PokerStars Live Asia Heads to Taiwan for the First Time for the APPT Open on Jan. 31 to Feb. 9
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The Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Open will be heading to the Taiwanese capital of Taipei City at the Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker Club (CTP Club) on Jan. 31 to Feb. 9, 2020, marking the first time the PokerStars LIVE Asia tour will be heading to Taiwan.
The ten-day poker festival will feature 33 action-packed tournaments with buy-ins both big and small.
The Criminal Code of the Republic of China prohibits gambling. This means unlike many other stops, cash games will not be available at any stakes or games. However, tournaments have been allowed and all players will need to attend this festival is to be at least 18 years of age and a Casino Club Players card.
Taiwan is known for many successful players including James Chen with $7.3 million in live tournament earnings, Pete Chen with $2.8 miliion in live earnings, and Kitty Kuo with $2.2 million in live earnings. Additionally, Taiwanese native Joanne "J. J." Liu, who has resided in California for many years, also has found success on the poker felts with $3.3 million in tournament cashes.
$250,000 Guaranteed Main Event
The highlight of the festival is easily the APPT Open Taipei Main Event featuring a $35,000 TWK (approx. $1,150) buy-in along with a big $7,500,000 TWK (approx. $250,000) guaranteed prize pool.
The tournament features three opening flights on Feb. 3-4 where players will start with 30,000 in chips and be allowed to re-enter an unlimited amount of times before late registration closes at the start of Level 10. The first two flights will feature 45-minute blind levels, while the final opening flight will be a turbo affair with faster 20-minute blind levels.
Surviving players will compete for three more days on Feb. 5-8 with longer one hour blind levels until a winner is crowned.
Players not only can qualify online at PokerStars to the Main Event but also will be able to get in for a fraction of the cost with a handful of live satellites taking place during the festival featuring a $4,000 TWD (approx. $130) buy-in.
Other Notable Events
The schedule features many exciting events during each of the ten days. The festival will begin with a bang with the $10,000 TWD ($330) CTP Club Kickoff featuring a $1,000,000 TWD (approx. $33,000) guarantee on Jan. 31 to Feb. 1.
Two other big events are near the start of the festival with the $70,000 TWD (approx. $2,300) APPT Open High Roller taking place on Feb. 1-2 and the $15,000 TWD (approx. $500) SuperStack featuring a $1,500,000 TWD (approx. $50,000) guarantee on Feb. 1-3.
Also, near the end of the festival, the CPT Club will be hosting the $140,000 TWD (approx. $4,600) APPT Open Super High Roller on Feb. 7-8.
For players on more of a budget, the CTP Club Daily DeepStack with a $2,000 TWD (approx $65) buy-in takes place almost every night during the festival with Feb. 4 being the lone exception.
2020 Asia Pacific Poker Tour Open Taipei Schedule
| Date | Time | Event # | Event | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 31 | 1 p.m. | 1 | CTP Club Kickoff Day 1a | $10,000 TWD |
| 6 p.m. | 1 | CTP Club Kickoff Day 1b | $10,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 2 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 1 | 1 p.m. | 1 | CTP Club Kickoff Final Day | |
| 1 p.m. | 3 | SuperStack Day 1a | $15,000 TWD | |
| 2 p.m. | 4 | Satellite to APPT Open High Roller | $8,000 TWD | |
| 5 p.m. | 5 | APPT Open High Roller Day 1 | $70,000 TWD | |
| 6 p.m. | 6 | Turbo | $15,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 7 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 2 | 1 p.m. | 3 | SuperStack Day 1b | $15,000 TWD |
| 1 p.m. | 5 | APPT Open High Roller Final Day | ||
| 6 p.m. | 8 | Satellite to APPT Open Main Event | $4,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 9 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 3 | 1 p.m. | 3 | SuperStack Final Day | |
| 1 p.m. | 10 | Satellite to APPT Open Main Event | $4,000 TWD | |
| 2 p.m. | 11 | High Roller | $50,000 TWD | |
| 3 p.m. | 12 | APPT Open Main Event Day 1a | $35,000 TWD | |
| 6 p.m. | 13 | Satellite to APPT Open Main Event | $4,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 14 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 4 | 1 p.m. | 12 | APPT Open Main Event Day 1b | $35,000 TWD |
| 1 p.m. | 15 | Satellite to APPT Open Main Event | $4,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 12 | APPT Open Main Event Day 1c | $35,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 5 | 1 p.m. | 12 | APPT Open Main Event Day 2 | |
| 2 p.m. | 16 | Pot Limit Omaha | $15,000 TWD | |
| 5 p.m. | 17 | Turbo Knockout | $20,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 18 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 6 | 1 p.m. | 12 | APPT Open Main Event Day 3 | |
| 1 p.m. | 19 | Satellite to DeepStack | $2,500 TWD | |
| 2 p.m. | 20 | High Roller | $50,000 TWD | |
| 4 p.m. | 21 | DeepStack Day 1 | $20,000 TWD | |
| 6 p.m. | 22 | Turbo | $10,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 23 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 7 | 1 p.m. | 12 | APPT Open Main Event Final Day | |
| 1 p.m. | 21 | DeepStack Final Day | $20,000 TWD | |
| 1 p.m. | 24 | Satellite to CTP Club Challenge | $3,000 TWD | |
| 2 p.m. | 25 | Satellite to APPT Open Super High Roller | $16,000 TWD | |
| 4 p.m. | 26 | CTP Club Challenge Day 1a | $25,000 TWD | |
| 5 p.m. | 27 | APPT Open Super High Roller Day 1 | $140,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 28 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 8 | 1 p.m. | 26 | CTP Club Challenge Day 1b | $25,000 TWD |
| 1 p.m. | 27 | APPT Open Super High Roller Final Day | ||
| 6 p.m. | 29 | Turbo DeepStack | $20,000 TWD | |
| 8 p.m. | 30 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD | |
| Feb. 9 | 1 p.m. | 26 | CTP Club Challenge Final Day | |
| 1 p.m. | 31 | DeepStack | $10,000 TWD | |
| 4 p.m. | 32 | DeepStack Knockout | $30,000 TWD | |
| 7 p.m. | 33 | CTP Club Daily DeepStack | $2,000 TWD |
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