Li Tao Takes Command Of Main Event Flight A; Eng Loong Choi Seizes Coveted Gold Gauntlet

On December 8, 2025, Day 4 of the Gods Of Poker dawned at LES A Casino in Jeju, South Korea bringing the much-anticipated Eden Awakens - Main Event into the spotlight. With a bold KR₩ 1,000,000,000 (∼USD 700,000) guarantee on the line and the Cronus Structure in full effect, players experienced the brand's signature format at its deepest level.

Adding to the day’s excitement was the arrival of the magnificent GOP Gauntlet Trophies. Two of them have already been claimed with Malaysia’s Eng Loong Choi as the latest, hoisting the gold after conquering the Super High Roller event. 

Those stories and more are highlighted below. 

Li Tao Sets The Bar High At Flight A

Li Tao - Main Event Flight A chip leader

The first of four Main Event flights got underway at 12:30 PM, starting with two deep 120-minute levels. Across the four-hour registration window, 98 entered hoping for an early chance at qualifying into the money round.

• Buy-in: KR₩ 2,000,000 (∼USD 1,360)
• Guarantee: KR₩ 1,000,000,000 (∼USD 700,000)
• Flight A: 98 entries

Event Recap

After registration closed, the pace quickened with blinds shifting to 40-minute levels. As the bubble approached, Li Tao held a commanding lead with more than a million in chips, while Brian Green, at the same table, mounted a chase. 

Both players met on a board of 8 ♠️ 10 ♦️ 10 ♥️, where Green burned through four time-banks before ultimately folding to Tao’s check-raise and asking Tao,

“You really have a ten? You won't be bluffing me.”  

Still unable to let go, Green said he had pocket jacks. Tao eventually said he had kings. 

Cheng Li

At a separate table, Cheng Li stormed up the counts on a cooler with Q ♣️ J ♣️ flush dominating Yunfeng Wang's 9 ♣️ 8 ♣️ flush on a board K ♦️ 10 ♣️ A ♣️ 7 ♠️ 3 ♣️ to momentarily steal the top spot.

Andy Kok

Also making a bid for the chip lead was Andy Kok who first doubled up through Jeorge Lagatuz with A ♠️ 5 ♠️ two pair over Ace-Jack on a board of 10 ♠️ Q ♥️ A ♦️ 5 ♣️ 8 ♣️. Then took the lead after knocking out Lagatuz and Yankai Zhang simultaneously with his set of queens dusting their pairs. 

With the field just two spots from bagging time, Tao slayed Tao Wei Chang with Q ♦️ Q ♥️ dominating A ♦️ Q ♠️ that missed the board, then delivered the bubble on a lucky turn against John Tech. 

John Tech

Tech was all-in preflop with K ♥️ Q ♠️ and Tao called holding 9 ♥️ 8 ♥️. The flop of 9 ♠️ Q ♣️ 10 ♦️ swung the odds heavily in Tech’s favor, giving him nearly 80 percent to survive, but the shocking 9 ♣️ on fourth street turned the tide completely. The river 2 ♠️ sealed Tech's fate. 

With Tao finishing Main Event Flight A as chip leader, he won a free ticket to the 2026 GOP Taipei - Titan Assembly Main Event courtesy of GOP partner iPoker. 

Flight A blinds paused at 10K-20K ante 20K. The 14 survivors have several days off before returning for Day 2 on December 12, 2025 at 12:45 PM. 

For all of the Flight A details, click here.

Next up is Main Event Flight B which kicks off at 12:30 PM on December 9. The first two levels will see blinds running at 90 minutes each then a faster 30 minutes after registration closes at 4:00 PM. 

For all of the Flight B details, click here. 

If you miss that window, Flight C kicks off in the evening starting at 6:00 PM. This flight offers the fastest structure with the first two levels running at 60 minutes each then drops to 20 minutes once registration closes at 8:15 PM. 

For all of the Flight C details, click here. 

Eng Loong Choi Seizes Gold Gauntlet At Super High Roller

Super High Roller champion: Eng Loong Choi

An elite lineup of 38 high rollers put up the KR₩ 10,000,000 (∼USD 6,800) buy-in to chase one of the festival’s premier titles, Event #19: Super High Roller. Only seven players returned on the final day, each with their sights set on the gold and the largest cut of the KR₩ 342,798,000 (∼USD 233,000) prize pool. 

In just under four hours of play, Malaysia’s Eng Loong Choi brought lightning down on the felt to ascend to the throne and raise the mighty Gold Gauntlet. In a post-win interview, Choi shared with GOP host, Erica Tsang, 

“Now I can enter the next event! This win doesn't feel different from the others but it is a super high roller so the title is better. Also the trophy is really cool!” 

Choi came from behind to defeat China's Hong Jun Zhao to seize the victory and walk away with an ICM payout deal of KR₩ 96,760,000 (∼USD 65,800). Zhao also fared well, earning the larger cut of KR₩ 99,060,000 (∼USD 67,400). 

