Chih Kai Chang Seals TMTC Main Event Victory as Taiwan Shines

The second edition of the Taiwan Millions Tournament Championship (TMTC) has officially wrapped up inside the Asia Poker Arena, marking another milestone for Taiwan’s thriving poker scene. Across two weeks of events, the festival delivered record-breaking numbers, international collaboration, and a celebration of poker as one of Asia’s fastest-growing mind sports.

From a massive field of 1,076 entries, Chih Kai Chang emerged as the TMTC Main Event champion, completing a dream run that saw him lift the trophy and claim the NTD 5,000,000 (~USD 162,085) top prize. Chang’s victory came after a fearless showing throughout the series, including a bold bluff late on Day 2 that turned the momentum firmly in his favor. He carried that confidence into the final day, where he overcame Ori Kossonogi in a back-and-forth heads-up duel to secure the biggest win of his career.

The NTD 30,000,000 guarantee was comfortably surpassed as the prize pool reached NTD 33,894,000 (~USD 1,098,740), making it the largest TMTC Main Event to date and a new high point for tournament poker in Taiwan.

After his win, Chang appeared calm and reflective, saying he felt relaxed, just as he had been on the final table. To him, poker mirrors everyday life, sometimes it comes down to patience, timing, and a touch of luck. “Poker is just like daily life. Sometimes you just get a bit luckier. Big or small, there is always someone who makes it to the end,” he said with a smile, adding that his friends were already planning where to celebrate and what to eat.

Looking back on the run, Chang credited his success to a better understanding of risk. “In the past, when I busted, I did not manage risk as well. Today I made some strategic adjustments,” he explained. “Honestly, I did not even expect to make it to Day 3, I had not booked a hotel for the last night, so this is really quite a surprise.”

He also took a moment to recognize how far the local scene has come. “Poker in Taiwan is thriving thanks to everything that has been built. The level of play and atmosphere are great. Just look at this final table, eight out of nine players were from Taiwan. Everyone is really strong, I just happened to get luckier this time.”

For Chang, the victory represents more than just a payday. “This is definitely a milestone in my poker journey. I went from being a recreational player to winning a major title in Taiwan. I honestly feel incredibly fulfilled,” he said, summing up a week that he will remember for a long time.

WPF Asian Nation Cup Team Event: A Landmark for Mind Sports

The inaugural World Poker Federation (WPF) Asian Nation Cup Team Event took place from October 21 to 23 inside the Asia Poker Arena, bringing together national teams from eight countries for three days of structured competition.

Organized by the Asian Poker Sports Association (APSA) in collaboration with the WPF, and supported by the Asian Poker Tour (APT), Ace Poker League (APL), and Taiwan Millions Tournament Championship (TMTC), the event was designed to highlight poker’s place as a skill-based discipline worthy of recognition among other mind sports.

Raymond Wong, CEO of GPI Asia and Secretary General of APSA, described the event as a true celebration of unity and sportsmanship, saying that seeing national teams proudly represent their countries with such passion proves that poker is not just a game but a mind sport that connects people.

The competition unfolded across three stages that tested both teamwork and individual ability. Day 1 featured heads-up matches, Day 2 introduced multi-table tournaments including a Head Hunter format, and Day 3 combined heads-up and SNG events to determine the final standings.

When the points were tallied, Team Philippines emerged as the Asian Nation Cup champions, taking home the gold medal and an NT$300,000 sponsored credit from TMTC. The lineup of John Costiniano, Marc Rivera, John Tech, Rene Mar David, Moses Saquing, Ferlyn Cabaling, and Lester Edoc delivered a consistent performance that carried them across all stages.

Team South Korea finished as runners-up, led by Hyundong Lee and Eosoo Lee, while Team Thailand rounded out the podium in third place.

Individual honors went to Jason Cheng of Chinese Taipei, who topped the men’s standings with 51 points to earn a US$3,000 sponsored credit from APL. In the women’s division, Japan’s Mami Taira led the way with 40.5 points, receiving a US$3,000 sponsored credit from APT.

Wong confirmed that the Asian Nation Cup will become an annual event, with APSA and WPF working together to build national associations, train tournament officials, and strengthen poker’s ecosystem throughout the region.

WPF Ladies Weekend: A Global Celebration of Women in Poker

The spotlight then turned to the WPF Ladies Weekend, which ran from October 24 to 25 at the Asia Poker Arena. Organized by the World Poker Federation (WPF) and the Asian Poker Sports Association (APSA), the initiative united women from across the globe for a shared celebration of competition, connection, and community.

While action unfolded in Taipei, women around the world were also taking their seats at partner clubs in countries such as the Philippines, Hong Kong, Brazil, Bulgaria, South Africa, Canada, and the United States. Each location hosted its own local edition of the WPF Ladies Weekend, reflecting a worldwide movement to create more opportunities for women in poker.

At the Taipei stop, hosted by Christy Huang, the WPF Ladies Championship offered an NT$1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and an NT$8,000 buy-in. The beautifully designed Queen’s Head Trophy, exclusive to Taiwan, awaited the winner, along with a TMTC Main Event seat worth NT$35,000.

Emerging at the top was Sin Lan “Lancy” Chen, who captured the title and NT$254,000 after an inspiring run that combined composure, resilience, and skill. Her victory was particularly meaningful, coming just days after she finished second in the individual women’s category during the WPF Asian Nation Cup. This time, Chen went one step further to claim the crown and close out an incredible week in Taipei.

Runner-up honors went to Yen-Hsi Chen, setting up an all-Taiwan heads-up battle that underlined the strength of the host nation. Rounding out the podium was Ma Arlene Rivera of the Philippines, who had also played a key role in her country’s team victory at the Asian Nation Cup earlier in the week.

More than just a tournament, the WPF Ladies Championship embodied the spirit of the WPF movement by combining competition with empowerment. Across two days, women from across Asia came together to share experiences, exchange ideas, and build community both on and off the felt. The event’s success highlighted how far women’s poker has come in recent years, while also showing how much room there is for continued growth.

TMTC Player of the Series Awards

To cap off the 2025 TMTC, three standout performers were recognized for their consistency and success across multiple events. Each received tournament credits for future Taiwan Millions Tournament (TMT) festivals.

Player of the Series honors went to Chiayun Wu, who claimed the top spot and a credit worth NTD 90,000. Jinwoo Jung finished in second place for NTD 60,000, while William Jia took third for NTD 30,000.

In the Female Player of the Series category, Yunhsi Hsieh secured the title and NTD 60,000 in credits, followed by Shiina Okamoto with NTD 30,000 and Eunjung Sim with NTD 10,000.

The High Roller Player of the Series race was topped by William Jia, who added another accolade to his festival performance with a further NTD 90,000 credit. Tom Verbruggen and Seungmook Jung rounded out the top three, earning NTD 60,000 and NTD 30,000 respectively.

These awards recognized not only strong individual results but also the depth of competition across a festival that continues to set new standards for poker in Taiwan.

Looking Ahead

With the series now concluded, attention turns to the next TMTC festival, scheduled for January 22 to February 9. Keep it with Somuchpoker for the latest updates, interviews, and live reporting from across the Asian poker circuit.