Yu Jui Chen Wins GOP Taipei Main Event After 179-Hand Final Table
Yu Jui Chen mounted a short-stack comeback, navigated a three-way deal, and prevailed in a heads-up match lasting over three and a half hours to defeat Daeyoung Park for NTD 2,761,600. Official results and live reports detail the victory.
Author: PokerSlate · Gemini-assisted translation · Editor: PokerSlate primary AI reviewer
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On September 27, 2026, Yu Jui Chen won the Gods of Poker (GOP) Taipei II Main Event at Asia Poker Arena. Starting the final table as a short stack, he navigated 179 hands of play to defeat South Korea's Daeyoung Park, earning NTD 2,761,600.
The NTD 33,000 buy-in Main Event recorded 520 entries, generating an official total prize pool of NTD 17,000,000. Seven Taiwanese players reached the nine-handed final table, but the first six eliminations were all local players, leaving Chen as the last remaining home-country contender. Official recaps and SoMuchPoker coverage detail key turning points along his run.
Four-Handed River Jack Preserves Title Run
With four players remaining, Chen faced potential elimination. His A-J was dominated by Hung Te Lee's A-Q until a Jack landed on the river, winning the hand and keeping his tournament alive.
Shortly after, Lee moved all-in holding Q-high, running into a full house to finish fourth for NTD 1,014,600. Chen advanced to three-handed play alongside Park and Singapore's Ravn Teo. Rising from a short stack at this stage transformed a near-elimination into a shot at top prize money.
Three-Way Deal Leaves NTD 268,600 to Play For
The final three players agreed to an ICM deal to lock in base payouts, leaving NTD 268,600 set aside for the ultimate winner. The deal adjusted prize distribution without ending the tournament, leaving the trophy to be decided on the felt.
When play resumed, Chen's A-Q defeated Teo's A-T, sending Teo out in third place with NTD 1,937,000. Chen and Park immediately entered heads-up play. Published champion payouts include the set-aside money rather than representing an unannounced extra NTD 268,600 addition.
Deep Stacks Drive a Three-and-a-Half-Hour Heads-Up Match
Heads-up play began with an average stack depth of 104 big blinds, affording both players significant maneuverability. Park mounted multiple double-ups while trailing, shifting the chip lead back and forth and preventing a quick finish post-deal.
Heads-up play ultimately stretched past three and a half hours. During the match, both players agreed to shorten blind levels from 30 hands to 15 hands to accelerate the blind structure. The 179-hand figure represents the entire final table duration, with the extended heads-up battle filling the final stretch.
Kings Win Key Confrontation, Next Hand Closes the Match
The decisive hand occurred when Chen's pocket Kings held against Park's A-2. The pocket Kings held up, handing Chen a massive chip lead; on the very next hand, Park went all-in blind and failed to recover, ending the match.
Official final results confirmed Chen earned NTD 2,761,600 while Park received NTD 2,209,000. Both payouts, along with Teo's third-place prize, reflect the earlier three-way deal. The title run combined short-stack survival, deal negotiations, and back-and-forth swings before concluding in two consecutive hands.
Local reading context
This Taipei tournament paid out in New Taiwan Dollars (NTD). The final three players struck a deal; final official payouts reflect deal terms plus the remaining champion's prize.
Source report dates: 2026-09-27 / 2026-09-28
Original sources and verification
- SoMuchPoker
Champion, 520 entries, NTD payouts, and three-way deal. Inconsistent USD conversions omitted.
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- Gods of Poker
Organizer September 27 recap: final table progression, deal terms, heads-up play depth, and 179 total hands.
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- Gods of Poker
Official final results: prize pool, top three payouts, and fourth-place prize.
Verified: