Lester Edoc Wins Record-Breaking TMT Championship Main Event for TWD 4,757,400 as Festival Wraps Up
The TMT Championship 2026 came to a close on Monday, October 26, at CTP Asia Poker Arena in Taipei, with the Philippines' Lester Edoc taking the Main Event title after overcoming a record-breaking 1,418-entry field. The final day of the 11-day festival saw eight tournaments conclude, including two High Rollers and the MegaStack Last Chance.
The TWD 35,000 Main Event generated a TWD 42,880,320 prize pool, comfortably surpassing its TWD 30 million guarantee and setting a new attendance record for the TMT Championship. A total of 215 players finished in the money, with Edoc collecting TWD 4,757,400 (~ USD 146,440) following a three-way ICM deal.
Elsewhere, South Korea's Myunghwan Han won the TWD 60,000 High Roller, while Thailand's Tiwatt Kiatsermsuk emerged victorious in the 365-entry MegaStack Last Chance, one of the busiest events of he festival.
Lester Edoc Wins Main Event After Three-Way Deal
Edoc entered the final table as chip leader and maintained his advantage through five hours of play before agreeing to a three-way ICM deal with India's Aditya Agarwal and South Korea's Sunho Yoo.
The deal locked up Edoc TWD 4,757,400 (USD 146,440), while Agarwal received TWD 4,162,400 (USD 128,130) as runner-up and Yoo collected TWD 3,643,200 (USD 111,710).
Following the deal, the remaining three players agreed to move all-in preflop every hand until a champion was determined. Five hands later, Edoc was the one with the trophy
The victory was especially memorable for the Filipino, whose wife, Ferlyn Edoc, had won the Ladies Event just one day earlier, giving the couple two titles during the festival.
Reflecting on his achievement, Edoc said, "I'm very happy, it's been a while since I won a main event and this is also the biggest in number of field that I outlasted."
He also encouraged his fellow Filipino players to compete internationally, saying, "Go out and try playing outside of the Philippines because we Filipinos have a chance to win international events."
For more on Edoc's victory and his journey through the final table, read the full Main Event championship feature.
Main Event Final Table Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (TWD) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Philippines | 4,757,400 | $146,440 | |
2 | India | 4,162,400 | $128,130 | |
3 | South Korea | 3,643,200 | $111,710 | |
4 | Taiwan | 2,178,000 | $66,840 | |
5 | Netherlands | 1,653,000 | $50,730 | |
6 | South Korea | 1,270,000 | $38,975 | |
7 | South Korea | 985,000 | $30,230 | |
8 | Taiwan | 774,000 | $23,750 | |
9 | Taiwan | 615,000 | $18,870 |
Tiwatt Kiatsermsuk Takes Down MegaStack Last Chance
The TWD 8,000 MegaStack Last Chance was another major attraction on the festival's final day, drawing 365 entries and generating a TWD 2.4 million prize pool.
Thailand's Tiwatt Kiatsermsuk came away with the title and TWD 389,500 (USD 10,670), finishing ahead of South Korea's Sunyo Chol, who received USD 7,560 as runner-up.
Fellow South Korean Hyegeon Park rounded out the podium for USD 4,945, while compatriot Heesoo Im finished fourth for USD 3,415.
MegaStack Last Chance Final Table Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Thailand | $10,670 | |
2 | Sunyo Chol | South Korea | $7,560 |
3 | Hyegeon Park | South Korea | $4,945 |
4 | South Korea | $3,415 | |
5 | Chiun Shiang Huang | Taiwan | $2,680 |
6 | Jung Cha | South Korea | $2,270 |
7 | Taiwan | $1,940 | |
8 | Taiwan | $1,615 | |
9 | Rex Argana Mendoza Jr. | USA | $1,290 |
Myunghwan Han Claims High Roller Title
South Korea's Myunghwan Han secured one of the final day's largest prizes after winning the TWD 60,000 High Roller for TWD 1,085,100 (USD 29,725).
The tournament drew 64 entries and generated a TWD 3.4 million prize pool, with ten players finishing in the money.
Han topped a final standings list featuring fellow South Korean Seungmook Jung in second place for USD 17,360, while Taiwan's Kuo Wei Kao rounded out the podium for USD 11,135.
Malaysia's Jia Ming Owen Chong took fourth place, followed by South Korea's Kwanuk Do in fifth.
There was also another notable result for Sunho Yoo, who finished sixth in the High Roller for USD 5,080 after taking third place in the Main Event, giving him two major final tables on the festival's closing day.
The TWD 50,000 High Roller Battle Stack also concluded on Monday, drawing seven entries and paying out TWD 305,800 in prize money. The Netherlands' Tom Verbruggen claimed the title and TWD 198,800, with Malaysia's Aaron Di Lun Goh finishing runner-up.
Four More Champions Crowned on Closing Day
Beyond the Main Event, MegaStack and two High Rollers, four other tournaments concluded on Monday, offering a mixture of bounty and mixed-game formats.
Taiwan's Hung Hsiang Chen won the TWD 10,000 Mystery Bounty, which attracted 141 entries and generated a TWD 1.2 million prize pool. Chen collected TWD 162,200 in first-place tournament prize money, with fellow Taiwanese player Chen Ting Chieh finishing runner-up. Any additional bounty winnings are separate from the published first-place payout.
Hong Kong's Kiu Sum Leung topped the 73-entry Battle Stack NLH Head Hunter (TWD 2,000 Bounty) for TWD 60,600, while Taiwan's Hung Hsiang Wu took down the late-night NLH Head Hunter (TWD 1,000 Bounty), overcoming a 145-entry field to collect TWD 56,200.
The final day's mixed-game title went to Hong Kong's Pui Cheung Ng, who won the 29-entry PL Drawmaha Mix (High, Dugi, 2-7) for TWD 31,000.
Event | Entries | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
365 | TWD 389,500 | ||
64 | TWD 1,085,100 | ||
73 | TWD 60,600 | ||
29 | TWD 31,000 | ||
141 | Hung Hsiang Chen | TWD 162,200 | |
7 | TWD 198,800 | ||
145 | TWD 56,200 |
What's Next? TMT21 Returns in January 2027
With the TMT Championship 2026 now in the books, attention turns to the next edition of the Taiwan Millions Tournament, TMT21, scheduled for January 13 to February 1, 2027.
The 20-day festival will take place at Red Space in Taipei's Songshan District, with a TWD 9,000 Main Event carrying a TWD 30 million guaranteed prize pool.
Following the record-breaking turnout at the TMT Championship Main Event, the upcoming series will give players another opportunity to compete for one of Taiwan's major guaranteed prize pools when TMT returns early next year.
Some images courtesy of CTP Club.
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About the Editor
Tim Baker is a UK-born Live Poker Reporter based in Indonesia, covering major poker tournaments across Asia and around the world since 2023. With nearly two decades of experience around live and online poker, he brings deep knowledge of the game and the international poker scene to his tournament coverage.
