USOP Taiwan Day 6 highlights: Jennifer Cassell ships Mini Main; Yita Choong, Keon Young Oh lift #2; Seung Hun Ko, Lin Wei Ka, Wei Ting Chen score wins

With Day 6 in the books, the U Series of Poker (USOP) season opener is now halfway through at Asia Poker Arena in Taipei City, Taiwan. The wall-to-wall action saw Yita Choong and Keon Young Oh become the first multi-winners, Jennifer Cassell rise at the Mini Main, joined by three other USOP maiden title-holders Seung Hun Ko, Lin Wei Kai, and Wei Ting Chen. Here are the highlights.

USOP Taiwan – Coverage
USOP Taiwan – Player Guide
USOP Taiwan – Festival Results
USOP Taiwan – Main Event info

“Staying patient and disciplined” granted JENNIFER CASSELL the Mini Main Event victory

Wedged in the middle at the start of Day 2, Australia’s Jennifer Cassell went on to glory at the Mini Main for her first win outside of home soil. Cassell banked NTD 1,176,000 (~USD 37,775) and her first USOP title.

“I’m very fortunate to be able to travel to other countries and play poker. Taipei is my favorite place I’ve visited for poker, which makes this win even sweeter. I’m very excited and feel as though it’s a great achievement! It feels amazing to have such great support behind me from my partner Bert Perry & fellow Australians, some that have also travelled here and others back home.

It’s a great feeling to start the year with a significant win. It will set me up for a nice year ahead, I hope. As for the tournament itself: it’s incredibly tough to run so deep in a large field MTT, you really need a lot of luck on your side. For me staying disciplined and patient while short stacked was a key to my success.”

The two-day Mini Main drew a towering crowd of 747 entries propelling the prize pool to NTD 6,525,500 (~USD 209,786). Among the 95 advancing players, frontrunners Chau Hau Tsai and Alan Lau Kin Lun were in prime form to take it very deep. Tsai secured a spot at the final table, finishing in 5th place, however Lau was not so fortunate, stopped early in 66th place.

For Malaysia’s Chang Xiang Guang,it was another impressive run. Heearned his third final table cash with a 3rd place berth.

Date: January 8 to 10, 2024
Buy in: NTD 10,000 (~USD 320)
Guarantee: NTD 2,000,000 (~USD 64,297)
Entries: 747
Prize Pool: NTD 6,525,500 (~USD 209,786)
ITM: 95 places

YITA CHOONG lifts second series title at High Roller Megastack

Second series win for Yita Choong! The Australian high roller’s first USOP visit was in Da Nang in November where he missed his chance at victory numerous times. Not the case though in Taiwan. Choong won the opening day Mini High Roller, then at Day 6, he outshined at the High Roller Megastack for his series second title. Choong became the first player to win two trophies at USOP Taiwan.

The High Roller Megastack attracted an elite crowd of 92 runners for a substantial prize pool of NTD 8,120,900 (~USD 261,076). The top 14 got paid with Choong banking the NTD 2,436,300 (~USD 78,250) first prize. He is now closing in on NTD 3M in series winnings.

Date: January 9 to 10, 2024
Buy in: NTD 100,000 (~USD 3,215)
Guarantee: NTD 2,500,000 (~USD 80,372)
Entries: 92
Prize Pool: NTD 8,120,900 (~USD 261,076)
ITM: 14 places

USOP newcomer SEUNG HUN KO wins Midweek Superstack

On his first-ever USOP stop, South Korea’s Seung Hun Ko rose above the sizable 161 entry field of the popular Midweek Superstack to capture the coveted win and the NTD 560,400 (~USD 18,000) top prize. Strong finish as well for High Roller Warm Up champion William Jia who placed 4th.

Date: January 10, 2024
Buy in: NTD 15,000 (~USD 480)
Guarantee: NTD 1,000,000 (~USD 32,149)
Entries: 161
Prize Pool: NTD 2,108,300 (~USD 67,779)
ITM: 21 places

Local player LIN WEI KAI wins Pot Limit Omaha

With a long list of deep runs and wins at CTP local events, Lin Wei Kai added a USOP title for his victory at Pot Limit Omaha. The event attracted a strong field of 66 entries. Lin denied Pot Limit Omaha Turbo winner Shao Me Yang a second title, defeating him at heads up. For his triumph, Lin earned a cool NTD 242,000 (~USD 7,775).

Date: January 10, 2024
Buy in: NTD 12,000 (~USD 384)
Entries: 66
Prize Pool: NTD 691,500 (~USD 22,231)
ITM: 9 places

Second series title for KEON YOUNG OH at Freezeout

Another multi-winner emerged at Day 6 with South Korea’s Keon Young Oh bringing it home at the Freezeout event. Oh was the last man standing out of the 104 player field to turn his NTD 6K buy in to a cool NTD 160,000 (~USD 5,140). Oh’s first win was at the Bounty Hunter Turbo two days prior.

Date: January 10, 2024
Buy in: NTD 6,000 (~USD 192)
Entries: 104
Prize Pool: NTD 524,600 (~USD 16,865)
ITM: 13 places

WEI TING CHEN wins first USOP title at 10/10/10

The last event of the day was the uber-fast short stacked 10/10/10 event. Players start with a 10k stack, blinds go up every 10 minutes, and players only have 10 seconds to act. Needless to say it was a rush to the finish line with Taiwan’s Wei Ting Chen prevailing for his first USOP win and NTD 90,700 (~USD 2,900). Among the finishers was Philippine player Justin Jerome Geronimo for his second final table cash.

Date: January 10, 2024
Buy in: NTD 5,000 (~USD 160)
Entries: 59
Prize Pool: NTD 251,900 (~USD 8,098)
ITM: 8 places

USOP Taiwan 2024

In partnership with theChinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP), USOP Taiwan runs from January 5 to 15, 2024at the largest brick and mortar poker room in the region,Asia Poker Arena in Taipei City. With six days in the books, 26 of the 45 trophies have already been claimed.Time to win yours!

*Photos by CTP and USOP