First Quarter Festivals in Asia by the numbers
Asia-Pacific
Live Poker
Csaba SzirjákEditor-in-Chief
Live poker festivals are booming in Asia. Here’s a breakdown of the most lucrative events during the first three months of 2023. (Triton SHR Vietnam excluded from the list)
Main Event by Prize Pool
| Event | Location | Entries | Buy in | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China Poker Games | China | 4,406 | CNY 10,000 (USD 1,600) | ~USD 6,200,000 |
| Top Joy Poker Tour | China | 2,183 | CNY 10,000 (USD 1,600) | ~USD 2,511,000 |
| World Focused Poker 4 | Korea | 3,687 | KRW 600,000 (USD 455) | ~USD 1,341,500 |
| World Focused Poker 4 | Korea | 3,661 | KRW 600,000 (USD 455) | ~USD 1,299,000 |
| World Poker Tour Prime | Cambodia | 1,011 | USD 1,100 | USD 980,670 |
| Asian Poker Tour | Hanoi, Vietnam | 654 | VND 27,500,000 (USD 1,170) | ~USD 675,600 |
| Poker Dream | Malaysia | 643 | RM 5,000 (USD 1,135) | ~USD 658,440 |
| Asian Poker Tour | Phu Quoc, Vietnam | 507 | VND 33,000,000 (USD 1,400) | ~USD 628,200 |
| World Poker Championship | Hanoi, Vietnam | 651 | VND 25,000,000 (USD 1,060) | ~USD 607,570 |
| U Series of Poker | Taiwan | 1,043 | NTD 20,000 (USD 660) | ~USD 600,200 |
| Asia Poker Championship | Vietnam | 408 | VND 22,000,000 (USD 940) | ~USD 330,000 |
Main Event by Entries
| Event | Location | Entries | Buy in | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China Poker Games | China | 4,406 | CNY 10,000 (USD 1,600) | ~USD 6,200,000 |
| World Focused Poker 4 | Korea | 3,687 | KRW 600,000 (USD 455) | ~USD 1,341,500 |
| World Focused Poker 5 | Korea | 3,661 | KRW 600,000 (USD 455) | ~USD 1,299,000 |
| Top Joy Poker Tour | China | 2,183 | CNY 10,000 (USD 1,600) | ~USD 2,511,000 |
| U Series of Poker | Taiwan | 1,043 | NTD 20,000 (USD 660) | ~USD 600,200 |
| World Poker Tour Prime | Cambodia | 1,011 | USD 1,100 | USD 980,670 |
| Asian Poker Tour | Hanoi, Vietnam | 654 | VND 27,500,000 (USD 1,170) | ~USD 675,600 |
| World Poker Championship | Hanoi, Vietnam | 651 | VND 25,000,000 (USD 1,060) | ~USD 607,570 |
| Poker Dream | Malaysia | 643 | RM 5,000 (USD 1,135) | ~USD 658,440 |
| Asian Poker Tour | Phu Quoc, Vietnam | 507 | VND 33,000,000 (USD 1,400) | ~USD 628,200 |
| Asia Poker Championship | Da Nang, Vietnam | 408 | VND 22,000,000 (USD 940) | ~USD 330,000 |
Largest Main Event Guarantee (top 5)
| Main Event | Location | Buy in | Guarantee |
| Top Joy Poker Tour | China | CNY 10,000 (USD 1,600) | CNY 20,000,000 (USD 2,900,000) |
| World Focused Poker 4 | Korea | KRW 600,000 (USD 455) | KRW 1,250,000,000 (USD 950,000) |
| World Focused Poker 5 | Korea | KRW 600,000 (USD 455) | KRW 1,250,000,000 (USD 950,000) |
| World Poker Tour Prime | Cambodia | USD 1,100 | USD 500,000 |
| Poker Dream | Malaysia | RM 5,000 (USD 1,135) | RM 2,000,000 (USD 454,200) |
Festival Prize Pools over USD 2M
| Series | Location | Games | Festival Prize Pool |
| China Poker Games | China | 39 | USD 14,600,000 |
| Top Joy Poker Tour | China | 42 | USD 6,226,000 |
| World Poker Tour Prime | Cambodia | 30 | USD 3,495,500 |
| World Focused Poker 4 | Korea | 8 | USD 2,825,000 |
| Asian Poker Tour | Hanoi, Vietnam | 34 | USD 2,620,000 |
| Asian Poker Tour | Phu Quoc, Vietnam | 34 | USD 2,394,000 |
| World Poker Championship | Hanoi, Vietnam | 26 | USD 2,203,400 |
About the Editor
Chaar-Lee is the Editor-in-Chief and Technical Architect of SoMuchPoker. With over 20 years across poker media, television production, and enterprise software development — including WorldSkills and EuroSkills recognition as a mentor and expert — he brings rare depth to every editorial and technical decision on this platform. He works exclusively on international poker and iGaming markets.
