Team Hong Kong, being represented by the Match Poker Hong Kong Sports Federation (Operated by Hong Kong Game Club, HKGC), to participate the 2019 Asian Nations Cup in Taoyuan city, Taiwan will be comprised of:

Ricky Wai Ki Cheung – also known as the God Father of Poker in HK by TV media. Ricky is pioneer of Poker in Hong Kong and the founder of Hong Kong Game Club (HKGC) which has been promoting Poker and hosting poker tournaments in HK for 12 years since 2007. He is also the owner of 2 legal poker clubs, Club Pudong and Monte Carlo Whiskey Club, in Hong Kong for 9 years. HKGC partnered with All Japan Poker Championship (AJPC) since 2018, hosting AJPC x HKGC KO Bounty tournaments 2-3 times a year in Paradise City Incheon, Korea. Ricky signed with Asia Poker League(APL) as the Ambassador for 2019 & 2020. HKGC  signed with Hong Kong TV Station(TVB)  to produce 2 Seasons of  “Celebrities Poker Show”, the only legal Poker Organization in HK approved by the Communication Authority of HK.   A cash game player for 16 years. Started to play live tournaments  around Asia since 2018, have won 3 trophies and 25 ITMs.

Kathy Kam Tong Yang – have 2 years experience in live poker tournaments in Asia, she played in Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Vietnam. She is also a cash game player in Hong Kong for 2 years and Ambassador of Celebrities Poker Show of TVB.  She was the champion of AJPC Incheon 2018 No Limit Hold’em and has 16 ITMs in 2018. She is one of the female rising stars in Hong Kong.

Ying Kwong Mok – is a successful entrepreneur,  with over 20 businesses in Hong Kong. He is also a high stakes cash game player with 10 years of experience in No Limit Hold’em. He played live tournaments for leisure in different counties: Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Las Vegas.

Dr. Raymond Kut Fu Chow – is a high stakes cash game player in Hong Kong for 15 years. His best record is winning USD$2,000,000 in one night. His longest cash game session is 72 hours. He also travels around the world for live tournaments, countries include the Philippines, Korea, Australia,  England, Germany, Spain, and Las Vegas, USA. 

Ki Wong – is a high stakes cash game player in Hong Kong and Macau, with over 11 years of experience. He is also a regular supporter of the Aussie Millions.

Karson Ka Shing Mak  is a active cash game and tournament player in Hong Kong HKGC for 3 years. Started to play live tournaments in Asia since 2017. He is the champion of AJPC Taiwan 2019 No Limit Turbo.

Jackie Cheuk Kit Chu – is an Amateur poker player started playing in cash game 10 years ago, and he also participated in many overseas tournaments since 2015. Always bring a “Magician Doggie”with him as a lucky charm in tournaments.

Chau Yeung Yip – also known as Jack. He is a private equity investment banker in Hong Kong. He starts playing poker for 8 years since he has graduated from university. He always goes to HKGC’s Club Pudong for live tournaments. He is also a regular high stakes cash game player.

Wei Cheng Yin, Coach – Wei Cheng Yin is known as Bonsai. Professional Poker player for 3 years. Co-founded the Taiwanese coaching group “Taiwan Rounders” along with teammates Jack and Bubuii.

Tzu Chieh Lo, Coach – Tzu Chieh Lo known as “Bubuii” has been playing poker for 10 years and is regarded as one of the top online SNG/tournament players in Taiwan. He co-founded Taiwanese coaching group “Taiwan Rounders” along with teammates Jack Wu and Bonsai. He has numerous live tournaments wins throughout Asia and consistent online win-rate in both cash games and tournaments.

En Ching Wu, Coach – En Ching Wu known as Jack Wu, playing poker for seven years from he study master in NTU. In March 2016, Wu got his first big win during the ACOP Platinum Series Main Event where he earned more than USD$33,000. He made his biggest cash to date when he found himself victorious in the APPT 10 MPC HKD$20,000 No Limit Holdem Event taking home over USD$100,000. With Wu’s 2016 amazing performance, it was but natural that he was named Asia Player of the Year (APOY). Wu open his first live course in May 2017. Then, he established Taiwan Rounders in 2018 with his teammates Bubuii and Bonsai which is the biggest poker coaching site in Taiwan. He also serve as Taiwan Bear star wild card in GPL China. Wu is ambassador for Asian Poker League in 2019 & 2020.