Super High Roller - Results

• Buy-in: KR₩ 10,000,000 (∼USD 6,800)
• Guarantee: KR₩ 150,000,000 (∼USD 102,000)
• Entries: 38
• Prize pool: KR₩ 342,798,000 (∼USD 233,000)
• ITM: 7 players

Event Recap

Super High Roller - Finalists

The final day opened with Xiaosheng Zheng leading the way. Just minutes into the opening buzzer, the poker gods shined on Rudy Edenata, saving him from near elimination with Ace-Six surviving against Meng Ling Lin’s Ace-Queen. Fortune continued to pour on Edenata, adding in more chips by eliminating Wenchao Liu in 7th place. 

Rudy Edenata

In a near carbon copy of their earlier clash, it was all-in again however this time Lin was at risk with Ace-Six while Edenata had the Ace–Queen. After some  laughs when the cards were revealed, it was back to business. No bad beats landed to end Lin's run in 6th place. 

At five-handed, Demigods Challenge champion, Seunghyun Michael Nam, was denied his second gauntlet after losing a flip against Zhao that plunged him to six big blinds and eventually out in 5th place. 

Hong Jun Zhao

Zhao culled the field further, knocking out Edenata in 4th place, to emerge as the massive chip leader at three-handed. 

It was at this stage that Choi seized momentum, climbing from the shortest stack of just 25 big blinds to securing two major pots - the biggest being a full double through Zheng. 

Xiaosheng Zheng

It was a pivotal “make-or-break” hand. Choi five-bet shoved with A ♥️ J ♣️ and won the flip against Zheng’s 9 ♦️ 9 ♠️ on a board of A ♦️ A ♠️ 8 ♣️ 6 ♠️ 8 ♠️. Down to crumbs Zheng fell in 3rd place to Zhao. 

The final two players quickly struck an ICM deal that guaranteed Zhao the larger cut for his bigger stack. Play resumed with a portion of the pot along with the Gold Gauntlet at stake. 

Nine hands in, Choi doubled up with A ♥️ 9 ♦️ over A ♦️ 5 ♥️ sending Zhao down to just two big blinds. Two deals later, it was all over. Choi emerged as the first GOP Super High Roller titan.

Mike Takayama Comes From Behind To Win Titan Stack

Titan Stack champion: Mike Takayama and friends

With an excited and supportive rail cheering him on, and some luck as well on his side, Filipino star player Mike Takayama emerged victorious at Event #17: Titan Stack to win the Silver Spartan trophy and a payout of KR₩ 35,770,000 (∼USD 24,250). 

The two-day event opened with 170 entries across three flights with 25 players advancing to the Final Day, each one guaranteed a piece of the KR₩ 150,000,000 (∼USD 102,000) prize pool. 

• Buy-in: KR₩ 900,000 (∼USD 610)
• Guarantee: KR₩ 150,000,000 (∼USD 102,000)
• Entries: 170
• Prize pool: KR₩ 150,000,000 (∼USD 102,000)
• ITM: 25 players

Titan Stack - Final Table

Entering the final day as top two were Yosuke Sekiya and Shung Er Sua, both players stayed the course to reach the final table. Sua finished in 8th place while Sekiya exited in 5th place. 

Picking up the action at four-handed, Jianfeng Sun dominated with over half of the chips in play at his disposal. However, his continued aggression finally cost him when Alan King Lun Lau took a stand on the big blind to secure a double up with 6 ♥️ 6 ♣️ over Q ♣️ 7 ♠️ that bricked.

Alan King Lun Lau

With plenty of luck, Takayama also shaved down Sun. He was all-in on a flop of 5 ♠️ 9 ♥️ K ♠️ with K ♣️ 4 ♦️ behind Sun's K ♥️ 10 ♠️. Takayama had an incredibly slim chance to win to turn it around with only a nine percent chance to win. A shocking 4 ♥️ landed on the turn for a double up after the 8 ♣️ river. 

As his rail celebrated, Takayama's luck continued with Ace-Two outdrawing Patrick Liang's Ace-Jack on a board of 4-A-2-A-8.

Jianfeng Sun

Down to three players, big pots swung from player to player to give Sun back the lead on a double up through Takayama with pocket Fives over Ace-Jack. Takayama returned the whip, with his own pocket Fives dusting Sun's King-Ten top pair on a board of 10 ♠️ 4 ♣️ 7 ♦️ 6 ♥️ 3 ♥️. 

Takayama's rail erupted again giving him momentum to eventually knock out Lau with A ♥️ J ♦️ over K ♦️ Q ♥️ to enter heads up on a 5:1 chip advantage. 

It only took two hands for Takayama to ship the rest. On the first hand, he called Sun's river bet with 10 ♥️ 3 ♦️ ten-high and it stood on a board Q ♠️ 9 ♠️ 8 ♥️ Q ♥️ A ♣️ with Sun showing 6 ♠️ 2 ♠️ to play the board. 

