APT X CTP High Roller Series festival highlights: Tsu Ynu Yang clinches the Main Event and Player of the Series; Lee Kun Han and Chi Jen Chu bag two events

The Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association aka CTP Club completed its first homegrown High Roller festival with non-stop games running from April 9 to 18 at their main hub in Taipei, Taiwan. In partnership with the Asian Poker Tour, the CTP High Roller Series featured 19 tournaments with buy ins from NT$ 8K to NT$ 107K and NT$ 6 Million in guaranteed prize pools.

When the dust settled, it paid out a grand total of NT$ 12,582,900 (~US$ 430,766). Taiwan’s Tsu Ynu Yang clinched the Main Event for his largest career score. He also topped the Player of the Series race. Other big winners were Lee Kun Han and Chi Jen Chu, both players locking up two wins each. Here are the highlights.

Festival review

Festival prize pool: NT$ 12,582,900 (~US$ 430,766)
Total entries: 1,239
Biggest event earner: Tsu Ynu Yang – NT$ 1,169,100
Multiple wins: Lee Kun Han and Chi Jen Chu

TSU YNU YANG clinches the Main Event for NT$ 1,169,100 (~US$ 40,025)

Taiwan’s Tsu Ynu Yang clinched his first ever Main Event title to pocket a career high payout of NT$ 1,169,100 (~US$ 40,025). Yang outlasted the 156 entry field which included a final table loaded with well known pros such as Kristof Segers, Pete Yen Han Chen, Chih Wei Fan, and Bruno Fubang Huang. Earlier this year, Yang came the closest to bagging a win in two events at the Taiwan Millions Tournament. He placed 3rd at both the Mystery Bounty Kickoff event and 6-Max High Roller Deepstack. Yang finally closed one out for his first major victory. He boosted his total live earnings to over US$ 64K.

Briefly recapping Yang’s final table run, at six handed he was chip leading and grew further by railing WSOP bracelet champion Pete Yen Han Chen with cracking when two aces showed up on the flop. By three handed, no change in the counts. Yang still held a commanding lead with half of the chips in play at his disposal. Nearly one hour passed before heads up was reached. Kristof Segers risked it all with but failed to hit the board for Yang’s to hold. The final race for the title kicked off with Yang up 126 BB to Ping Hsien Chan’s 30 BB. On the first hand, both players were all in. It was a coin flip with Yang and Chan . When the board ran Yang spiked a bigger pair to clinch his first major victory.

With this win, Yang also earned enough points to win Player of the Series. He was awarded a Taiwan Millions Tournament 12 Package worth NT$ 15,000, a special trophy, and an APT Ring.

Date: April 15 to 18
Buy in: NT$ 33,000 (~US$ 1,130)
Guarantee: NT$ 3,000,000 (~US$ 102,700)
Entries: 156
Prize pool: NT$ 4,680,000 (~US$ 160,216)
ITM: 17 places

Final table payouts

1st Tsu Ynu Yang – Taiwan – NT$ 1,169,100
2nd Ping Hsien Chan – Taiwan – NT$ 771,700
3rd Kristof Segers – Belgium – NT$ 499,400
4th Tak Chung Yan – USA – NT$ 408,600
5th Pi Ying Hsu – Taiwan – NT$ 317,800
6th Pete Yen Han Chen – Taiwan – NT$ 261,000
7th Yujung Chang – Taiwan – NT$ 215,600
8th Chih Wei Fan – Taiwan – NT$ 170,200
9th Bruno Fubang Huang – Taiwan – NT$ 124,800

Multiple wins: LEE KUN HAN and CHI JEN CHU

Taiwanese high rollers Lee Kun Han and WSOPC ring winner Chi Jen Chu closed out two events. The first one up on the pedestal was Lee at the Event #4: NLH 6-Max Event 1 where 15 players coughed up the NT$ 54,000 (~US$ 1,850) buy in for a prize pool of NT$ 750,000 (~US$ 25,675). Out of the three payouts, Lee grabbed the heftiest NT$ 363,800 (~US$ 12,454) prize. Days later, Lee took down Event #15: NLH 8-Max, besting a field of 43 entries to collect the NT$ 225,200 (~US$ 7,710) first prize. He earned a combined NT$ 589,000 (~US$ 20.164). Lee also reached the final table of the Year of the Tiger Special Event for an added NT$ 94,400 in winnings.

Highly decorated pro Chi Jen Chu never fails to win an event during these big festivals. For this series, he won two of them with the first one at the APT PLO 6-Max Event. Chu topped the 52 entry field for a small payout of NT$ 123,500 (~US$ 4,228). Several days later, he nailed a big one, taking down the Super High Roller 6-Max. This was the most expensive event of the series with buy in at NT$ 107,000 (~US$ 3,665). Only 6 players took interest. Chu won it for a NT$ 378,300 (~US$ 12,950) payout. He earned a combined NT$ 501,800 (~US$ 17,178). Chu also reached the final table of the Kickoff event for an added NT$ 102,300 in winnings.