Hsing Hsiung Tai, Captain – Hsing Hsiung Tai known as David where every poker players recognize him as he promotes poker sport in Taiwan since 2014. David started his poker career 4 years ago and enjoy travels for poker tournaments, he also play an important role to the development of poker sport and founded the biggest poker association in Taiwan – CTP Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association. CTP currently running 7 poker clubs throughout Taiwan and the biggest room located in Taipei city which can fit 27 poker tournament’s table. David is really honoured and excited to be the host for the upcoming IFMP Asian Nations Cup in Taoyuan, Taipei and he is looking forward to bring you a great event and wish all nation teams enjoy the hospitality. Welcome to Taiwan!

Po Chun Wen, Vice Captain – Po Chun Wen is known as Ross. The deputy team leader of Chinese Taipei. Working at CTP club as executive tournament director. He deeply loves poker from the first time he has played since 2008. And now, he is the one of who promotes poker as a sport competition in Taiwan and encourage to build CTP club to be the best poker room in Asia.

Philip King Chung Wang, Team Consultant – Philip Wang has been playing poker in the live circuit for over 11 years, and is currently the senior consultant for CTP Club, the largest poker club in Taiwan. Philip holds the world record for the number of ITMs in 2018, and is currently the country’s Top 10 GPI-ranked player. Philip is also the national team member representing Taiwan in last year’s IFMP Asian Nation’s Pair Challenge, and has helped his team win a Silver Medal with his teammate Bonsai.

Zong Chi He – Zong Chi He aka “Art” that’s all his friends called him. Art Started playing poker since 2008 and currently holds several champions titles in his check list in this year. As a team member of Team Chinese Taipei, he had attended the IFMP Match Poker Nations Cup in Dublin, Ireland and the schedule had fully inspired him during that time. With the Asian Nations Cup coming to his home ground in Taoyuan, Taiwan, he is hoping to perform well in the match and take down the Championship.

Chi Jen Chen – Chi Jen Chen, better known as CJ, started to play poker online as an amateur over 10 years ago, while taking care of his newborn baby in many sleepless nights. CJ loves poker and spends most of his time from busy schedule of work and family. CJ holds an MBA degree from NYU and is a father of 2 boys and a girl. He is also the co-founder and CEO of a financial trading software company. CJ recently won the APL Main Even Championship in Taipei among other numerous winnings in other tournaments.

Yu Chung Chang – CHANG YU CHUNG known as Nevan and been playing poker since 3 years ago. He had been representing the CS National Team Taiwan from the age of 14 to 20 and been in the e-commerce industry for 6 years after retiring from the national team. In the year of 2016, a poker trip at Seoul Korea had changed his life till now, he is passionate and in love with poker, Nevan will spend 10 hours a day studying poker skills and strategies. He is now a full time professional poker player in MTT and cash game, also co-operating with Natural 8 on live broadcast of poker sessions.

Chen Yi Liu – Chen Yi Liu known as Serina Liu, holds an electronic engineering master degree from NTU and is currently working as an engineer in the largest IC design company in Taiwan. Serina has been playing poker for 2 years and has already won numerous live tournaments in her pocket. She was also a GGNetwork ambassador back in 2018. Such accomplishments has put her on the list as one of the upcoming rising female stars among the poker circuit in Taiwan.

Yi Chun Cheng – Cheng Yi Chun better known as Wade, has been playing poker for 6 years, Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker club operator in Hsinchu, promotes poker to the public everyday all the time and doesn’t care about winning or losing, just having fun.

