U Series Championship (USC): Complete Guide, Schedule & History

The U Series Championship (often referred to as USC or the successor to the former USOP brand) is one of Asia's most dynamically developing premium poker tournament series. The tour, which established its reputation in the markets of Vietnam and Taiwan, is elevating the player experience to a new level under the U Series Championship brand starting from 2026, incorporating new, iconic venues such as Japan. The tour is primarily known for its excellent tournament structures, massive fields, and an atmosphere that is attractive to recreational players.

Fact Sheet

• Founded: 2023 (Originally U Series of Poker, U Series Championship focus from 2026)

• Region: Asia (Key locations: Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan)

• Currency: VND (Vietnamese Dong), TWD (Taiwan Dollar), JPY (Japanese Yen) – depending on the venue.

• Venues:

  • Umeda Sky Tower (Osaka, Japan)

  • Asia Poker Arena (Taipei, Taiwan

  • Pullman Grand Hotel (Hai Phong, Vietnam)

  • Furama Resort (Da Nang, Vietnam)

Tour History & Prestige

The roots of the U Series Championship can be traced back to the USOP (U Series of Poker) brand, which burst onto the Asian poker scene in 2023, quickly becoming one of the region's most defining series. The next step in the brand's evolution is the 2026 season, where organizers aim to emphasize the prestige and international standard of the tournaments with the "Championship" designation.

The key to the tour's success is its "player-first" philosophy and continuous innovation. The organization's president, Saul Liu, plays a key role in the strategic direction of the brand and its international expansion. USC is particularly famous for providing a premium experience not just for pros, but also for hobby players, reflected in the custom-designed trophies and luxury venues.

Historic milestones include entering the Japan market: one of the opening events of the 2026 season, the U Series Championship Japan, will be held at the iconic Umeda Sky Tower in Osaka, signaling the brand's commitment to the region's new poker hubs.

Events & Structure

The U Series Championship schedule is designed so that players with any bankroll can find a suitable tournament, ranging from opening events attracting wide crowds to high roller tournaments.

• Flagship Events: The backbone of the festivals is the Main Event, which typically awaits players with a deep structure (deepstack) and multi-day play. Mystery Bounty tournaments, offering exciting bounty prizes, and High Roller tournaments, which attract the region's best players, are exceptionally popular.

• Player Experience: At USC events, the field is mixed: local recreational players and international pros visiting Asia are both present. The structures are generally "player-friendly," providing enough room for strategic play while avoiding excessively fast (turbo) blind increases in the main tournaments.

• Trophies: The series pays special attention to recognizing winners; unique, artistically crafted trophies are made for every stop, which in themselves increase the prestige of victory.

Qualification & Live Satellites

The most common way to enter U Series Championship stops is through live satellite tournaments. At every festival venue, whether in Vietnam or Japan, numerous satellites are held in the days preceding the main events, where entry rights can be won for a fraction of the buy-in.

Although USC (and its predecessor, USOP) has previously cooperated with online partners like WPT Global, regarding exclusive online satellite partners for the 2026 season, it is worth checking the official listing of the current event or Somuchpoker news for the most accurate information. However, "Live Satellite" events at physical venues are guaranteed to be available at every stop.