Michel Molenaar Wins Second KPC Poker October Series Title in Three Days
Michel Molenaar earned $140,000 in the 10-entry $25,000 Single Day Super High Roller in Jeju.
- Event #57 drew 10 entries and paid only Molenaar and runner-up Mehdi Chaoui.
- Molenaar took a 2.1 million to 895,000 chip lead into heads-up play.
- Pocket fours made a full house on the river of the final hand against Chaoui’s ace-deuce.
- Molenaar had won the $15,000 Event #41 for $168,400 on Oct. 15.
Michel Molenaar captured his second KPC Poker October Series trophy in three days on Sunday, winning Event #57, the $25,000 Single Day Super High Roller, for $140,000 at LES A Casino in Jeju, South Korea.
The one-day event drew 10 entries and produced a $234,000 prize pool, with only two players paid. Mehdi Chaoui collected $94,000 as runner-up, while Vladas Tamasauskas finished third on the money bubble.
Molenaar began heads-up play with 2.1 million chips to Chaoui’s 895,000, a lead of more than 2:1. Chaoui did not recover from that deficit.
The final hand saw Molenaar move all in with pocket fours and Chaoui call with ace-deuce. The board ran 7♦ J♣ 3♠ 4♥ 3♦, giving Molenaar a set on the turn before the river paired the board to make his full house and secure the title.
The win followed Molenaar’s victory in Event #41, the $15,000 King’s Single Day High Roller Turbo, on Oct. 15. That tournament attracted 34 entries for a $477,400 prize pool, and Molenaar beat Nevan Chang heads-up to earn $168,400.
Molenaar had also opened his Jeju run with a second-place finish in the $5,000 KPC King’s Debut, worth $150,000. He praised the service and staff at the stop, saying players were treated like VIPs rather than “customer number 700,” and said strong Chinese player participation helped create attractive prize pools and a good table atmosphere.
The 2026 KPC Poker Series runs through Oct. 21 at Les A in Jeju, with organizers having announced a KRW 3.1 billion guaranteed prize pool for the festival.
