the APT Jeju Main Event — three to the top finishers and two in prize draws on Days 3 and 4 of the tournament — with more given out to winners of various other events, including the Mini Main Event and the Zodiac Classic.
As well as the APT Championship seats, APT Jeju will award a minimum of $3.5 million in guaranteed prizepools.
The action, in partnership with Landing Entertainment Korea, takes place at the LES A Casino in Jeju Shinhwa World, on the island of Jeju from September 25 to October 7.
Visit the APT website for the full tournament schedule.
Before Jeju, however, the APT will be descending on Incheon in Korea for another huge festival of poker this August. Check the article below for more.