Introducing Team Australia that will participate at the 2019 Asian Nations Cup in Taiwan:

Jarryd Godena
After an interest in watching poker on TV, I started out learning online poker at the smallest stakes.  I enjoyed the challenge of playing all forms of poker including online and live, tournaments and cash games, Holdem, Omaha and the mixed games.  Outside of poker I enjoy sports and traveling.
Chris Wookey 
I have been obsessed with poker since Joe Hachem won the 2005 WSOP Main Event. Primarily a live cash game grinder, I do play the occasional tournament.  Career highlights include cashing in the 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event. Poker is my passion, particularly the mental warfare and strategic elements.
Julius Colman
I love poker as a mind sport. I love its competitiveness, its risk, its assessment of odds. I love that it is a metaphor for life where, to succeed, you need to make decisions doing the best you can with information that is often imperfect.
Ashley Warner
Ashley is a 31yo poker player from Perth, with poker highlights including 2nd at ANZPT Melbourne in 2012 and numerous final tables at Crown Melbourne and Crown Perth over the last 8 years.
Heidi May
High stakes cash game player, won the 2017 WSOP ladies bracelet in 2017, enjoys volunteering for animal sanctuaries and fostering dogs when not playing poker. 
Tanja Vujanovic
Tanja has been crushing the online and live felt since 2009 and is one of the only female poker players in Australia to hold a triple crown title. On the live felt Tanja is best known for playing high stakes cash with a notable win in the 2016 Perth Poker champs main event.

Team Korea, being represented by the newly federation Korean Poker Association, to participate the 2019 Asian Nations Cup in Taoyuan city, Taiwan will be comprised of:

Jung Hyung Sun – Jung Hyung Sun, better known as Sunny Jung, a professional poker player, ranked 3rd in all time money list of South Korea 2019. In 2008 – 2013 he was mostly playing cash games across Asia, that made him very famous. In 2013 he won his first live tournament the Main Event of the ACOP and got his highest cash – $561,228. in 2014 he once again proved that he one of the strongest poker players in Asia. He finished 2nd in the same Main Event of ACOP, that was even bigger than the previous one.

Hong Jinho – Hong Jinho was a famous Starcraft pro gamer in the world, who played under the alias “YellOw” together with “BoxeR”, who was his rival at that time. Even though he started his poker career only a year ago, he has already got great achievements. Actually, when he was a pro gamer, he was famous for always being 2nd, and now he also got many 2nd place finishes in poker tournaments. Just recently, he has become the Runner-up of the APT Main Event. However, he has also won two tournaments the Monster Stack of APPT and The Main Event of the J88PT Shanghai.

Shin Jae Wook – Shin Jae Wook, also known as Justin, started playing in online tournaments in 2010 and it did not take him much time to become a famous online poker player. In 2015, he decided to try himself in offline tournaments as well and he had a great performance. Since that time Justin has won several live events, however his biggest win was in 2019, when he became the Champion of the WPT Vietnam High Roller, that brought him the best live cash  – $82,696. Actually, High Rollers are his favourite types of tournaments. Right now, he is ranked 15th in the all time money list of South Korea.

Kim Jiyoung – Kim Jiyoung is a famous female professional poker player, who started  participating in live tournaments in 2015. Her best result was in 2019 when she won the Ladies Championship of the 50th WSOP with 968 entries and got her biggest cash – $167,308.

Lim Yohwan – Lim Yohwan “BoxeR” is a former professional StarCraft player, known as the Terran Emperor, who transitioned to poker after retiring in 2014. Since 2016, He has shown amazing results in various events. He is already 9th in all time money list of South Korea. In 2019 he got his best result by winning the Championship Event of the APT, that brought him $ 88,040.

Yea Joon Hee – Yea Joon Hee, better known as Steve Yea, is travelling all over the world participating in various tournaments like WSOP, Aussie Millions, APT, EPT, WPT, etc. Even though he won several events, he got the biggest live cash for the 2nd place of No Limit Hold’em, APT 2008 that brought him $250,000.

