Players Series: Chee Kuo Chen Tops PS High Roller; Three More Trophies Lifted

The inaugural Players Series taking place at CTP Asia Poker Arena through December 23rd, is right on its halfway point, having already gone through five days of play. Yesterday’s focus centered around the NTD 3,000,000 (~USD 92,270) guaranteed PS High Roller games, where Malaysia’s Chee Kuo Chen ended the rounds with the largest. Action continues today, December 18th with a winner set to be crowned by the end of the night. Across the side events, runners Chia Chi Lin, Po Ching Lee, and Xing Jie Chew, claimed their career first PS trophies, along with top payouts for their dominance on the felt.

Stay tuned to SMP Live Updates as the games unfold, and catch the latest action directly off the floor.

Players Series Taipei 2024 – Schedule
Players Series Taipei 2024 - Festival Results
Players Series Taipei 2024 – Live Updates

Chee Kuo Chen Leads PS High Roller Day 1

The two-day highlight, PS High Roller, has officially wrapped up its initial games with a total of 72 entries recorded throughout the Day 1 rounds. Only half of the field at 36 players survived the first ten levels of play with Malaysia's Chee Chen topping the ranks with a chip count of 589,000. His rise to the lead was brought by a crucial spot in the last hour, having spiked a two outer with his queens against Hongyu Huang's pocket aces.

Chen stands to be the sole runner to crack the 500K mark, leaving a substantial gap with next in line Wilson Wang's 467,000 stack. Belgium's Kristof Segers and Japan's Hidenari Tomita share the third spot, both bringing 438,000 onto the next stage.

Other notables advancing through include PS Super High Roller champion Tom Verbruggen (240,000), Chi Jen Chen (187,000), Chia Yun Wu (174,000), Kun Han Lee (172,000), Winfred Yu (96,000), and two-time series winner Daniel Yang (52,000).

Registration remains open through the first two levels of the Final Day games, where the payouts are due to be unveiled.

• Date/s: December 17-18, 2024

• Buy-in: NTD 33,000 (~USD 1,045)

• Guarantee: NTD 3,000,000 (~USD 92,270)

• Day 1: 72 entries, 36 qualified

• Final Day: December 18

PS High Roller Top Ten Qualifiers

Backtrack on the day’s action via SMP Live Updates

Side Event Winners

Chia Chi Lin Claims Deepstack

On the tournament floor from noon to midnight, local runner Chia Chi Lin’s twelve hour grind paid off with a win over the Deepstack side event. A total of 54 entries chimed in, generating a prize pool of NTD 461,400 (~USD 14,190) which saw the full final table with a payday. Lin outlasted the rest, and rose to be the last man standing to capture his best live cash of NTD 155,700 (~USD 4,670) for a crushing run.

• Dates: December 17, 2024

• Buy-in: NT$ 33,000 (~US$ 1,045)

• Entries: 54

• Prize pool: NT$ 461,400 (~US$ 14,190)

• ITM: 9 places

Deepstack Full Payouts

Po Ching Lee Takes Down Bounty Event

Another local runner found success at yesterday’s Bounty Event, with Po Ching Lee securing the coveted golden PS hardware. The knockout games stretched out through early morning and saw Lee close out the victory over the 79-entry field. Lee’s latest feat stands to be a second career win, earning him the largest payout on the list at NTD 58,800 (~USD 1,760) in addition to his bounty prizes.

• Dates: December 17, 2024

• Buy-in: NT$ 8,000 (~US$ 255)

• Entries: 79

• Prize pool: NT$ 534,000 (~US$ 16,420)

• ITM: 12 places

Bounty Event Full Payouts

*Excluding bounty prizes

Xing Jie Chew Wins Win The Button

The final side event on the day’s schedule, Win The Button, drew in the smallest turnout with only 33 entries recorded across registration, building up a prize pool of NT$ 137,900 (~US$ 4,240). While not as substantial as the rest, event winner Xing Jie Chew still came out with a worthy profit, having banked the NTD 56,400 (~USD 1,690) top prize for eleven times the buy-in. 

• Dates: December 17, 2024

• Buy-in: NT$ 5,000 (~US$ 160)

• Entries: 33

• Prize pool: NT$ 137,900 (~US$ 4,240)

• ITM: 5 places

Win The Button Full Payouts