The Red Dragon Poker Championship roared to life on May 1, offering a massive ₩2 billion (≈ USD 1.38 million) guaranteed prize pool.
The prestigious event is being held at Landing Casino, inside the luxurious Jeju Shinhwa World Resort.
Since the Red Dragon Poker Tour first announced this stop, anticipation has been sky-high. Over the past few days, hundreds of players have already arrived in Jeju, many taking part in the “Baby Dragon” event as a warm-up for what is expected to be a record-breaking Main Event.
Among the star-studded field already spotted at the venue are several WSOP bracelet winners, including Xixiang Luo, Weiran Pu, and Martin Nielsen, as well as notable contenders Lei Zhang, Yuhang Chen, Patrik Demus, and Christian Harder, who recently impressed at the Korea Poker Cup.
Red Dragon Poker Championship (Red Dragon Championship)
For those new to the event, the Red Dragon Poker Championship has quickly become one of the most popular and prestigious tournaments in the Asian poker circuit, drawing massive participation each year.
It is especially favored by Chinese players, who consistently make up a large portion of the field.
In last year’s edition (2024), the event attracted 1,337 entries, generating a massive ₩2.56 billion (≈ USD 1.875 million) prize pool.
With the growing excitement surrounding the festival, organizers have raised this year’s guarantee to a record-high level.
💎 Event Highlight: Deep Stack Structure
One of the biggest draws of the Red Dragon Championship is its deep stack format, offering players more room for strategic play.
-
Starting Stack: 50,000
-
Equivalent to 250 big blinds at the start — providing ample space for creativity and post-flop maneuvering.
The tournament features four Day 1 starting flights, with late registration open until the end of Level 9.
Blind levels are structured as follows:
-
Regular Flights: 40-minute levels
-
Turbo Flight: 30-minute levels
🗓️ Red Dragon Poker Championship Schedule
-
-
Dates: May 4–9, 2025
-
Buy-in: KR₩ 2,500,000 (≈ USD 1,725)
-
Guaranteed Prize Pool: KR₩ 2,000,000,000 (≈ USD 1,382,420)
-
|
Date |
Stage |
Details |
|---|---|---|
|
May 4 (Sun) |
Day 1A |
Regular Flight |
|
May 5 (Mon) |
Day 1B |
Regular Flight |
|
May 6 (Tue) |
Day 1C |
Regular Flight |
|
May 6 (Tue) |
Day 1D (Turbo) |
Turbo Flight |
|
May 7 (Wed) |
Day 2 |
All remaining players combine |
|
May 8 (Thu) |
Day 3 |
Semifinal stage |
|
May 9 (Fri) |
Final Day |
Final table |
Hu Chao Captures Baby Dragon Title, Eyes the Red Dragon Main Event
All eyes are now on Chao Hu, who has quickly emerged as one of the headline players to watch at the Red Dragon Poker Championship.
Hu triumphed over a field of 330 entries to claim victory in the Baby Dragon event, earning the coveted Baby Dragon Champion’s Trophy and donning the prestigious Red Dragon Champion’s Jacket — a symbol of excellence within the series.
With this impressive win, Hu Chao has firmly established himself as one of the standout contenders heading into the Main Event.
🏆 Other Side Event Champions – RDPT 2025 Results
Beyond the Main and Baby Dragon events, the Red Dragon Poker Tour (RDPT) 2025 has already crowned several champions across its side events —
with standout performances from Chinese players Mi Deng and Zehao Li, both of whom have achieved double titles in this series.
Mi Deng
-
🏆 Champion – Hyper Turbo Opening Event
-
🏆 Champion – Megastack Classic
Zehao Li
-
🏆 Champion – Big Bounty Turbo
-
🏆 Champion – NL 2-7 Single Draw Limit
Meanwhile, the highest-paying side event title so far went to Tianhao Wan (China),
who dominated a field of 85 entries to win the Big Bounty event, securing one of the festival’s biggest side prizes.
✈️ Travel Tips & Free Airport Shuttle Info
📍 Getting to Jeju Made Easy
Jeju is one of Asia’s most popular travel destinations, easily accessible with direct flights from major Asian cities.
As a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, Jeju offers visa-free entry for travelers from many countries.
However, players are reminded to double-check visa requirements —
while direct arrivals to Jeju Island are typically visa-free,
those transiting through mainland Korea may need a valid Korean entry visa,
as such flights are treated as domestic segments upon arrival.
🏨 Recommended Stay: Jeju Shinhwa World Resort
The best accommodation option during the tournament is undoubtedly the Jeju Shinhwa World Resort,
which also serves as the official tournament venue.
The resort features three five-star hotels, all within walking distance of the Landing Casino:
-
Landing Hotel
-
Shinhwa Hotel
-
Marriott Resort
These hotels provide the perfect balance of luxury, comfort, and convenience, ensuring players can focus on the action while enjoying a premium stay experience on Jeju Island.
Red Dragon Poker APP Officially Launched
The long-established tournament brand Red Dragon Cup has now released its own app — “Red Dragon Poker.”
The Red Dragon Cup is a well-known Asian poker brand with a strong reputation across the region. Originating in Macau, it quickly became one of the most influential poker events in Asia. Red Dragon Poker tournaments regularly attract players from all over the world, offering massive fields and impressive prize pools.
For those interested, we highly recommend downloading the “Red Dragon Poker” app to join more exciting tournaments.