TLPT Jeju 2026 LES A Casino Opens, Series Guarantees $8 Million Total Prize Pool
The Lord Poker Tournament (TLPT), an emerging live poker tour originating from Australia, will hold its 2026 Jeju Festival from May 15th to 25th for 11 days at the LES A Casino in Jeju Shinhwa World. The series guarantees a total prize pool of approximately $8 million (about 11 billion KRW). The Circuit Main Event features a buy-in of $1,000 with a guaranteed prize pool of $1.5 million (about 2 billion KRW), and the Super High Roller Main Event has a buy-in of $15,000 with a guaranteed prize pool of $3 million (about 4.1 billion KRW).
TLPT is a tournament brand that started in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia, and Jeju marks its first stage of full-scale global expansion. The festival will run concurrently on two tracks. The Circuit Series, starting with buy-ins around $500, targets recreational players and mid-level grinders, while the Super High Roller Series will attract top global pros with buy-ins ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. This is a "two series under one roof" structure, where players from two different demographics compete simultaneously in the same casino.
The first event on May 15th at 2 PM is a "Team Event," which is uncommon in other festivals. Six players representing the same city or country form a team and compete, with each player seated at a different table, creating six opportunities to earn points. The buy-in is $4,200 per person (about 6.6 million KRW), with a starting stack of 100,000 chips and 25-minute blind levels. This format combines national and regional pride, making it ideal for group grinders or regional poker community teams.
In the previous year, 2025 TLPT Jeju, American pro Stephen Song dominated. Song took home $750,000 by winning the $15,000 Super High Roller Main Event with 191 participants. A few days later, he secured an additional $204,000 in Event #11, the $20,000 NLHE, creating a strong "Player of the Year" momentum. The final table featured global powerhouses like James Mendoza, Marius Gierse, Martin Nielsen, and Patrick Demeusy, proving the competitive intensity of the Super High Roller track. The 2026 edition has increased guaranteed prize pools, with the Circuit Main at $1.5 million and the Super High Roller Main at $3 million, elevating the scale of both tracks compared to the previous year.
The venue, LES A Casino (formerly Landing Casino), is a foreigner-only casino located within the Jeju Shinhwa World Resort. It adheres to international standards, including Big Blind Ante and deep stack structures. In addition to No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha and Short Deck events are included in the lineup. Entry is restricted to foreign nationals aged 19 and above. Korean permanent residents require separate proof of residency.
TLPT Jeju 2026 holds significance in two ways. Firstly, Jeju is at a turning point for the Korean live poker scene, simultaneously hosting the conclusion of Poker Dream 22 (May 1-10), the opening of TLPT Jeju (May 15th), and the opening of the Incheon GOP Festival on the same day. Around the same time, USOP Ha Long Bay opens in Vietnam on May 19th, and the Triton Super High Roller Series is underway in Montenegro. Secondly, as a new tour originating from Australia attempts a full-scale Asian expansion, the success of TLPT Jeju will be a test case to determine if TLPT can establish itself as a regular Asian tour in the next 2-3 years. The final day, when the Main Event champion is decided, is May 25th.
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