Varun Goenka

The Lithuanians want to improve on their Bronze medal finish in 2020!

, , , , , ,

Team Lithuania have had a bit of a roller coaster ride in IFMP events so far!

2019 European Nations Cup in Kyiv saw them miss out on the top 6 (which would have secured their Nations Cup spot) but they managed to do it the hard way by winning their place after a tough battle with the bottom 7 teams to win the Nations Plate and a spot in the finals.

2020 Nations Cup Finals, which had to be held virtually, was contested by 12 qualified nations from Asia and Europe. Lithuania battled hard and made sure they weren’t completely out of it at any point of the event. Finally they had an incredible session and managed to finish in 3rd place overall, winning bronze medals and certificates for their efforts!

They have stuck to the same team, with one addition in Paulius Vaitiekunas.

Paulius Vaitiekūnas

Paulius Vaitiekūnas – Professional poker player, 27 years old. Started playing at the age of 14 with friends and fell in love with the psychological aspect of the game, grinds High Stakes spin & go tournaments while studying in the UK. Sunday Million winner, WSOPC winner, 100s Spin & Go Jackpot Winner. Currently playing mid/high stakes MTTs and oversees Spin stable.

Skirmantas

Skirmantas Tomkevičius – the president of National federation of Poker of Lithuania. I will be playing just in case its needed.

Erikas

Erikas Zukas – He is the youngest member of our national team, eager to learn and understand other players – once Erikas has won tournament without even looking at his own cards!

Arunas

Arūnas Valentavičius – he was born on 1975/09/25. Retired solder of Lithuanian army. Plays only in federation tournaments.

Dainius

Dainius Ulkė – he was born in Biržai, but since early days lives in Vilnius, works in IT sector since 1994. One of the most stable players in federation.

Mantas

Mantas Urbonas – poker professional from Panevėžys, now resides in Vilnius. Mantas also a football’s team Top Kicker’s owner and manager. He started to play poker 10 years ago, and his best achievement is 4th place of Battle of Malta winning 120000 EUR. Ranks 31st in Lithuania by live earnings. Mantas was born on 1987/06/22.

Laimis

Laimutis Kalvelis – He was born on 1970/06/26. He is pretty successful in federation tournaments, has won two of them since 2012. Works as a CEO in company taking care of houses in the city. Was born and lives in Vilnius.

Diana

Diana Dvelienė – she was born on 1976/11/09 in Kaunas. She lives there and together with her husband, who is also a poker player in the federation, they run their own plants growing business. Does not play often in any live tournaments, but if she does, finishes ITM.

 

Edvinas Šulskis – non playing team member, he will be an analyst for the Lithuanian team.

Varun Goenka

Team Chinese Taipei are Going for Gold

, , , ,

A relatively inexperienced Match Poker nation, Chinese Taipei have quickly risen to the top of the rankings and established themselves as a serious contender! Making their Match Poker debut in Dublin in 2019, followed by a nail biting 2nd place finish on home turf at the Asian Championships, and most recently coming 5th in the 2020 Nations Cup Finals, this team is one to look out for!

Team Captain – David, Hsing Hsiung Tai

Profession – CTP Poker Club CEO and Assistant Professor for Vanug University

Bio – Never though that by not playing poker still make poker as my full time job, as I run poker business in Taiwan. The first time I know the game was at Macau, immediately I feel the game will be very popular in the future and decided to promote it in Taiwan, since then CTP Poker Club was born. I play poker for leisure but still put a lot of effort learning the strategy of the game, poker had brought me a lot of joy.

David Tai

 

Team Vice Captain – Ross, Wen Po Chun

Profession – Executive Tournament Director for CTP Poker Club

Bio – Knowing poker since 2015 and been in poker industry since then, I love playing poker as the excitement and poker strategy give me lots of fun. I’d been lucky to involve in the business together with David, and the work as Tournament Director give me another level of excitement, seeing players satisfaction is my daily enjoyment.

Ross Wen

 

Team Coach – Nevan, Chang Yu Chung

Profession – Professional Poker Pro

Bio – My first contact to Texas Hold’em was in 2016, never stopped playing poker since then. Starting from 2017, I’ve been playing poker professionally online for cash and tournament and study and learn strategy everyday for 8 hours, I am now a professional Poker Player and a Poker Coach.

Nevan

 

Team Consultant – CJ, CHI JEN CHEN

Profession – CEO, Software Company

Bio – Poker is all about balance. The quest for balance in the game is an endless struggle. If you are not feeling the pain. You are not fighting hard enough. The journey is tough. Yet, fulfilling. 

CJ Chen

 

Team Member – Fan Chih Wei

Profession – Professional Poker Player

Bio – I’ve been playing poker since 2017, in 2019 I began playing poker professionally, I like playing poker because it brings me excitement of matches and it is a mental sport, I really enjoy the game.

Fan Chi Wei

 

Team Member – Licen, Chao Ting Cheng

Profession – Professional Poker player

Bio – 2009 was my first time playing poker at GGC platform, then I turn to play at Pokerstars and play poker until today. Given that the growth of live tournament scene in Taiwan, I decided to resign my job after 4 years of working and turn myself as a professional poker player. Poker is very attractive and I like it a lot, I will keep learning the game and put all my effort in poker.

Licen

 

Team Member – Huang Chang Hau

Profession – Financial

Bio – I first came into contact with poker in the United States in 2000, since then I have fallen in love with this game. Poker’s competition and intelligence are what attracts me. The combination of travel and poker allows me to travel around the world with many friends to join in tournaments.