Lee Gyeong Byeong – Lee Gyeong Byeong, ranked 12th in the all time money list of South Korea, officially started playing poker in 2016 and he had the best start ever. His first cash was for the 1st place of the APT Main Event. In 2017 he participated in the WSOP, and finished 91st in the Main Event with 7,221 entries! And this year, he final tabled in the Main Event of Aussie Millions Poker Championship. His 6th place brought him the highest live cash – $ 222,078.

Sim Jae Kyung – Sim Jae Kyung, also known as “Simba”, is a professional poker player ranked 6th in the all time money list of South Korea. In 2013 he became the Champion of the APPT Cebu Main Event, that brought him $95,487 of live earnings. However, his best cash $103,256 was for the 3rd place in the Main Event of the EPT 2014 with 609 entries.

 

From Left to Right:

Top Row – Vince Lau (Singapore Poker Federation President),  Phua Tzai Wei (Team Captain)

Middle Row – Lisa Tan Meiling, Fong Xi Yuan, Brandon Gerald Tan, Desmond Oh

Bottom Row – Daniel Chua (Team Vice Captain), Lim Min Soon (Player-Manager), Freddy Kwek, Ivan Tan

 

Seasoned Veterans and Promising Young Guns Aiming to Improve their third place finish from their 2013 Asian Nations Cup Outing.

 

Phua Tzai Wei (Team Captain)

A huge Liverpool fan! Tzai Wei enjoys the competition, mental simulation and freedom to “be your own boss” aspects of Poker the most. Tzai Wei left school to pursue poker as full time profession and first ventured into tournaments in 2018. He made history earning a coveted Pokerstars Platinum Pass when he won a Manila Megastack event last year. He looks set to make his mark in the game in years to come.

 

Lisa Tan Meiling

Lisa takes pride in being a casual tournament player, despite claiming 3 titles this year and becoming the first woman to win the Manila Megastack Main Event. She enjoys grinding out cash games with strangers and prefers burying herself in a book or two to pass the time. But as a female, she fairly warns anyone in her way who try to outplay or give her a bad beat, hell has no fury like a woman scorned!

 

Fong Xi Yuan

Professional cash game player. A feared and respected regular in RWS. Years of experience sweeping chips of cash game tables in Singapore. A Business Management graduate from SMU, he declares his other hobby as playing 狼人杀 (werewolf kill) online game. Xi Yuan is immensely passionate about poker and enjoys the freedom it brings.

 

Brandon Gerard Tan

A self-declared foodie, Brandon is a professional poker player focusing on live and online cash games. He was featured on the highly popular Live At The Bike stream earlier this year. A recent graduate of SMU in 2018, he cites tennis and pool as his other hobbies.

 

Desmond Oh

Asian Game Gold Medalist, of Team Singapore Contract Bridge that made history when Contract Bridge made its Asian Games debut in Jakarta in 2018. Desmond is a public servant that loves card games since he was young. A former international chess player of Team Singapore Youth team, he has transited to playing card games. Desmond is the founder of KDR Bridge school, and coaches aspiring students in the game of Contract Bridge.

 

Daniel Chua (Vice Captain)

Daniel is an esteemed veteran of the game. He has over 26 cashes in Hendon Mob since 2009 and has a phenomenal 9 first place finishes. One of the most dangerous tournament players around, this card shark represented Singapore in Chess and Pool during his youth.

 

Lim Min Soon (Player-Manager)

Min Soon works in a global bank as a fraud risk manager when he’s not catching bluffs at the poker table. A Manchester United fan and former college football captain, he is the only triple crown winner of the highly popular Singapore Poker Championship series. A well respected name in the Poker community, he’s happily married with 2 lovely daughters.

 

Freddy Kwek

Freddy is a veteran of the game, having started playing in 2008 and fell in love with the game ever since. He won the main event of the Singapore Poker Championship and has numerous cashes in this long running poker cruise series. Freddy is happily married with 1 daughter and is a Chief Operating Officer of a regional marketing company.

 

Ivan Tan

Currently retired, Ivan is widely regarded as a pioneer and one of the best poker players in Singapore, with winnings in excess of USD 200,000, Ivan burst onto the scene in 2007 finishing runner-up in an APPT Macau Main Event.