WPG Taiwan 2026 Gets Off to Strong Start as Ting Chieh Chi Wins the Kick Off

The World Poker Games Taiwan 2026 got underway on Saturday at the Asia Poker Arena in Taipei, with the debut World Poker Games series drawing a strong opening crowd and the WPG Kick Off delivering one of the first titles of the festival. Cards were in the air from mid-morning as players settled into what promises to be one of the most ambitious new poker events on the Asian calendar.

The nine-day festival — the product of a long-term partnership between WPG and the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Club (CTP) — spans 58 events and a TWD 24 million series guarantee. The atmosphere inside the venue set the tone early. Trophies were on display, the room decked out in WPG branding, and the buzz around the tables reflected the significance of the occasion — a brand new series making its first impression on a Taipei audience.

Ting Chieh Chi Takes the WPG Kick Off

The NT$10,000 WPG Kick Off ran across three starting flights on Saturday before crowning a winner on Sunday, drawing 154 entries and generating a prize pool of NT$2,000,000 (~$63,540) — matching its guarantee exactly.

Taiwan’s Ting Chieh Chi emerged as champion, banking NT$510,000 (~$16,200) for the victory. East Chan finished as runner-up for NT$300,000 (~$9,530), with compatriot Che Hao Hsu rounding out the podium in third for NT$190,000 (~$6,035). All three finishers were representing Taiwan, a fitting result for the series’ home crowd on opening weekend.

#1 WPG Kick Off (10,000 TWD)

Total Prize USD

$63,540

Total Prize

NT$2,000,000

Guaranteed

NT$2,000,000

Entries

154

ITM

24

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	NT$510,000 $16,200	TC Ting Chieh Chi Taiwan	7,958.87
2	NT$300,000 $9,530	EC East Chan Taiwan	5,627.77
3	NT$190,000 $6,035	CH Che Hao Hsu Taiwan	4,595.05
4	NT$140,000 $4,450	CL Chiachin Liao Taiwan	3,979.43
5	NT$110,000 $3,495	SH Shih Hsuan Li Taiwan	3,559.31
6	NT$90,000 $2,860	KK Kuo Kai Ma Taiwan	3,249.19
7	NT$75,500 $2,400	DE David Erquiaga Philippines	3,008.17
8	NT$64,000 $2,035	CT Chia Ta Tsai Taiwan	2,813.88
9	NT$54,000 $1,715	MC Ming Che Yang Taiwan	2,652.96

Check the 24 Payouts & Results ...

What’s Coming Up at WPG Taiwan 2026

Action continued today with the NT$45,000 All Star High Roller, which played 18 levels across its opening day before concluding on Tuesday. Also underway was the first flight of the NT$15,000 WPG Mystery Bounty, which carries a NT$2,500,000 guarantee and runs further flights on Tuesday before a final day on Wednesday.

The NT$12,000 Mini Main Event and the NT$55,000 High Roller Special both kick off on Wednesday, with the latter carrying a NT$1,000,000 guarantee. On the final day of the series, the NT$66,000 Super High Roller makes its debut alongside the NT$800,000 guaranteed Monster Stack, making May 31 one of the busiest closing days of the festival.

The centrepiece of the series is the NT$22,000 WPG Main Event, boasting a NT$10,000,000 guarantee. Five starting flights run from Thursday through Saturday — including a turbo flight on Saturday evening — before the field consolidates for Day 2 on Sunday, May 31.

WPG Taiwan 2026 — Key Events at a Glance

Stay tuned to Somuchpoker for more coverage from World Poker Games Taiwan 2026 throughout the series.