Japan continued its strong run at WPT Seoul 2026, with Shotaro Kobayashi adding another trophy to the country's growing collection after taking down the Deepstack High Roller at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort. Kobayashi outlasted a field of 44 entries to claim the title and top prize of KRW 34,840,000 (~USD 26,000), emerging from a competitive lineup of high roller regulars to secure his first-ever World Poker Tour cash and, more importantly, his first WPT trophy. The tournament generated a total prize pool of KRW 105,600,000 (~USD 78,600), attracting players looking to add another major result to their records during the Seoul festival. Kobayashi's path to the trophy included a heads-up battle against fellow Japanese player Nobuhiko Yamaguchi. He also came out ahead of Tomohiro Kamikawa, who was among the contenders in the tournament's closing stages. While Japan has already enjoyed plenty of success throughout the festival, Kobayashi's victory was a personal milestone. His first WPT cash came with the biggest reward of the tournament and a trophy to mark the occasion. With the Deepstack High Roller title secured, Kobayashi now joins the list of Japanese players making their mark at WPT Seoul 2026. Place Name Country / Region Payout 1 Shotaro Kobayashi Japan 34,840,000 2 Nobuhiko Yamaguchi Japan 22,180,000 3 Tomohiro Kamikawa Japan 14,790,000 4 Ravn Teo Singapore 11,610,000 5 Yoshimasa Koike Japan. 8,450,000 6 Jiung Yeom USA 7,390,000 7 Taku Okumura Japan 6,340,000
