Gods of Poker Taipei 2026 Recap: Structure, Variety and Atmosphere

The second stop of Gods of Poker wrapped up from January 8–18 at the CTP Asia Poker Arena in Taipei, and after spending the series on the ground, we can safely say the tour is starting to feel very real. Many of the familiar faces from the Jeju opener showed up again, often bringing friends along, and we noticed the same easygoing mix of smiles, laughter, and competitive focus that defined the opening stop.

From what we observed, ambitions are clear. Gods of Poker is lining itself up as a long-term fixture on the Asian poker calendar, aiming to sit comfortably alongside established regional tours such as the Asian Poker Tour and WPT Prime. Taipei felt like an important step toward that goal.

The NT$21 million guaranteed Main Event stood out as a major checkpoint. The field cleared the 500-entry mark with room to spare, avoiding any overlay, and the buzz around the room late in the series reflected that players were paying attention. Across 11 days, we watched 95 events run at the CTP Asia Poker Arena, with tables consistently full and side events rarely lacking interest.

We had already heard praise for the Chronos structure coming into Taipei, and seeing it play out in person helped explain why players kept talking about it. The Player of the Series Crown also continued to draw attention. Being literally crowned as the top performer added a visual and emotional payoff that players clearly cared about.

Operationally, the stop ran smoothly from start to finish. We never encountered long registration lines, tournaments kicked off on time, and the floor staff stayed sharp even during long days.

Gods of Poker Taipei 2026 Highlights

Event #1 NT$12,000 GOP Olympians

We watched Taiwan’s Chih Feng Li open the series in style by winning the GOP Olympians. Li secured his second title of the festival, taking home the Silver Spartan trophy and NT$771,968 (~US$24,400) after navigating a volatile final table and closing out a 351-entry field.

Final Table Results

1. Chih Feng Li – NT$771,968 (~US$24,400)
2. Shun Yi Zheng – NT$470,200 (~US$14,860)
3. Terry Gonzaga – NT$318,600 (~US$10,070)
4. Fong Shaing Li – NT$231,200 (~US$7,300)
5. Heng Zhe Hu – NT$176,200 (~US$5,565)
6. Chuang Lin Cheng – NT$139,300 (~US$4,400)
7. Chia Chaing Ko – NT$113,300 (~US$3,580)
8. Kognjaroentin Tanik – NT$94,200 (~US$2,980)
9. Lin Wei Kai – NT$79,700 (~US$2,520)

Event #20 NT$330,000 Demigods Challenge

The Demigods Challenge delivered one of the most talked-about moments of the stop. Philippine star Marc Rivera claimed the first GOP Gauntlet of the series in a winner-take-all showdown with just five elite entries. Rivera defeated Yohwan Lim heads up to walk away with the Black Gauntlet and NT$1,520,475 (~US$48,000).

Event #18 NT$18,000 Pandora’s Mystery Bounty

Soohyeok Lee continued a strong series run by winning Pandora’s Mystery Bounty. We saw Lee survive several tense all-in spots before pulling ahead at three-handed play and finishing the job against Deric Liang. The 215-entry field produced plenty of bounty drama, with Lee ultimately uncovering the biggest ticket.

Event #29 NT$230,000 Super High Roller

The Super High Roller attracted a tight 20-player field, and Philippine pro Edgar Asehan made the most of it. Asehan took control during heads up play against Jin Woo Jung and closed out the title to earn NT$1,815,460 (~US$57,500) and one of the tour’s gauntlets.

Event #48 NT$130,000 Titan Stack High Roller

Australia’s Andrew Han claimed the Titan Stack High Roller after outlasting 25 entries. We were there for the turning point, a flush-over-flush cooler that swung the heads up battle in Han’s favor against Seung Hyuk Jung. Han went on to secure the Rose Gauntlet and NT$1,123,200 (~US$35,500).

