Seonguk Huh Wins Record-Breaking WPT Prime Main Event

In the sprawling world of poker, there are events that stand out from the rest – and the 2023 WPT Prime Taiwan is undoubtedly one of them. Not only did this event mark the first WPT Prime boasting a guaranteed prize pool of $1,000,000, but it also shattered records with an overwhelming prize pool of $1,237,387, generated by a record-breaking 1,359 entrants.

Previously, the largest attendance for a WPT Prime was in Australia, which had a commendable 1,224 entries. But Taiwan has taken that distinction, underscoring the booming popularity of poker in Asia.

The final table displayed an impressive international flavor, with players hailing from six different countries:

The eliminations began quickly, with Seonguk Huh proving to be a dominant force right from the outset. First, he eliminated Guillem Segarra in 9th place after a pivotal hand where Huh’s set of nines prevailed over Segarra’s overpair of queens. Then, Feng Wen Chen, holding Ace King, fell prey to Huh’s pocket nines after a dramatic flop gave Huh a set, ensuring Chen’s exit in 8th position.

The action didn’t stop there. Tao Wei Chang, with Ace King of diamonds, met his end in 7th place at the hands of Jacky Wang’s pocket eights, which improved to quads by the river. Dongkyu Kim’s all-in move with Ace-8 wasn’t enough to overcome Huh’s Ace-Queen, resulting in Kim’s 6th place exit. Tung Wing Wong, despite a valiant effort, also met his end, concluding his tournament journey in 5th place.

The intense action continued as Jacky Wang found himself in a three-way clash with Yannick Leonard and Huh. Despite holding pocket jacks, an ace on the flop meant Wang would take 4th place. Seung Hun Ko hoped for an ace or king on the river to save his tournament life, but it wasn’t meant to be. The river sealed his fate, securing him the 3rd place spot.

And then, there were two.

The final showdown saw Seonguk Huh go head-to-head against Yannick Leonard. The decisive hand commenced with Leonard holding King-Jack against Huh’s Ace-King. The board did Leonard no favors, ultimately securing Huh’s position as the champion of the 2023 WPT Prime Taiwan Main Event!

Seonguk Huh walked away with a whopping TWD 6,319,800 ($197,741), the coveted WPT Prime Main Event trophy, and a $10,400 seat for the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas, complete with travel and accommodation, courtesy of WPT. Leonard, the runner-up, was awarded a commendable TWD 4,212,000 ($131,790).

Watch the replay of the final day here:

The festival, held in Taipei City’s Asia Poker Arena, was a collaboration with the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP Club). This marked their third WPT live poker event. With the booming popularity of poker in the Asia-Pacific region, it’s no surprise that the WPT is already planning its return to Taipei in August 2024.

2023 WPT Prime Taiwan Main Event Final Table Results