Hsing Hsiung Tai, also known as David Tai, is a professional poker player and the founder of the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP). Tai has played a crucial role in the growth of poker in Taiwan and is famously known as the Godfather of the Taiwanese Poker Scene.
With decades of experience in the poker industry, Tai has put Taiwan’s poker on the global stage, attracting thousands of players to the country and solidifying its place on the international poker map. Here is a closer look at David Tai’s poker career, his journey in founding CTP, and his role in fostering the growth of poker in Taiwan.
Hsing Hsiung Tai (David Tai) – Poker Career Highlights
Tai’s first recorded live cash on Hendon Mob came in 2016, when he finished 9th in the Macau Millions, earning $2,873. One of his biggest cashes came in 2018, when he finished third in the WPT Vietnam Main Event, taking home $47,210. That year, he also took down NT$ 3,500 No Limit Hold’em at Taichung Grand Opening Cup in Taipei City and then followed it up with aKnockout Turbo (Event #14) victory at PokerStars LIVE Manila Super Series 8, Manila.
2020 was a milestone year for him as he went on to win an incredible eight live titles with his APT Taiwan High Rollers Single Day for $ 13,523 being the most significant win of the year. In 2022, Tai won the Asian Poker Tour Korea Incheon Monster Stack for $19,459 in top prize.
In 2024, he won the WSOP PokerNews $400 Daily DeepStacks event at the 2024 WSOP, pocketing $18,586. That same year, he finished 4th in the APT Jeju Zodiac Classic by Natural8 India, earning $36,679. His last recorded cash of 2024 came during WPT Korea/Jeju, where he was the final table bubble in the RDPT Red Dragon Championship, adding $10,267 to his total earnings.
As of March 2025, David Tai has accumulated $451,113 in live earnings from 130 cashes.
Fostering Taiwan’s Poker Scene
David Tai has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the Taiwanese poker scene through the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP). What began as a modest poker operation in Tao Yuan has now grown into a network of 19 poker rooms across Taiwan, including the original Tao Yuan location, which still operates with eight tables. Tai has hosted several prestigious events, including the WPT Prime Taiwan, Global Poker League Taiwan, All Japan Poker Circuit, PPPoker, Taiwan Millions, Asian Poker Tour, and J88-sponsored events.
Tai’s dedication to the game led CTP to host the Asian Poker Tour (APT) and several other prestigious live events. Despite facing legal challenges in the past, CTP has successfully navigated regulatory hurdles and is now fueling the poker scene in Taiwan, running tournaments legally.
In 2024, CTP, in collaboration with the Asian Poker Tour, hosted APT Taipei and made history. The series saw:
- 2,766 unique players from 48 countries
- 16,787 total entries across 98 trophy events
- A total prize pool of TWD 388.25 million (~USD 12.18 million)
In an interview with SoMuchPoker, Tai revealed that his focus remains on bringing players to Taiwan rather than expanding CTP internationally. However, he is open to partnerships in regions like Cebu and Hong Kong.
Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of people in the poker industry.
