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

Asia-Pacific
Live Poker
01/11/2024

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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.

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“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.”

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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.

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Chang Xiang Guang

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

RankPlayerFlagPayout in NTD
1Jennifer CassellAustralia1,176,000
2Daniel YangTaiwan825,000
3Chang Xiang GuangMalaysia531,600
4Pi Ying HsuTaiwan393,200
5Chau Hau TsaiTaiwan300,300
6Chih Wei ChenTaiwan238,000
7Tzu Shaing ChenTaiwan197,000
8Shun Jian YeeSingapore155,600
9Kuo Wei KaoTaiwan117,600
10Kai Jan ChouTaiwan97,500
11Nguyen Huu CaoVietnam97,500
12Kai Liang ChangTaiwan97,500
13Li Wei WangTaiwan77,600
14Cheng En TsaiTaiwan77,600
15Fan Yu TsengTaiwan77,600
16Yashiro NaokiJapan64,200
17Chien Wei LinTaiwan64,200
18Kuan An ChenTaiwan64,200
19Chun Wei ShiaoTaiwan52,600
20Tse An LeeSingapore52,600
21Wingsze HoHong Kong52,600
22Chi Ho LingHong Kong44,700
23Tan Ong KwanMalaysia44,700
24Zhiyu WangAustralia44,700
25Federico FarandaGermany37,200
26Chi Jen ChenTaiwan37,200
27Zi Wei TungTaiwan37,200
28Chi Der LeiChina30,500
29Joe ChenTaiwan30,500
30Thomas LiffickUK30,500
31Chun An ChouTaiwan30,500
32Sorawit SuriyakarnThailand30,500
33Dexter SantosPhilippines30,500
34Lee Kuang HungTaiwan30,500
35Phat NguyenAustralia30,500
36Gingyu HuangTaiwan30,500
37Kaiser HuangTaiwan26,600
38Ya Ting ChouTaiwan26,600
39Chih Feng LiTaiwan26,600
40Chia Ta TsaiTaiwan26,600
41Yu Yong LinTaiwan26,600
42Mongsong KuoTaiwan26,600
43Hsu Sheng ChangTaiwan26,600
44Weihao HuangTaiwan26,600
45Jim WangSingapore26,600
46Hsinhui PengTaiwan23,500
47Yan Xin NgSingapore23,500
48Jereld SamSingapore23,500
49Chang Le LinTaiwan23,500
50Yan Wen YeeMalaysia23,500
51Romain BierFrance23,500
52Rundulf Martin GonzalesPhilippines23,500
53Paul YugendraMalaysia23,500
54John Jay MagadanPhilippines23,500
55Oliver SchulzeGermany21,300
56Chien Hsiang HungTaiwan21,300
57Masato NagamineJapan21,300
58Fu An HuangTaiwan21,300
59Yiu Cheong HoHong Kong21,300
60Richard KimCanada21,300
61Juns LeongMalaysia21,300
62Jonathan LooiMalaysia21,300
63Napat BuranatavonsomThailand21,300
64Yuan Fu LoTaiwan19,400
65Justin Jerome GeronimoPhilippines19,400
66King Lun Alan LauHong Kong19,400
67Chien Yu LinTaiwan19,400
68Tran Duc KienVietnam19,400
69Shaotang LuTaiwan19,400
70Ta Wei WeiTaiwan19,400
71Kim Hak DoSouth Korea19,400
72Meng Ling LinTaiwan19,400
73Yun Lam Kevin ChoiHong Kong19,400
74Pak Hei ChanHong Kong17,600
75Shao Hong YuTaiwan17,600
76Wai Shun PoonHong Kong17,600
77Haram JooSouth Korea17,600
78Tsung En YehTaiwan17,600
79Xsien Lee QuTaiwan17,600
80Yun Ping LiTaiwan17,600
81Kaihung HuTaiwan17,600
82Yungyu ChenTaiwan17,600
83Lai Koon LimSingapore15,900
84Haruto MurataJapan15,900
85Wen Yen ChiuTaiwan15,900
86Yick Kuen HiewSingapore15,900
87Seo HojinSouth Korea15,900
88Wai Huen LeeHong Kong15,900
89Kei Hong LeongSingapore15,900
90Zong Chi HeTaiwan15,900
91Si Yang PhuaSingapore15,900
92Ka Hei ChoiHong Kong14,300
93Dou Houng ChienTaiwan14,300
94Aladin ReskallahFrance14,300
95Yi Chun LinTaiwan14,300

