World Poker Tour Prime Taiwan one week away – November 11 to 21 at CTP Club
The World Poker Tour continues its 20th anniversary celebration with another big festival in Asia before the close of the year. In just a week’s time is the highly awaited WPT Prime Taiwan taking place from November 11 to 21 at the popular card room, Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP Club) in Taipei City. This will be the country’s first look at the new series which showcases a 22-game lineup and NT$ 15 Million (~$466,720) in guaranteed prize pools.
Back in 2019, Taiwan quickly emerged as one of the choice places in Asia for poker festivals. International brands poured in as players flooded the felt generating seven figure festival prize pools. Due to Covid-19, the rush experienced a hard halt as borders closed to non-nationals. After a two-year wait, Taiwan has finally reopened, just in time for the upcoming WPT Prime series.
In our previous article, we broke down the schedule and reviewed all the key events and new additions to look forward to. We will briefly run down those events again here and include some helpful tips for first timers to Taiwan.
WPT Prime Taiwan schedule breakdown
Guaranteed Events
The Mystery Bounty NT$ 5,000,000 GTD (~$156,000)opens the series running for three days, from November 11 to 13. Buy in is NT$ 16,500 (~$516). Due to its surprise element and high drama, this type of bounty event has gained in popularity, especially in the region. The largest WPT bounty reward seen in Asia was for US$ 10,000 pulled at WPT Prime Cambodia.
Four days after the opener, the series headliner takes center stage. The MAIN EVENT NT$ 10,000,000 GTD (~$311,975)runs from November 17 to 21 with buy in of NT$ 33,000 (~$1,030). Three starting days kick things off, each one plays down to ITM. Join the exclusive club of WPT Prime Asia champions Zarvan Tumboli (WPT Prime Vietnam) and David Erquiaga (WPT Prime Cambodia) by taking down this event.
High Roller Events
- Mini High Roller – November 14 to 15 – Buy in NT$ 66,000 (~US$ 2,070)
- WPT Prime Taiwan SHR – November 16 to 17 – Buy in NT$ 200,000 (~US$ 6,275)
- Single Day HR – November 17 – Buy in NT$ 100,000 (~US$ 3,137)
- WPT Prime Taiwan HR 3K – November 20 to 21 – Buy in NT$ 100,000 (~US$ 3,137)
New Events
- Seniors NLH was previously offered at WPT Prime Madrid; the event runs on Wednesday, November 16 – Buy in NT$ 6,000 (~US$ 188)
- Big Bounty Freezeout (10k/bounty) – November 20 to 21 – Buy in NT$ 22,000 (~US$ 690)
- Turbo Main Event – November 21 – Buy in NT$ 35,000 (~US$ 1,100)
- 10/10/10/10 Finale – 10K stack, 10 min blinds, 10 seconds to act – November 21 – Buy in NT$ 10,000 (~US$ 315)
Player of the Festival
The Player of the Festival title is another highly coveted title. The player that accrues the most points at the end of the festival will be rewarded handsomely with a WPT Passport worth US$ 5,000 to be used at any Main Tour Season XX or Main Tour Season XXI live event. Previous Asia winners were USA’s Duy Ho and Philippines’ David Erquiaga.
Info for first timers to Taiwan
Thinking about going to WPT Prime Taiwan as a first time visitor? We highly recommend it. For starters, the weather is perfect this time of year, mostly cool. It makes for easy strolls around the city, its parks, and for visiting all the gorgeous sights. Although there may be a bit of language barrier, Taiwanese people are very hospitable and will do their best to accommodate. Make sure to check WPT Live Events Specialist Danny McDonagh‘s facebook page as he details many of Taiwan’s incredible sights.
If poker is what drives you, the game has been booming in Taiwan, even during the pandemic. The venue CTP Club in Taipei City has been hosting events well before international brands came in and the organizers take great pride in delivering quality tournaments with utmost professionalism.
Entry requirements
While it is good news that Taiwan borders have relaxed restrictions, pandemic precautions are still in place. All incoming travelers are required to undergo self-monitoring for seven days and will be given antigen tests upon arrival to administer on specified days. Masks are also mandatory indoors and social distancing is encouraged. Make sure to have your accommodations set prior to arrival in case it is requested.
Travel from Taoyuan Airport to the heart of the city
Taiwan has a superb transportation system, and much like poker festivals, there are varying prices to suit every wallet. The cheapest route to get from the Taoyuan Airport to the city is by bus. It costs NT$135 to NT$145 and it takes over 1.5 hours. Time-wise, buses only run every hour with the last trip just before 8pm.
For several more Taiwan dollars you can take the MRT (train) which costs NT$150. This is the same price for both the commuter and the express. Traveling to the city by train is one of the most popular routes not just for the price but also for the time it takes, roughly 40 to 50 minutes. For late night travelers, keep in mind trains only run until midnight.
If you want to ensure your own space, metered taxis are the way to go. Taxis are the most convenient form of travel as they run 24/7 and drop you off right at your desired destination. This is however the most expensive route with prices sometimes exceeding NT$1,300. Night time rides can also cost a bit more.
