Andrew Ma Sets Bar High At TMT Championship Main Event A; Yu Yung Lin, Wu Hung Hsiang, Ching Wei Chen, Eurico Machado Win Trophies

After a one day closure due to the passing typhoon, the Asia Poker Arena buzzed to life on Friday, November 1, 2024, as the first-ever TMT Championship Main Event kicked off in Taipei City, Taiwan. From the first shuffle, players poured in, filling seats in waves and bringing the field to an impressive 329 entries on opening day, which is nearly halfway towards the event’s ambitious US$ 600,000 guarantee. With three more starting flights still to go, chances are high that this guarantee will be smashed.

Andrew Ma Bags Lead At TMT Championship Main Event Day 1A

Day 1A of the TMTC Main Event took over a large section of the venue with players eager to take on this inaugural event. Among the 329 attendees were notables Charlie Chiu (I Chun Chiu), Sparrow Cheung (Park Yu Cheung), Hyunsup Kim, Tae Hoon Han, Yi Wei Peng, Chao Ting Cheng, and hot running Ko Chia Hsiang. Several survived though none as towering as chip leader Andrew Ma (Chun Yu Ma) with a stack of 1,180,000 (98 bb). Out of the 50 remaining players, Ma was the only one to bag a seven digit stack. Ma’s biggest pot was Ace-King outkicking Gun Young Kim’s (Hwasoo) Ace-Queen.

While Ma zoomed, Kim went plunging and recovered after tabling a straight flush to double up through Hongyu Huang’s full house. The win gave Kim the momentum to close the day with a very healthy 768,000 (64 bb). Day 1A wrapped up with another stunning hand. Chan Chia Shou knocked out Shan Jen Cheng on the bubble with quads on hand.

Read up on the Day 1A action via the SMP Live Updates.

TMTC Main Event Day 1A Results

• Date: November 1, 2024
• Buy in: NT$ 33,000 (~US$ 1,030)
• Guarantee: US$ 600,000
• Day 1A: 329 entries / 50 advanced

Top 10 In Chips

The Main Event resumes on Saturday, November 2 with Day 1B on deck. Buy in is NT$ 33,000 (~US$ 1,030). Starting stack is 50,000.

Yu Yung Lin Wins PFGTxTaipei Cup Mystery Bounty; Seung Hyuk Jung Top Earner

The PokerFace Global Tournament aka PFGTxTaipei Cup Mystery Bounty was as popular as it was expected to be with 444 total entries across four flights. Returning to action on the final day were 68 players, each one in the money, and each one hunting down the biggest bounty prizes and of course the title. After nearly 12 hours of play, Yu Yung Lin defeated Seung Hyuk Jung at heads up to earn his maiden victory.

“This is my first win. I almost won at the Mini Main, I was fourth place. So I am very happy to win.”

Lin was a true conqueror, knocking out a stunning nine players to redeem 10 bounties (includes his bounty) amounting to a combined NT$ 394,000 (~US$ 12,285). For his victory, Lin pocketed NT$ 701,000 (~US$ 21,860) for a combined NT$ 1,095,000 (~US$ 34,145) payday. This was his largest ever live poker takedown.

For runner-up Jung, the NT$ 494,000 (~US$ 15,400) payout was not too bad as well. Jung was the luckiest prize hunter, drawing the coveted NT$ 420,000 top bounty prize plus four other bounties amounting to a combined NT$ 252,000. Jung walked away with a total of NT$ 1,166,000 (~US$ 36,360) in winnings, making him the biggest earner of this event.

PFGTxTaipei Cup Mystery Bounty Numbers

• Date/s: October 29 to November 1, 2024
• Buy-in: NT$ 16,500 (~US$ 510)
• Guarantee: NT$ 4,000,000 (US$ 124,600)
• Entries: 444
• Prize pool: NT$ 6,460,200 (~US$ 199,600)
• ITM: 68 players

PFGTxTaipei Cup – Full Results

Eurico Machado Wins Inaugural WPF Taiwan Open

Another first time winner at the TMT Championship as Macau’s Eurico Machado was crowned champion of the WPF Taiwan Open. Machado denied THMC winner Kristof Segers a second title, defeating him at heads up. The debut event by the World Poker Federation drew a field of 171 entries with 26 players earning a cut of the NT$ 1,128,000 (~US$ 35,265) prize pool.

• Date: November 1, 2024
• Buy in: NT$ 8,000 (~US$ 250)
• Entries: 171
• Prize pool: NT$ 1,128,000 (~US$ 35,265)
• ITM: 26 places

Other Winners

Ching Wei Chen came out victorious at the High Roller event for his first payout at the ongoing series. Chen defeated Anton Lu at heads up, denying the Aussie a second title. Chen earned a career high NT$ 911,800 / US$ 28,430 pushing his total live earnings over US$ 200,000.

• Date: November 1, 2024
• Buy in: NT$ 100,000 (~US$ 3,120)
• Entries: 20
• Prize pool: NT$ 1,823,600 (~US$ 56,860)
• ITM: 3 places

PLO enthusiast Wu Hung Hsiang took it to the limit at the Big O event, outlasting the 27 entry field. While this was not Wu’s first career title, it was his first in this series. Along with the TMTC trophy, Wu collected a payout of NT$ 88,000 (~US$ 2,745).

• Date: November 1, 2024
• Buy in: NT$ 10,000 (~US$ 310)
• Entries: 27
• Prize pool: NT$ 239,100 (~US$ 7,455)
• ITM: 5 places

Read up on all the side action via the SMP Daily Updates:

TMT Championship – Daily Updates

For more information on the TMTC 2024, please see the following:

TMTC SCHEDULE
TMTC – Festival Results
TMTC – Main Event Live Updates
TMTC – Daily Updates
TMTC – Photo Gallery