Huang

 

Team Member – Liu Shu Ting

Profession – Freelance

Bio – A friend brought me into the game, and it sparked my interest. It wasn’t until I came across CTP in the past year that I met many more friends who are into poker, and taught me all I know about tournament poker. My love of poker comes from the many connections I’ve made over the game. I hope to meet many more friends who are into poker, and improve together.

Liu Shu Ting

 

Team Member – Lin Hua Wei

Profession – Poker player

Bio – I’ve been playing poker since 2016 and am really passionate about poker until today. I am also live streamer in N8 and commentator for live tournaments in Taiwan. My partner and I also had FB and Youtube channel “WiNPokerCouple”, mainly focus in promote poker strategy and poker surrounding business.

Hua Wei Lin

 

Team Coach – Pete, Yan Han Chen

Profession – Poker Player

Bio – Hello I am Pete. I’ve played poker for many years and I am Natural8’s Team Hot now. I am very willing to share my poker tips and experiences.Welcome to subscribe my YouTube channel “Pete’s Poker World” and “Pete’s Poker Class”

Pete

Team Consultant: Raymond, Kun Kiet Wong
Profession: CEO of GPI Asia and professional in managing Poker Events
Bio: My first contact with poker was back in 2006 in New Zealand, it was introduced by my friend who works in a casino, and since then I’d been in love with the game because of the strategy, observation, challenge and patience when you play in a poker tournament. As I love the game so much, I’ve decided to put myself in the poker industry to help grow and promote Poker in Asia and it started in 2012. Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the best companies like WPT, and now partnering with GPI to promote GPI Asia in Taiwan.

Raymond Wong with Patrick Nally

Varun Goenka

Presenting Team Hungary

, , , , , ,

The Hungarians have been an active participant in IFMP events since 2011! Participating in The Table, the 2012 European qualifiers in Vienna, the 2013 European Nations Cup in Cyprus, and most recently the 2019 European Championships in Ukraine.

 

The national team is raring to go and is ready for the 2021 Nations Cup qualifiers! The team is as follows:

Gabor Gortvay – Co-Founder of the first Hungarian sport poker club ‘Maverick’. He has played poker since the end of the 80’s. Draw and Hold’em cash game expert. Favourite card combination the famous Jackson Five.

Péter Gál – The first time he was introduced to Texas Holdem poker was in 2005. At the beginning he worked as poker dealer, then became a floorman and a professional leader. He had his own poker club, and has helped other clubs to improve. From 2010 to 2018 he was the floorman in the first poker club of Hungary. A recreational poker player who just treats poker as a hobby. In 2012 he played Match Poker for the first time in Vienna as a member of the Hungarian team, and then in Cyprus in 2013 when he was a member of the Hungarian team and again in Ukraine in 2019.

Laszló Bréda – The doyen of the Hungarian team. Fixed member of the Hungarian poker scene since 2006. Royale Master winner. Online and live poker player. He was with the team in Vienna and from the start has been an integral member of the Hungarian Match Poker team. Born tournament player. One of the best amateur score table. Strong skills and intuition.

Judit Zsoldos – An original member of the Hungarian Match Poker team. Played in The Table and in Cyprus. Hungarian Ladies Open winner. Cash game and Omaha 4 cards player. 

Gergely Tatár – The president of the Hungarian Poker Association since 2007. Founded poker clubs in Hungary and Slovakia. Played poker in USA, England, Cyprus, Ghana, Cabo Verde, Austria, Poland, France, Slovakia, Rumania.

Andras Sütő – Olympic candidate ex gymnast and active football referee. He keeps in touch with the sport. Poker and Darts are his hobby but Andras is a maximalist and playing this sports on high level too. One of the best and first Match Poker players of Hungary. He was the member of the first Match Poker European Championship in Vienna and Cyprus.

Varun Goenka

Chinese Taipei starts 2021 Nations Cup Preparations

, , , , , ,

Chinese Taipei Team Gathering
It was the first official team gathering after the team selection since 2020 November last year, all team members attended last night’s dinner for the first time. , strategic discussions had been very excited and all looking forward to the upcoming IFMP Nations Cup.

Team Leader – David Tai giving welcome speech and introducing IFMP’s Match Poker structure to all team members

Team Leader – David Tai giving welcome speech and introducing IFMP’s Match Poker structure to all members

Team Leader – David Tai giving welcome speech and introducing IFMP’s Match Poker structure to all members

CJ Chen, sharing his previous Match Poker experience with his team members

Chinese Taipei’s Match Poker team 2021

Varun Goenka

Mongolia joins IFMP

, , , , , ,

On 23rd March 2021 the IFMP Board voted in favour of a membership application received from ‘The Mongolian Free Poker Federation’. We are excited to see the Match Poker family growing and proud to welcome Mongolia as our latest member federation.

The Mongolian Poker Union was founded in 2009 with the main aim of developing poker as a sport in Mongolia. They are the only official organisation of poker sport in Mongolia and recognised by the Mongolian Sports Committee. Since launch, they have successfully organised the very first national championship and been organising it every year.

The federation wishes to become a member of IFMP, develop poker and Match Poker as a sport in Mongolia, train professional players and participate in international competitions.

The association adheres to IFMP’s rules and declares that it accepts, respects and implements all decisions made by the bodies of the IFMP, including the Congress, Board, Continental Councils, Sport Department, Commissions and Working Groups, Anti-Doping, Disciplinary and Appeals Commissions, Athletes Commission, Medical Commission, Para Match Poker Commission and Ethics Commission.