Asia Poker Arena: the biggest poker room in Asia unveiled

In a dynamic and ever-growing industry like poker, there is always room for new and exciting ventures. One such development took place in May, when the Asia Poker Arena (APA) was unveiled to the world. Located in the vibrant city of Taipei, Taiwan, the APA is the brainchild of David Tai, the founder and Executive Director of the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP).

This state-of-the-art poker room is set to become the new home for all CTP-hosted poker events. Media outlet Somuchpoker was privileged to be invited to the official opening ceremony and to conduct an exclusive interview with Tai and CTP International Manager Raymond Wong. Shedding light on the inspiration behind this ambitious project, Tai shared,

“In recent years we have seen the development of poker throughout Asia so we decided to establish the largest poker arena in Asia. Based on our local tournaments in Taiwan, which have been developing and increasing vigorously in recent years, our old venue of only 24 tables have clearly become inadequate. Then with the arrival of international brands such as WPT and APT tournaments, our original venue has become far from sufficient. The overall poker development in Asia is thriving. We understand that this is the case and that it has become a trend to hold tournaments in larger venues.”

Asia Poker Arena

• 540 square meters

• Can accommodate up to 65 tables

• Primarily used for poker tournaments

• 9-player livestream feature table, four cameras

• Livestream control room

• Commentary room

• Mobile cameras

• Large conference space – used for meetings, poker lectures, and poker courses

• Restaurant – Mr. Chee

• Outside waterfall and koi pond

• Perfect IG spot

• Power outlets alongside the pillars

• Lounge area

• Portable power banks

• Opens 11 am and runs until 2 am or until the last tournament ends

All automated at APA

Registration is now smoother with the all automated process. Players must first download the CTP app and apply for membership. This is required by law in order to participate in any of the APA events. Once registered, the table, seat assignment, and receiving of chips will all be done electronically.

About the Livestream

To keep up with the livestreaming trend, the CTP has made significant improvements for the APA system. The 9-player livestream table is operating on the latest tech with four cameras to capture all the action. In addition are movable cameras that can be repositioned by the crew to create dynamic motion scenes.

The livestream is broadcasted mainly in CTP Twitch and CTP YouTube on a 30-minute delay. For local events, the APA hires Taiwan poker coaches or YouTubers or sometimes famous celebrities to commentate in Chinese. For international events, the language and commentators depend on the brand hosting the event at the APA.

Match Poker at the APA

Match Poker has been gaining momentum in the poker world and early this year, Team Taiwan won the IFMP Asian Nations Cup held in Hong Kong. Unlike most other card rooms, Match Poker is offered at the APA and there is a section dedicated for the game. According to Wong,

“Match Poker plays a very important role for Taiwan especially for the CTP Club. This is where we started to grow with Match Poker tournaments as it will be more into being legalized poker in the whole Taiwan community. We have been doing a lot of marketing for Match Poker and also we hosted the 2019 Asia Poker Nation Cup. We want the community to know that there is a special place for Match Poker in Taiwan. We also have installed many LED screens to run a great tournament. There is also a fan zone area so teammates can watch the their teammates play.”

Wong hopes for the opportunity to host the next Match Poker event, not just the Asian Nations Cup but the World Cup as well so people can see that the Taiwan poker community is diverse and vibrant.

Events confirmed at APA for 2023

With the arena now fully operational, it is ready to host events, both local and international. These are the events confirmed so far:

• Poker Dream – June 16 to 25

• Taiwan Millions Tournament – July 14 to 31

• World Poker Tour {WPT) Prime Taiwan – August 8 to 21

• ASPT Japan – September

• All Japan Poker Championship (AJPC) Japan – September

• U Series of Poker (USOP) – November

Currencies accepted

• New Taiwan Dollar

• US Dollar

• Euro

• Japanese Yen

About the Dealers

The CTP takes pride in their dealers as they are the front line. At the APA, dealers are highly trained and are expected to keep up with the game’s rules and maintain professionalism. Wong explained,

“We have 15 to 20 professional dealers that work regularly and we always advertise for part time dealers so we have enough when we host large events. Senior dealers will train them. Every six months, all dealers, seniors and part time are reviewed by the tournament directors to make sure they are keeping up with the standards of dealing and rules of the game. This is the same for our fifteen branches all over Taiwan.”

About the Restaurant

Next door to the arena is a Malaysian restaurant called Mr. Chee. The joint partnership with CTP allows for players to try a wide variety of Malaysian signature dishes. Players can also order from the restaurant to be brought to the poker table.

Taking it a notch higher in service, an app is being developed for players to be able to order food from the restaurant at their fingertips and have it delivered directly to where one is seated. The restaurant is open from 10:30am to 10:30pm. Operation hours will change depending on the duration of the ongoing event.

Asia Poker Arena

Address: 10491, Taiwan, Taipei City, Zhongshan District, Section 1, Jianguo N Rd, 80號b1