YITA CHOONG lifts second series title at High Roller Megastack

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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

RankPlayerFlagPayout in NTD
1Yita ChoongAustralia2,436,300
2Hon Cheong LeeHong Kong1,502,400
3Punnat PunsriThailand901,400
4Win Meng TanMalaysia588,800
5Jeong YimSouth Korea454,800
6Seung Mook JungSouth Korea373,600
7Hoong Kiat AlexMalaysia316,700
8Webster Chih Wei LimMalaysia276,100
9Matthew BelcherUK243,600
10Justin TsuiAustralia215,200
11Paul NattapatsiriThailand215,200
12William JiaAustralia215,200
13Anton Zhen Zhao LuAustralia190,800
14Dae Woong SongSouth Korea190,800

USOP newcomer SEUNG HUN KO wins Midweek Superstack

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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

RankPlayerFlagPayout in NTD
1Seung Hun KoSouth Korea560,400
2Juns LeongMalaysia367,000
3Kennie TaySingapore216,300
4William JiaAustralia131,700
5Conor GrimsleyUK101,600
6Toshio KataokaJapan84,200
7Yung Yu ChenTaiwan72,900
8Dou Houng ChienTaiwan64,300
9Jun LiUnited56,000
10Kuan Hua HuangTaiwan48,500
11Kwok YipHong Kong48,500
12Kyle Bao DiepVietnam48,500
13Napat BuranatavonsomThailand41,100
14Napat ChokejindachaiThailand41,100
15Ting Yao LinTaiwan41,100
16Oliver SchulzeGermany34,200
17Kaiser HuangTaiwan34,200
18Ya Ting ChouTaiwan34,200
19Edwin Dela CruzPhilippines27,500
20Lee Ka ChunHong Kong27,500
21John TechPhilippines27,500

Local player LIN WEI KAI wins Pot Limit Omaha

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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

RankPlayerFlagPayout in NTD
1Lin Wei KaiTaiwan242,000
2Shao Me YangTaiwan138,400
3Liang SuTaiwan84,700
4Zhiyu WangAustralia60,500
5Tiger Beng Wei OngMalaysia46,700
6Rundulf Martin GonzalesPhilippines36,300
7Chih Feng LiTaiwan31,100
8Kuan Yu LinTaiwan27,600
9Cheli LinTaiwan24,200

Second series title for KEON YOUNG OH at Freezeout

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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

RankPlayerFlagPayout in NTD
1Keon Young OhSouth Korea160,000
2Yin Sum ChanHong Kong98,400
3Kensuke TajikaJapan60,300
4Hok Shing HoHong Kong39,300
5Maeng SeonghunSouth Korea30,700
6Haram JooSouth Korea24,500
7Xin Hua LaiSingapore20,900
8John Jay MagadanPhilippines18,100
9Chia Yu LinTaiwan16,000
10Tzi Wei HwangTaiwan14,400
11Lee Jung YeolSouth Korea14,400
12Tomohiro YamadaJapan14,400
13Yashiro NaokiJapan13,200

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

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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

RankPlayerFlagPayout in NTD
1Wei Ting ChenTaiwan90,700
2Bojia SuTaiwan53,300
3Ho Koon LeongSingapore33,400
4Yi Hsuan ChenTaiwan22,700
5Justin Jerome GeronimoPhilippines17,600
6Nam Ho KimSouth Korea13,900
7Dexter SantosPhilippines11,300
8Chien Hua LoTaiwan9,000

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

Author:triccia