Gods of Poker officially launched its 2026 season on Thursday as GOP Taipei: The Titan Assembly wrapped up its opening day of play at CTP Asia Poker Arena . Running from January 8 to 18, the eleven-day festival began with a packed schedule, as ten events took place on Day 1 and the first trophies of the series were already claimed.

Eight events crowned champions on opening day, setting the early tone for the series while also igniting the Player of the Series race. With results spread across High Roller, women’s, and mixed-game formats, Day 1 offered a clear snapshot of the depth and variety built into the GOP Taipei schedule.

GOP Olympians Headlines the Opening Day

The spotlight on Day 1 belonged to GOP Olympians, which served as the festival’s first marquee event. The opening three flights attracted a combined 141 entries, with 21 players advancing to the final day and locking up a share of the TWD 3,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Flight A saw Kuan Lun Chen surge to the top of the leaderboard after bagging an imposing 1,057,000-chip stack, the only seven-figure count of the day. Chen’s run included a pivotal hero call that eliminated Chia Yun Wu on a failed river bluff, giving him a commanding lead.

Flight B was led by Cho Ho Fan, who finished with 746,000 chips after a strong run that included multiple confrontations with Wai Kit Law. Fan reclaimed the chip lead at the bubble, delivering the final elimination to close the flight on top.

The final flight of the day, a turbo, ended with Adam Owen finding redemption after an earlier exit. Owen applied constant pressure late, using his stack to force repeated all-ins before bursting the bubble and finishing as Flight C chip leader with 611,000.

The remaining three Olympians flights take place on January 9, with the final day scheduled for January 10.

Single Day High Roller Produces First Gold Spartan Winner

The opening Single Day High Roller ran alongside Olympians, carrying a TWD 70,000 buy-in. With three total entries and no re-entries, the event created a TWD 181,440 prize pool, all of which went to the winner.

The title went to Martijn Gerrits of the Netherlands, who claimed the Gold Spartan trophy and became one of the first High Roller champions of GOP Taipei 2026.

Aphrodite’s Event Awards First Mirror Trophy

The first Aphrodite’s Event of the series was decided in a heads-up contest, with two players buying in for TWD 12,000 each. The event generated a TWD 20,736 prize pool, with no re-entries.

Representing the Philippines, JC Ann Sotelo emerged victorious to secure the Aphrodite Mirror trophy, marking the first women’s title awarded at The Titan Assembly and setting the tone for the daily Aphrodite events scheduled throughout the festival.

Mixed Games Feature Prominently on Day 1

Mixed-game formats were well represented on opening day, offering players multiple alternatives to no-limit hold’em. The Big O Turbo Bounty drew 25 entries and eight re-entries, generating a TWD 159,200 prize pool alongside a TWD 100,000 bounty pool.

Taiwan’s Li Chih Feng captured the title, while Alfie Adam finished second before going on to add another deep run later in the day.

Adam closed Day 1 in style by winning the 5-Card PL Omaha Double Board Bomb Pot Hyper Turbo, topping a nine-entry field to earn TWD 47,896. With multiple cashes and a victory across mixed formats, Adam quickly moved into the early lead of the Player of the Series standings.

Demigods Challenge Looms as First Gauntlet Showdown

With the opening trophies already awarded, attention now turns to one of the festival’s first major tests: the Demigods Challenge, scheduled for January 10. Carrying a TWD 330,000 buy-in, the event begins at 2:00 PM, with registration open until 4:15 PM and a 120,000-chip starting stack.

Adding further incentive, GOP is offering a 50% rakeback promotion for the first twelve players seated and in action on the opening hand, with a portion of the entry fee allocated toward staffing. At stake is the Black Gauntlet, one of the series’ most sought-after trophies, ensuring the Demigods Challenge will be a defining moment early in the GOP Taipei schedule.

With the first trophies already awarded and more key events on the horizon, GOP Taipei is quickly settling into its stride. For all the latest moments from the floor, including opening-day winners and tournament action, players and fans can check out the Gods of Poker Flickr gallery, where photos from across The Titan Assembly are being updated throughout the series.