Inaugural USOP: Poker2U Taiwan Series pays out massive $1.6M; next stop Hanoi, Vietnam over $1 Million in guarantees
The first ever U Series of Poker live festival sponsored by Poker2U concluded its ten-day run at the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP Club) in Taipei City, Taiwan. Running from February 10 to 19, 2023, the event was a roaring success with players from around the world converging to be take part in the inaugural series. At the close, records were broken, guarantees were shattered, and a grand prize pool of TWD 48,718,400 (~$1,6065,700) was amassed across 23 tournaments. Here are the highlights.
Festival review
Grand prize pool: TWD 48,718,400 (~$1,6065,700)
Entries: 3,802
Record breaker: Main Event – 1,043 entries
Main Event prize pool: TWD 18,210,800 (~$600,200)
Main Event champion: Edwin Dela Cruz “Hit D Heat” – TWD 3,060,000 (~$100,800)
Multi-champions: Ching Chia Wang (2), Zong Chi He (2)
Trophy winners: Taiwan (15), Malaysia (3), Philippines (2), Hong Kong (1), USA (1), Belgium (1)
Up next, the USOP heads to Hanoi, Vietnam featuring ₫25 Billion, that’s over one million US dollars in guarantees. This is the richest Vietnam guarantee ever announced. Games take place at the Crown Poker Club. The event runs from April 14 to 24, 2023. Mark your calendars!
During the official ceremony and ribbon cutting of the inaugural USOP live series on February 15, 2023, USOP’s Alex Wong delivered a short speech,
“Thank you for all the support! We will be hosting the next event in Hanoi, Vietnam. That will happen on April 14 to 24. I hope to see all of you guys there and bring along your friends!”
Festival winners
Champion | 姓名 | Flag | Tournament | Entries | Prize Pool | Payout |
Edwin Dela Cruz | Philippines | MAIN EVENT | 1,043 | 18,210,800 | 3,060,000 | |
Ching Wei Chen ‘Carter’ | 陳靖惟 | Taiwan | Kick Off | 375 | 2,619,000 | 547,000 |
Zong Chi He | 何宗奇 | Taiwan | Turbo NLH | 85 | 222,600 | 71,800 |
Kuan Han Chen | 陳冠翰 | Taiwan | Mystery Bounty | 534 | 4,661,900 | 450,000 |
Chung Yi Ho | 何崇義 | Taiwan | Hyper Turbo | 137 | 358,800 | 100,400 |
Tzu Yuan Fu | 傅子袁 | Taiwan | Bubble Rush | 26 | 166,500 | 68,300 |
Isaac Phua | Malaysia | Turbo NLH | 142 | 371,900 | 66,600 | |
Cheng Chieh Wang | 黃政傑 | Taiwan | Bounty Hunter | 130 | 971,900 | 274,600 |
Hon Cheong Lee | Hong Kong | Mini High Roller | 45 | 1,309,500 | 412,600 | |
Ching Chia Wang | 王淨加 | Taiwan | Short Deck | 64 | 167,600 | 60,300 |
Chris Chen | Taiwan | 7-Max Shot Clock | 60 | 942,800 | 339,500 | |
Chih Wei Fan | 范植威 | Taiwan | High Roller | 66 | 3,905,200 | 1,142,200 |
Ching Chia Wang | 王淨加 | Taiwan | PLO KO Bounty | 85 | 633,500 | 204,900 |
Shuin Lee | 李書吟 | Taiwan | Ladies Event | 54 | 310,800 | 115,000 |
David Erquiaga | Philippines | Pot Limit Omaha | 105 | 550,000 | 165,000 | |
Duy Ho | USA | Single Day High Roller | 69 | 2,677,200 | 743,000 | |
Chin Hao Weng | Taiwan | Run It Twice | 140 | 597,500 | 167,000 | |
Richard Lee Ling | 劉李鈴 | Taiwan | Hyper Turbo | 78 | 204,300 | 69,500 |
Patrick Liang | Taiwan | Megastack | 288 | 3,771,400 | 831,400 | |
Lun Loon | Malaysia | Super High Roller | 46 | 4,194,300 | 1,321,200 | |
Kevin Ang | Malaysia | NLH Crazy 10 | 109 | 543,100 | 120,500 | |
Zong Chi He | 何宗奇 | Taiwan | Short Deck | 23 | 301,200 | 150,600 |
Kristof Segers | Belgium | The Closer | 98 | 1,026,600 | 313,100 |
Main Event: EDWIN DELA CRUZ
Filipino player Edwin Dela Cruz emerged as the first ever USOP live festival Main Event champion and pocketed a career high TWD 3,060,000 (~$100,800). The festival headliner hauled in a record breaking 1,043 entries, the largest international field ever brought together in Taiwan. In turn, it ripped past the advertised TWD 10M guarantee for a huge TWD 18,210,800 (~$600,200) prize pool.