ORI KOSSONOGI wins Kick-Off Event for NT$ 491,000 (~US$ 16,800)

The High Roller Series got rolling with the Kick-Off Event featuring a NT$ 1 Million guarantee. With 211 signing up at NT$ 11,000 (~US$ 377) each, the pot doubled to NT$ 2,110,000 (~US$ 72,235) shared among the top 27 places. Israeli player Ori Kossonogi emerged as champion to collect the biggest payout of NT$ 491,000. This was Kossonogi’s 11th career win. He defeated high roller Yi Wei Peng at heads up. Other players that ran deep were multi winner Chi Jen Chu in 6th place and Yu Sheng Lin in 5th place.

Date: April 9 to 10
Buy in:
Guarantee: NT$1,000,000 (~US$ 34,235)
Entries: 211
Prize pool: NT$ 2,110,000 (~US$ 72,235)
ITM: 27 places

Final table payouts

1st Ori Kossonogi – Israel – NT$ 491,000
2nd Yi Wei Peng – Taiwan – NT$ 317,300
3rd Chung Yi Ho – Taiwan – NT$ 204,600
4th Tak Chung Yan – USA – NT$ 163,7–
5th Yu Sheng Lin – Taiwan – NT$ 128,900
6th Chi Jen Chu – Taiwan – NT$ 102,300
7th Weichen Liu – Taiwan – NT$ 81,900
8th Tzuyuan Fu – Taiwan – NT$ 66,500
9th Chien Te Lee – Taiwan – NT$ 51,200

ZHE MING LEE wins Year of the Tiger Special Event for NT$ 664,900 (~US$ 22,760)

Midway through the series was the Year of the Tiger Special Event 2M GTD with buy in at NT$ 22,000 (~US$ 753). It drew 139 to the felt for a guarantee smashing prize pool of NT$ 2,780,000 (~US$ 95,170). The top 22 places dipped in the money jar with high roller Zhe Ming Lee capturing the title for his second career victory and a handsome payout of NT$ 664,900 (~US$ 22,760). Lee’s first big win was at the CTP 6th Anniversary Series Super High Roller event for a slightly lower score of NT$ 659,600. Wit this latest win, he is up to US$ 61K in total live earnings across five events. Among the player that reached the final table was multi winner Lee Kun Han and Cheng Chao Ting.

Date: April 14
Buy in: NT$ 22,000 (~US$ 753)
Guarantee: NT$ 2,000,000 (~US$ 68,470)
Entries: 139
Prize pool: NT$ 2,780,000 (~US$ 95,170)
ITM: 22 places

Final table payouts

1st Zhe Ming Lee – Taiwan – NT$ 664,900
2nd Tzuwei Wang – Taiwan – NT$ 439,500
3rd Chung Hsien Lee – Taiwan – NT$ 283,100
4th Cheng Chao Ting – Taiwan – NT$ 226,500
5th Ta Wei Wei – Taiwan – NT$ 175,300
6th Wilson Yeh – Taiwan – NT$ 148,300
7th Hsu Huang – Taiwan – NT$ 121,300
8th Lee Kun Han – Taiwan – NT$ 94,400
9th Chin Lon Lin – Taiwan – NT$ 67,400

Other big winners

Event #2: NLH Shot Clock 8-Max – CHI JEN CHEN – NT$ 132,700 (~US$ 4,500)
Event 9: NLH 6-Max Event – YEN LIANG YAO – NT$ 291,000 (~US$ 9,960)

APT winners

The Asian Poker Tour sponsored five events with each champion awarded a special APT Trophy. Here are the winners.

Event #3: APT Head Hunter NLH 1

Date: April 10
Buy in: NT$ 8,000 (~US$ 275)
Entries: 66
Prize pool: NT$ 382,800 (~US$ 13,100)
Bounty pool: NT$ 66,000
ITM: 8 places
Winner: YU LIU – Taiwan – NT$ 110,700 (bounties not included)

Event $7: PLO 6-Max Event

Date: April 12
Buy in: NT$ 8,000 (~US$ 275)
Entries: 52
Prize pool: NT$ 200,200 (~US$ 6,853)
ITM: 6 places
Winner: CHI JEN CHU – Taiwan – NT$ 123,500 (~US$ 4,228)

Event #10: APT Mega Stack Event 1

Date: April 14
Buy in: NT$ 8,000 (~US$ 275)
Entries: 67
Prize pool: NT$ 455,600 (~US$ 15,600)
ITM: 8 places
Winner: HUAWEI LIN – Taiwan – NT$ 132,500 (~US$ 4,536)

Event #14: APT Giant Stack Turbo Event

Date: April 16
Buy in: NT$ 8,000 (~US$ 275)
Entries: 82
Prize pool: NT$ 557,600 (~US$ 19,100)
ITM: 10 places
Winner: TA WEI TOU – Taiwan – NT$ 146,000 (~US$ 5,000)

Event #18: APT Mega Stack Event 2

Date: April 18
Buy in: NT$ 8,000 (~US$ 275)
Entries: 70
Prize pool: NT$ 476,000 (~US$ 16,295)
ITM: 8 places
Winner: CHUNG YI HO – Taiwan – NT$ 138,600 (~US$ 4,745)