WPT Prime Taiwan: Motoyoshi Okamura wins Mini High Roller; Ya Wen Hsieh dominates Ladies Event

Another action packed day at WPT Prime Taiwan concluded with two players added to the winners list. The newly minted were Japan’s Motoyoshi Okamura at the Mini High Roller and Ya Wen Hsieh at the Ladies Event. These two players are now proud owners of their first WPT Prime trophies. More awards on offer with four events taking place today, Wednesday, November 16. Here are the highlights and the updated Player of the Festival standings.

WPT Prime Taiwan – PLAYER GUIDE

MOTOYOSHI OKAMURA adds Mini High Roller to career achievements

Exactly one year ago, Motoyoshi Okamura made headlines by locking up his first ever WSOP bracelet. Last night, the Japanese pro added another title to his name with a victory at the Mini High Roller. Okamura defeated Malaysia’s Natalie Teh at heads up to win his first ever WPT trophy and the NT$ 1,214,300 (~$39,260) top prize. Relive the action via the recorded live stream on CTP Club Twitch

Buy in: NT$ 66,000 (~$2,130)
Entries: 66
Prize pool: NT$ 3,841,200 (~$124,200)
ITM: 9 places

Payouts

Event recap

The Mini High Roller was the first event attracting the heavyweights with buy in coming in at NT$ 66,000 (~$2,134). Among the 66-entry field were international players Michael Soyza, Haimish Crawshaw, WSOP bracelet winner Sung Joo Hyun, and Australia’s Joseph Sandaev who was on his first Asia poker trip. Making up a big bulk were local pros that included Zong Chi He who fell on the bubble to fellow countryman Wei Chen Liu with losing the flip against .

With the money intact, the remaining 9 players battled for the largest portion of the NT$ 3,841,200 (~$124,200) prize pool. Minutes in, heavy action went down. It opened with utg player Fu Bang Huang min-raising to 40K, two spots over Natalie Teh three-bet 120K, cutoff / chip leader Panitan Poopadsri four-bet 300K, button Sin Ren Chen jammed for 550K, and called only by Okamura. Chen had and held against Okamura’s . Shortly after, Yosuke Nazawa was first to grab a piece of the pot in 9th place, and the live stream was finally underway.

Leading up to heads up, Teh doubled up twice and Okamura eliminated four players that included a double elimination to Yoon Kang and Liu. The hand saw Okamura’s stand firm against pocket Jacks and Ace-Ten suited. After Okamura eliminated Huang in 3rd place, a two-hour heads up followed with both players tugging at the chip lead. The game changer hand saw a board with both all in at the flop. Teh had , Okamura with . Down to 1 Ante, Teh was forced all in on the next hand and was eliminated.

YA WEN HSIEH dominates the Ladies Event

Healthy turnout at the Ladies Event with 29 taking to the felt for a prize pool of NT$ 143,500. In the lineup was WSOP circuit double ring winner Christine Hia who was looking to add a second Ladies Event title to her stats having won one at the 2018 Sydney Championships. Her bid ran short in 4th place with pocket Twos losing to Ya Wen Hsieh‘s pocket Nines. Hsieh went on to rail recently crowned APPT winner Hua Wei Lin to enter heads up backed by a dominating stack.

She closed it out in ten minutes with spiking the flush on the river against Chi Ying Tsai‘s top pair on a board , the shoves were on the flop.

Buy in: NT$ 6,000
Entries: 29
Prize pool: NT$ 143,500 (~$4,640)
ITM: 4 places

Player of the Festival – update as of 6 completed events

Stick with us at Somuchpoker as we bring you updates of the ongoing series..All photos courtesy of CTP Club.

Links:

WPT Prime Taiwan – Event Payouts

WPT Prime Taiwan underway – first five events