Taiwan Millions Tournament (TMT) 19 Kicks Off with Record Numbers and Star Power

The 19th edition of the Taiwan Millions Tournament (TMT 19) is officially underway, marking a significant start to the 2026 poker season in Taipei. Running from January 22 to February 09, the series features a dual-venue setup, beginning at the Asia Poker Arena (Jan 22–31) before moving to RED SPACE a day early on January 31 until February 9 for the final stages.

Opening Weekend Highlights

The festival opened to capacity crowds, with the initial events significantly exceeding their projected prize pools. The Warm-Up GiantStack, the first trophy event of the series, drew a record-breaking 964 entries. This massive turnout pushed the prize pool to NT$2,700,000, more than doubling its original guarantee.

Taiwan’s Wu Chien Yu emerged as the inaugural champion of TMT 19, taking home NT$426,200 and a seat in the TMTC Main Event valued at NT$35,000.

Other early winners include:

• Daily MegaStack Stair: Tingyu Ou (TW)

• NLH Freezeout: Liang Sheng Lee (TW)

• High Roller (H1): Chih Wei Fan (TW)

• NLH Head Hunter Big Bounty: Justin Pak Kwan (HK)

Global Pro Shiina Okamoto Joins the Field

Adding to the competitive atmosphere, world-renowned professional Shiina Okamoto has officially arrived to compete in the full TMT 19 series. Okamoto, a two-time WSOP bracelet winner and GTO Wizard Ambassador, is expected to be a major contender throughout the festival. Fans and players can expect to see her elite-level gameplay live across various events from Day 1 through the final showdowns.

Featured Events & Schedule

The TMT 19 schedule is anchored by several high-guarantee events designed for a wide range of bankrolls. Below are the key highlights remaining in the series:

Main Event Exclusive Incentives

As the festival prepares to transition to the Main Event starting February 1, organizers have announced exclusive rewards for early registrants. For each of the 8 starting flights, the first 100 players to register will receive a limited-edition CTP × TMT Keychain. These collectible items are produced in limited quantities and are not available for purchase, serving as a unique memento for participants in this record-breaking edition.

With a total guaranteed prize pool across the series exceeding NT$59,000,000, TMT 19 continues to establish itself as a premier destination for poker in Asia.