Final side event results
LUN LOON rides high at the Super High Roller
Buy in: TWD 100,000 (~$3,300)
Entries: 46
Prize pool: TWD 4,194,300 (~$138,240)
ITM: 7 places
Payouts in TWD
1 | Lun Loon | Malaysia | 1,321,200 | |
2 | Kean Wei Tan | Malaysia | 954,200 | |
3 | Wai Kiat Lee | Malaysia | 608,200 | |
4 | Hon Cheong Lee | 李翰鏘 | Hong Kong | 461,400 |
5 | Alan Khoo | Singapore | 356,500 | |
6 | Anton Lu | Australia | 272,600 | |
7 | Chijen Chu | 朱啟仁 | Taiwan | 220,200 |
DUY HO scores a Taiwan title, wins Single Day High Roller
Buy in: TWD 44,000 (~$1,450)
Entries: 69
Prize pool: TWD 2,677,200 (~$88,240)
ITM: 10 places
Payouts in TWD
1 | Duy Ho | USA | 743,000 | |
2 | Lai Heng Foo | Malaysia | 530,000 | |
3 | Chia Chaing Ko | 柯家翔 | Taiwan | 349,000 |
4 | Kok Wai Sim | Malaysia | 270,000 | |
5 | Thananat Therdtakoonrat | Thailand | 215,400 | |
6 | Lee Kun Han | 李昆翰 | Taiwan | 170,200 |
7 | Tzu Yuan Fu | 傅子袁 | Taiwan | 135,400 |
8 | Lun Loon | Malaysia | 107,200 | |
9 | David Erquiaga | Philippines | 83,000 | |
10 | Shao Heng Hsu | 徐紹恆 | Taiwan | 74,000 |
PATRICK LIANG takes down the Megastack
Buy in: TWD 15,000 (~$495)
Entries: 288
Prize pool: TWD 3771,400 (~$124,300)
ITM: 37 places
Payouts in TWD
1 | Patrick Liang | Taiwan | 831,400 | |
2 | Puyen Fang | 方步言 | Taiwan | 584,600 |
3 | Kok Wai Sim | Malaysia | 376,000 | |
4 | Shan Hui Chua | Singapore | 234,800 | |
5 | Yan Jie Wu | 吳彥杰 | Taiwan | 181,200 |
6 | Chien Chih Weng | 翁芊智 | Taiwan | 150,000 |
7 | Lai Xin Hua | Singapore | 126,200 | |
8 | Jack Lim | Malaysia | 103,700 | |
9 | Yuanxi Chen | Singapore | 83,100 | |
10 | Cheng Jing Lim | Malaysia | 70,300 | |
11 | Seigai Kou | Japan | 70,300 | |
12 | Ravn Teo | Singapore | 70,300 | |
13 | Mingchang Hsiao | 蕭明昌 | Taiwan | 59,800 |
14 | Isaac Chern Chze | Malaysia | 59,800 | |
15 | Peng Sen Wu | 吳鵬森 | Taiwan | 59,800 |
16 | Tong Tan | Singapore | 49,800 | |
17 | Jacky Wang | Singapore | 49,800 | |
18 | Huawei Lin | 林華瑋 | Taiwan | 49,800 |
19 | Alex Wong | Malaysia | 40,700 | |
20 | Norman Leaw | Malaysia | 40,700 | |
21 | Chi Jen Chen | 陳紀任 | Taiwan | 40,700 |
22 | Wei En Shih | 施維恩 | Taiwan | 32,800 |
23 | Anton Zhen Zhao | Australia | 32,800 | |
24 | Ki Him Chau | Hong Kong | 32,800 | |
25 | Zong Chi He | 何宗奇 | Taiwan | 29,000 |
26 | Ang Yang Siang | Malaysia | 29,000 | |
27 | Hsusheng Wang | 王敘昇 | Taiwan | 29,000 |
28 | Chung Yi Ho | 何崇義 | Taiwan | 25,600 |
29 | 蔡政霖 | Taiwan | 25,600 | |
30 | Hsienching Feng | 馮先慶 | Taiwan | 25,600 |
31 | Chengchieh | 黃政傑 | Taiwan | 25,600 |
32 | Lee Kuang Hung | 李光紘 | Taiwan | 25,600 |
33 | Chin Chia Ho | 何晉嘉 | Taiwan | 25,600 |
34 | Chang Ming Lo | 羅章銘 | Taiwan | 25,600 |
35 | Jason Lau | Malaysia | 25,600 | |
36 | Mei San Ang | Singapore | 25,600 | |
37 | Feng Wen Chen | 陳豐文 | Taiwan | 22,800 |
CHIN HAO WENG wins Run It Twice
Buy in: TWD 5,000 (~$165)
Entries: 140
Prize pool: TWD 597,500 (~$18,700)
ITM: 18 places
Payouts in TWD
1 | Chin Hao Weng | 翁璟豪 | Taiwan | 167,000 |
2 | Chih Feng Li | 李志峯 | Taiwan | 105,300 |
3 | Fubang Huang | 黃富邦 | Taiwan | 62,400 |