Sun's final hand was Jack-Seven offsuit that missed completely for Takayama's King-Two earning him the victory. 

Side Event Champions

Another batch of side event winners also reached the podium at Day 4 with six players snatching Shield trophies, one player lifting a Gold Spartan, and at the ladies, the Aphrodite's Mirror claimed by Yanqing Wang. 

Second Series Winners

Seunghyun Michael Nam

After falling in fifth place at the Super High Roller, Seugnhyun Michael Nam entered the Single Day High Roller - Mystery Bounty and won the whole shebang among the six entries. For his win, he collected a payout of KR₩ 22,291,200 (~USD 15,100) and a Gold Spartan to add to his Black Gauntlet. 

Yang Lu

On Day 3, China's Yang Lu won a Shield at the NL Single Draw Lowball Mix A-5, 2-7 Turbo, today, he matched up with another Shield at the PL Omaha Double Board Bomb Pot - Titan Stack. 

The event drew 17 entries for a prize pool of KR₩ 12,484,800 (~USD 8,460). The top three divvied it up with Arjun Agrawal finishing in 3rd place for KR₩ 2,500,000 and Yuri Ishida denied her second title / first shield in 2nd place. She settled for a payout of KR₩ 3,750,000 instead. 

Other winners: 

• Yu Ning Cheng - Titan Stack Turbo
• Yanqing Wang - Aphrodite's Event
• Daniil Shalaev - 5-Card PL Omaha Double Board Bomb Pot Turbo
• Shimizu Kohichi - Hyper Turbo
• Long Jin - Hyper Turbo High Roller

For the complete list of Day 4 winners, click here.

GOP Jeju Main Event Schedule

Main Event Gauntlet

The Gods of Poker Jeju crown jewel Main Event is underway featuring a KR₩ 1 Billion (~USD 700,000) guaranteed prize pool. This is the crucible of the series where the last player standing will raise the lone Black-and-Gold Gauntlet and be honored as the first-ever Gods Of Poker titan. 

Running from December 8 to 13, players have four starting flights to choose from with registration closing at the end of Level 2. Flight A has already completed with 14 players into Day 2 out of 98 entries. 

• Buy-in: KR₩ 2,000,000 (~USD 1,360)
• Guarantee: KR₩ 1,000,000,000 (~USD 700,000)
• Starting stack: 120,000 (120 big blinds)

Main Event Schedule & Info

• Flight A: completed
  Results: 98 entries / 14 ITM
• Flight B: December 9 at 12:30 PM
  Blinds: 90 minutes / 30 minutes
  Registration: closes at 4:00 PM
• Flight C: December 9 at 6:00 PM
  Blinds: 60 minutes / 20 minutes
  Registration: closes at 8:15 PM
• Flight D (Day 1): December 10 at 2:00 PM
  Blinds: 240 minutes
• Flight D (Day 2): December 11 at 12:30 PM 
  Blinds: 60 minutes
  Registration: closes at 12:30 PM
• Day 2: December 12 at 12:45 PM
  Blinds: 60 minutes
• Final Day: December 13 at 12:45 PM
  Blinds: 60 minutes

All entry flights play to ITM / 13.5 percent of the field. Day 2 plays down to the Final 18 players or Final 9, depending on the number of entries. 

For the full structure and details, click here.

Exclusive Rewards for iPoker Ticket Winners

iPoker promos for its Main Event ticket winners. 

• Finish in the Top 3 of the Main Event while bearing the iPoker patch at the final table and receive an extra 10% on your posted prize.
• Main Event Bubble Protection: iPoker-qualified players who are seated BEFORE the start of any Main Event flight while wearing the iPoker patch will have bubble protection. In the event that a bubble protected player falls on the bubble, that player will receive their buy-in back in GOP tournament credits.
• Enjoy a special welcome gift exclusively for iPoker-qualified players.

GOP Player of The Series

GOP Player of the Series crown

With four days of games now in the books, the GOP Player of the Series race continues to heat up. The top two has not changed while Mike Takayama and Jianfeng Sun have slid into 3rd and 4th positions respectively.. 

Listed below are the Top 5 players in points after four days of games:

To be in contention for the lone GOP Crown Trophy, players need to accrue the most number of points throughout the series to be hailed as the ultimate festival warrior. Along with the trophy, the POS winner will receive USD 1,500 in GOP Tournament Credits.

For second place, USD 1,000 in tournament credits will be awarded and for third place, $500 in tournament credits. 

For all of the GOP Player of the Series Leaderboard and Information, click here.

Fast Track To Eden Awakens

To enter the gates of Eden Awakens without having to wait in line, players are encouraged to complete the Les A Casino membership pre-registration in advance. Simply scan the QR code below to register before arrival and enjoy faster entry once you reach Jeju.

Links:

Eden Awakens - Complete Player Guide
Eden Awakens - Schedule
GOP Eden Awakens - Photo Gallery