Controversial poker player Ren Lin, who was involved in an RTA scandal in late 2025, has won a pair of high rollers at the Asian Poker Tour Jeju in the first week of the series. Lin won about $600,000 combined in just three days of play.
Recent controversy
Ren Lin was disqualified from Day 2 of the WSOP Super Circuit Main Event in Cyprus. World Series of Poker Tournament Director Andy Tillman made the decision after sufficient evidence was provided that proved Lin provided real-time assistance to a player only known as RealOA on GGPoker, who was competing at the $10,300 GGMillion$ final table on October 14.
Lin issued a multi-page apology, was banned indefinitely, and saw his GGPoker ambassadorship immediately come to an end. The ban was lifted at WSOP Paradise a few weeks later, much to the chagrin of the poker public. He was then named the newest WPT Global Ambassador last month, a decision which caused legendary podcasting duo Dara O’Kearney and David Lappin to terminate their WPT Global contracts.
APT Jeju Classic 2026 Super High Roller
Lin topped the 115-entry field (75 unique players) in the APT Jeju Classic 2026 Super High Roller, which created a massive KRW 1,589,587,500 ($1,103,880) prize pool, the largest-ever APT Super High Roller on Korean soil.
Despite having just two big blinds in three-handed play, Lin emerged victorious, claiming the KRW 396,317,500 ($275,220) top prize over Ryuta Nakai and Quang Dinh Ho.
“When we were down to three players, I only had about two big blinds left,” Lin told Somuchpoker.
“Someone shoved all in on me, and I looked down at seven-deuce suited. Mathematically, it was supposed to be a call, but I felt that waiting for a better spot where I was actually ahead made more sense. I folded, and after that, it felt like everything started going my way.
“My life has gone through a lot of highs and lows. I’ve hit rock bottom many times, but I bounce back quickly. No matter how difficult things feel, I sleep on it, and the next day I’m full of positive energy again.”
APT Jeju Classic 2026 Super High Roller final table payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Approx. Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ren Lin | China | 396,317,500 | $275,220 |
| 2 | Ryuta Nakai | Japan | 267,780,000 | $185,960 |
| 3 | Quang Dinh Ho | Vietnam | 174,060,000 | $120,875 |
| 4 | Khoa Anh Ngo | Vietnam | 144,130,000 | $100,090 |
| 5 | Guoliang Wei | China | 116,250,000 | $80,730 |
| 6 | Ryan Plant | Ireland | 91,680,000 | $63,670 |
| 7 | Yosuke Miki | Japan | 70,100,000 | $48,680 |
| 8 | Kento Nasu | Japan | 52,770,000 | $36,645 |
| 9 | Paulius Plausinaitis | Lithuania | 39,380,000 | $27,350 |
SPT Jeju Classic 2026 Superstars Challenge
The very next day, the SPT Jeju Classic 2026 Superstars Challenge, roughly a $25,000 buy-in (KRW 35,000,000), attracted 49 runners. 16 players bagged, including Lin, who found himself with the chip lead.
There were many familiar faces on the final table, including Paulius Plausinaitis, Ryuta Nakai, Khoa Anh Ngo, who had all made the final table in the Super High Roller, as well as legendary 2010 WSOP Main Event final tablist Joseph Cheong.
However, it would be Lin to do the famous double, securing an additional $323,100.
SPT Jeju Classic 2026 Superstars Challenge final table payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Approx. Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ren Lin | China | 465,270,000 | $323,100 |
| 2 | Quang Minh Nguyen | Vietnam | 342,920,000 | $238,140 |
| 3 | Fendy Kosasih | Indonesia | 229,420,000 | $159,320 |
| 4 | Khoa Anh Ngo | Vietnam | 173,070,000 | $120,190 |
| 5 | Lester Edoc | Philippines | 123,160,000 | $85,530 |
| 6 | Paulius Plausinaitis | Lithuania | 91,770,000 | $63,730 |
| 7 | Joseph Cheong | United States | 73,250,000 | $50,870 |
| 8 | Huu Dung Nguyen | Vietnam | 59,570,000 | $41,370 |
| 9 | Ryuta Nakai | Japan | 51,520,000 | $35,780 |
Ren Lin chasing Chinese glory
Ren Lin has been red-hot to start 2026, having also won The King’s Main Event in Jeju last month, a $15,000 buy-in tournament, for $600,700.
With his second and third wins of the year, his lifetime live tournament earnings have ballooned to just over $18 million. This is third on China’s all-time money list, just behind Biao Ding ($19.7 million) and Aaron Shu Nu Zang ($21.9 million).
Considering the volume and stakes that Lin plays, we wouldn’t be surprised if he tops China’s all-time money list by the end of 2026.