Event #73 GOP x RPT NT$15,000 Mini Main Event

Japan’s Asakawa Yuya pulled off a double by winning the GOP x RPT Mini Main. Yuya rallied heads up against Elmer Kalaquian to collect the Silver Spartan, the Royal Tiger trophy, NT$768,580 (~US$24,300), and a US$2,000 RPT Championship II Main Event package from a 293-entry field.

Event #36 NT$45,000 Main Event

Gods of Poker Taipei crowned its first Main Event champion with Taiwan’s Chih Wei Fan delivering a dominant finish to capture the Black-and-Gold Gauntlet and NT$4,323,180 (~US$136,864). Fan entered the final day third in chips, stayed patient through long stretches in the middle of the pack, then seized control at three-handed play with a decisive run that included a crushing bad beat to eliminate Long Hin Shiao. Heads up, Fan leveraged a massive chip edge over Yu Yeh Chun, methodically grinding him down before closing out the title.

The Main Event ran January 12–18 at the CTP Asia Poker Arena, drawing 556 entries across five flights and generating a NT$21.6 million prize pool, with Fan delivering the biggest performance when it mattered most.

Final Table Results

1. Chih Wei Fan – NT$4,323,180 (~US$136,864)
2. Yu Yeh Chun – NT$2,623,700 (~US$83,062)
3. Long Hin Shiao – NT$1,769,600 (~US$56,022)
4. Lin Wei Kai – NT$1,278,700 (~US$40,481)
5. Lavonne Watkins – NT$970,200 (~US$30,715)
6. Soohyeok Lee – NT$763,300 (~US$24,165)
7. Kevin Choi – NT$617,800 (~US$19,558)
8. Andy Tsai – NT$511,200 (~US$16,184)
9. Seung Hyuk Jung – NT$431,000 (~US$13,645)

What Stood Out in Taipei

• We saw daily mix-game offerings that went far beyond the usual schedule, including Dealer’s Choice with more than 20 variants, Drawmaha Mix, PLO Double Board Bomb Pots, 5-Card PLO Courchevel, 6-Card PLO, and even Archie 66.
• The Player of the Series race produced several standout performances:
  • Martijn Gerrits from the Netherlands claimed the crown with 24,525 points, five trophies, and 14 cashes.
  • United Kingdom’s Alfie Adam collected four trophies in the mixed games, and 10 cashes.
  • WSOP bracelet winner Hanh Tranh picked up two trophies and eight cashes.
  • Kelly Tasman impressed as a rising female presence with four trophies and six cashes.
• Floor operations stayed sharp throughout the stop, with disciplined dealing, smooth registration, and no visible delays.
• Final tables for the Main Event and High Roller events featured two dealers instead of one, noticeably speeding up late-stage play.
• Dealers used innovative card boxes to protect cards and manage chips more efficiently, a detail we had not seen elsewhere.

• Trophy design remained a constant talking point on the floor, with wearable gauntlets and a literal crown for Player of the Series setting the tour apart visually.

Looking Ahead

With Taipei firmly locked in, the next stop arrives quickly. From March 26 to April 5, Nagaworld Phnom Penh will host the third Gods of Poker stop, branded The Coiled Path. The schedule lists 87 events, highlighted by a US$1,540 Main Event with a US$500,000 prize pool. More information on this stop including the full tournament schedule can be found HERE.

2026 Gods of Poker Calendar (Confirmed)

• Mar 26–Apr 5 | Phnom Penh, Cambodia | Nagaworld | The Coiled Path
• May 15–24 | Incheon, South Korea | Paradise City | The Prophecy Unfolds
• Sep 18–27 | Taipei, Taiwan | Asia Poker Arena | The Trial of Wisdom
• Oct 30–Nov 8 | Incheon, South Korea | Paradise City | The Labyrinth Trail
• Dec 4–13 | Jeju, South Korea | Shinhwa World | The Olympus Return

Gods of Poker is still early in its journey, but after Taipei, we can see a clear direction and the calendar ahead looks busy. Gods of Poker feels less like a new arrival and more like a tour that plans to stick around.

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