Seiji Sasaki Crowned OLA Taipei Main Event Champion

Japan’s Seiji Sasaki Triumphs at OLA Poker Tour’s First-Ever Asian Event in Taipei

The OLA Poker Tour made history in December 2025, successfully hosting its first-ever event in Asia following its European debut earlier in June 2025. From 17 – 22 December, players from across the region gathered at the iconic Asia Poker Arena in Taipei, Taiwan, for a thrilling week of world-class live tournament action.

The flagship OLA Poker Tour Taipei Main Event carried an impressive TWD 10,000,000 guaranteed prize pool (~USD 330,000) for a buy-in of TWD 22,000 (~USD 720), attracting 497 total entries and delivering an unforgettable finale that embodied the spirit of OLA: “Where Smiles Are Rewarded.”

Ola Main Event Final Table

The Final Day saw nine players return to battle for the prestigious title, the OLA Main Event Trophy of Champions, and the dolphin trophy symbolizing OLA glory. Taiwan’s Li-An Lee started as chip leader, while Japan’s Seiji Sasaki sat in second — a position he quickly turned into dominance.

Sasaki steadily controlled the table, eliminating multiple opponents and seizing momentum after catching Lee’s bold final-table bluff in one of the defining hands of the tournament. That pivotal moment catapulted him into a commanding chip lead and set the tone for the closing stages of play.

The tournament culminated in an all-Japan heads-up battle between Seiji Sasaki and Yusuke Mizuno. Holding nearly a 10-to-1 chip advantage, Sasaki applied relentless pressure before sealing victory. Mizuno fought valiantly, securing a well-deserved career-best result, but ultimately fell short of the title.

With the win, Sasaki not only claimed his largest career score, but also pushed his total live earnings to over USD 250,000. His name is now permanently etched onto the OLA Main Event Champions Trophy, marking his place in OLA Poker Tour history.

Final Table Eliminations – How the Action Unfolded

9th Place: Zhi Yu Wang – TWD 178,000 (~USD 5,650)

Level 24 – Blinds 20,000/40,000, Ante 40,000

Zhi Yu Wang opened from the button for 80,000 and Seiji Sasaki defended on the small blind. On the 9♠️ 6♣️ K♣️ flop, Sasaki check-raised Wang’s 70,000 bet to 220,000 which Wang called. Sasaki continued aggression on the turn 6♥️ for 375,000, forcing Wang to commit his remaining stack of 685,000.

Wang held A♠️ K♠️ for top pair, but Sasaki’s J♣️ T♣️ had both a gutshot straight and a flush draw, and hit on the river 2♣️, giving Sasaki the winning hand, meaning Wang became the first casualty of the final table.

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8th Place: Tsai Chia Ta – TWD 227,000 (~USD 7,200)

Level 24 – Blinds 20,000/40,000, Ante 40,000

Seiji Sasaki opened under the gun for 80,000 with 7♦️ 7♣️. Tsai Chia Ta pushed all-in for his last 70,000 with K♥️Q♥️, and Chung Yi Ho called from the big blind with A♥️ 2♥️. The flop A♣️ 8♠️ 6♠️ brought no improvement for Ta.

Ho shoved for 215,000 and Sasaki folded. The turn 5♥️ and river J♠️ confirmed Tsai’s elimination in 8th place.

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7th Place: Bingo Atsuhiro – TWD 291,000 (~USD 9,230)

Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000, Ante 50,000

Atsuhiro three-bet to 275,000 from the big blind with A♥️ J♣️ after an initial raise from Christopher Lim holding A♠️ 2♠️. Lim called, and the K♦️ 7♣️ 3♠️ flop saw both players check. On the turn 2♦️, Lim moved all-in for 625,000. Atsuhiro, left with only 75,000, called. Lim held a pair of deuces, while Atsuhiro could not improve by the river T♥️, sending him home in 7th place.

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6th Place: Jyun Li Lin – TWD 378,000 (~USD 12,000)

Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000, Ante 50,000

Jyun Li Lin opened for 100,000 from under the gun with 8♠️ 8♦️, and Sasaki defended on the small blind with K♠️ J♠️. After a J♥️ 6♥️ 2♠️ flop, both players checked, and on the turn 7♣️, Sasaki bet 205,000, which Lin called.

With 710,000 in the pot, Sasaki then moved all-in over Lin’s 690,000 stack on the 2♣️ river. Lin needed time to think, but after 90 seconds, he called and saw his two pair were no match for Sasaki’s stronger two pair, resulting in a 6th-place finish.

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5th Place: Chung Yi Ho – TWD 497,000 (~USD 15,770)

Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000, Ante 50,000

Chung Yi Ho shoved his last 540,000 from the cutoff, and Sasaki called on the button. Ho’s K♣️ J♣️ needed help against Sasaki’s A♦️ K♠️. However, the board ran 4♦️ 2♥️ 7♠️ 8♦️ 8♠️ without improvement, ending Ho’s tournament in 5th place.

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4th Place: Christopher Lim – TWD 625,000 (~USD 19,800)

Level 26 – Blinds 30,000/60,000, Ante 60,000

Christopher Lim moved all-in for 850,000 on the button. Li-An Lee called from the big blind with 4♦️ 4♣️, while Lim showed A♣️ 4♠️. The board of 7♥️ 8♥️ 5♣️Q♣️ 5♦️ gave Lim no help, and he exited the Main Event in 4th place.

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3rd Place: Li-An Lee – TWD 889,000 (~USD 28,205)

Level 27 – Blinds 40,000/80,000, Ante 80,000

Li-An Lee began the day as chip leader and even survived a critical double-up against Yusuke Mizuno earlier in the day, which temporarily boosted his stack. Later, Lee moved all-in for 720,000 from the small blind, and Sasaki called from the big blind. Lee’s 9♥️8♣️ were behind Sasaki’s Q♠️ T♦️, and the board 3♦️ 5♦️ 7♣️ Q♥️ 8♦️ sealed his fate, sending him out in 3rd place.

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2nd Place: Yusuke Mizuno – TWD 1,209,000 (~USD 38,350)

In heads-up action, Seiji Sasaki opened to 160,000 on the button and called Yusuke Mizuno’s all-in for 1,425,000. Mizuno held 6♥️ 6♦️, while Sasaki’s 7♠️ 7♥️ dominated. The board of 3♦️ K♥️ J♥️ 9♦️ 4♠️offered Mizuno no miracles, and he settled for a runner-up finish, achieving his career-best cash.

For a full recap of the eventful OLA Taipei Final table, watch the live stream replay here, or read the full live reporting at LifeOfPoker.com.

A Historic Milestone for OLA Poker Tour

Following the hugely successful debut at King’s Resort in Rozvadov, Europe’s largest live poker destination, OLA Poker Tour brought its vibrant atmosphere, community-focused mission, and elite tournament structure to Taipei for the very first time.

Players enjoyed:

• A world-class poker festival setting
• A lucrative guaranteed prize pool
• A welcoming and energetic live poker environment
• Opportunities created in partnership with KKPoker online satellites

With growing excitement and incredible player response, the OLA Poker Tour Taipei 2025 proved to be a landmark step in OLA’s global expansion across the live poker world.