4 | Ching Chia Wang | 王淨加 | Taiwan | 37,600 |
5 | Eric Chan | Malaysia | 29,300 | |
6 | Cun Wu Hong | 洪春武 | Taiwan | 24,500 |
7 | Armando Cabardo | Philippines | 21,200 | |
8 | Yu Tang Hung | 洪郁棠 | Taiwan | 18,900 |
9 | Dissapong | Thailand | 16,700 | |
10 | Ooi Yang Tzer | Malaysia | 14,600 | |
11 | Isaac Phua | Malaysia | 14,600 | |
12 | Chiying Tsai | 蔡季瑛 | Taiwan | 14,600 |
13 | Chingwei Chen | 陳靖惟 | Taiwan | 12,700 |
14 | Cheng Chieh Yang | 楊成傑 | Taiwan | 12,700 |
15 | Tharit Nanthana | Thailand | 12,700 | |
16 | Ang Yang Yi | Malaysia | 10,900 | |
17 | Alan Khoo | Singapore | 10,900 | |
18 | Chian Huang | 黃謙 | Taiwan | 10,900 |
RICHARD LEE LING wins Hyper Turbo
Buy in: TWD 3,300 (~$110)
Entries: 78
Prize pool: TWD 204,300 (~$6,730)
ITM: 10 paces
Payouts in TWD
1 | Richard Lee Ling | 劉李鈴 | Taiwan | 69,500 |
2 | Tzu Yuan Fu | 傅子袁 | Taiwan | 39,800 |
3 | Shu Yih Ng | Malaysia | 24,900 | |
4 | Duhan Lee | South Korea | 16,800 | |
5 | Changwon Lee | South Korea | 12,800 | |
6 | Seong Su Kong | South Korea | 10,400 | |
7 | Hyun Sup Kim | South Korea | 9,000 | |
8 | Sheng Wei Chan | Singapore | 8,000 | |
9 | Tim Yeh Yeh Szu | 葉思廷 | Taiwan | 7,000 |
10 | Tung Yang Lin | 林東陽 | Australia | 6,100 |
KEVIN ANG wins NLH Crazy 10
Buy in: TWD 4,400 (~$145)
Entries: 109
Prize pool: TWD 543,100 (~$17,900)
ITM: 14 places
Payouts in TWD
1 | Kevin Ang | Malaysia | 120,500 | |
2 | Murat Yesniyazov | Kazakhstan | 74,300 | |
3 | Ariuntemvvjin | Mongolia | 44,600 | |
4 | Daniel Wong | Malaysia | 29,100 | |
5 | Thomas Wang | Taiwan | 22,500 | |
6 | Richard Lee Ling | 劉李玲 | Taiwan | 18,500 |
7 | An Deaho | South Korea | 157,000 | |
8 | Chien Chih Weng | 翁芊智 | Taiwan | 13,700 |
9 | Huawei Weiwei Lin | 林華薇 | Taiwan | 12,100 |
10 | Dorjbal Lkhunrev | Mongolia | 10,600 | |
11 | Tharit Nanthana | Thailand | 10,600 | |
12 | Sing Fu Chen | 陳信甫 | Taiwan | 10,600 |
13 | Tzu Yuan Fu | 傅子袁 | Taiwan | 9,500 |
14 | Sanchai | Thailand | 9,500 |
ZONG CHI HE wins second title at Short Deck
Buy in: TWD 15,000 (~$495)
Entries: 23
Prize pool: TWD 301,200 (~$9,900)
ITM: 3 places
Payouts in TWD
1 | Zong Chi He | 何宗奇 | Taiwan | 150,600 |
2 | Daniel Donohue | Taiwan | 90,400 | |
3 | Ching Chia Wang | 王淨加 | Taiwan | 60,200 |
KRISTOF SEGERS lifts last trophy of the festival
Buy in: TWD 12,000 (~$395)
Entries: 98
Prize pool: TWD 1,026,600 (~$33,835)
ITM: 13 places
Payouts in TWD
1 | Kristof Segers | Belgium | 313,100 | |
2 | Max Tay | Singapore | 192,500 | |
3 | Xing Jie Chew | Singapore | 118,100 | |
4 | Kuan Han Chen | 陳冠翰 | Taiwan | 77,000 |
5 | Ya Ting Chou | 周雅婷 | Taiwan | 60,100 |
6 | Peng Sen Wu | 吳鵬森 | Taiwan | 48,000 |
7 | Chin Hao Weng | 翁璟豪 | Taiwan | 40,800 |
8 | An Deaho | South Korea | 35,400 | |
9 | Yew Tong | Malaysia | 31,300 | |
10 | Jonathan Looi | Malaysia | 28,200 | |
11 | Daniel Wong | Malaysia | 28,200 | |
12 | Huawei Lin | 林華瑋 | Taiwan | 28,200 |
13 | Shen Yongxin | 傅子袁 | Singapore | 25,700 |
That concludes Somuchpoker’s full coverage of the U Series of Poker – Poker2U Taiwan Series at the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association.