WPT Prime Taiwan schedule revealed: 22 titles; NT$ 10M gtd Main Event; New Events; Player of the Festival
Good news for the live poker scene in Asia, Taiwan has finally lifted its mandatory quarantine requirements on all incoming travelers. Players and poker organizations alike have been awaiting this moment and it comes just in time for the World Poker Tour’s Prime series which is set to take place from November 11 to 21 at the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP Club) in Taipei City. The upcoming series is the third of its kind in Asia and it wraps up the brand’s phenomenal run this year.
Last May, as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, WPT debuted its signature Prime series in Ha Noi, Vietnam resulting in the biggest event in the region since the pandemic. In August, the brand broke past those numbers, producing a WPT Asia record turnout in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
With Season XX rapidly coming to a close, WPT will once again give players plenty to look forward to. The 11-day series features a 22 game lineup and NT$ 15 Million in guaranteed prize pools. Like past editions, the schedule caters to every type of bankroll with buy ins from NT$ 6,000 (US$ 188) to NT$ 200,000 (~US$ 6,275). The highly coveted Player of the Festival title is also up for grabs. Here’s a rundown of what to expect.
Guaranteed Events
Nothing jolts excitement more than seeing guarantees and for the upcoming festivities two events will induce that feeling. On opening day, the increasingly popular Mystery Bounty will carry in a NT$ 5 Million guarantee which will then be followed by the festival showpiece Main Event featuring a NT$ 10 Million guarantee.
Mystery Bounty – NT$ 5 Million (~US$ 156,820) guaranteed
The Mystery Bounty has now become a fixture in the WPT roster and for this version, a sizable NT$ 5 Million (~US$ 156,820) is guaranteed. This generous figure surpasses its Cambodia Opener guarantee, making it the largest opener prize pool offered by any brand in Asia in 2022. The event runs from November 11 to 13 with two starting days. As always, only players that reach the money round will have a chance at the mystery bounty rewards. Buy in is NT$ 16,500 (~US$ 517).
WPT Prime Taiwan Main Event – NT$ 10 Million (~US$ 313,678) guaranteed
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, live poker has been thriving in Taiwan with homegrown festivals keeping players very busy. With restrictions now lifted, a healthy turnout of international players is expected especially for the Main Event which gathered a WPT record turnout of 1,050 entries in Cambodia. Follow in the footsteps of Zarvan Tumboli and David Erquiaga in becoming the next WPT Asia champion. The winner of this event is also eligible for the distinguished WPT Player of the Year.
The Main Event features a NT$ 10 Million (~US$ 313,678) guarantee. It runs from November 17 to 21 with three starting days that each play to ITM. Buy in is NT$ 33,000 (~US$ 1,035).
WPT Prime Taiwan Main Event structure
New Events
The WPT Prime Taiwan schedule will see several new events, all of which have not been offered by the brand in Asia this year – Seniors NLH, Big Bounty Freezeout, Turbo Main Event, and 10/10/10/10 Finale.
- 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)
High Roller Events
High Roller events have been growing in popularity that it is no longer just heavyweights and deep-pocketed pulling up seats. Among the newest participants are rising young guns looking to test their skills against the upper crust. Expect to see them battle in these 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)
Other Events
Plugging up the rest of the schedule are NLH crowd favorites such as Superstack, Deepstack, Megastack, Turbo, Bounty, and Freezeouts. There is also a Ladies Event, PLO, and Short Deck Hold’em.
WPT Player of the Festival
Aside from tournaments to conquer, the Player of the Festival title will also be fiercely hunted thanks to the generous prize. The player that accrues the most points at the end of the festival will be awarded a WPT Passport worth US$ 5,000 to be used at any Main Tour Season XX or Main Tour Season XXI live event.
