The Asia Poker Arena in Taiwan (pictured above) is set to host The Poker Tournament Directors Association (TDA) Continental Summit — Asia Edition, from July 21.
The TDA is the official industry body of poker tournament personnel, dedicated to standardizing tournament rules wherever the game is played. Its binenniel summits host discussions on potential rules changes, industry trends and other developments in the game. The last summit took place last year in Las Vegas.
Now, in partnership with the Asia Poker Sports Association (APSA) and the World Poker Federation (WPF), the TDA will gather many of the most influential figures in poker tournament organization to debate the most pressing issues of the day, outside the USA and in between summit years.
WSOP chip-dumping issue to be discussed
Among those confirmed to speak at the event on July 21 are some of the most senior figures in the TDA, including:
- Matt Savage, TDA founder and WPT Executive Tour Director
- Neil Johnson, TDA board member
- Lloyd Fontillas, TDA board member
- Mylene Advincula of the Metro Card Club
- Nobuyoshi Takizawa and Ray Chiu, certified Tournament Directors
Among the issues confirmed for discussion are several that have proven to be hot topics in recent high-profile events, most notably the recent controversy in which players at a WSOP final table appeared to chip-dump to orchestrate a win for one player, who had a win bonus available from a rival operator, ClubWPT Gold.
You can read more about that incident, including the outcome in which both players were banned, in our article on the subject from the time.
The topic of bubble incentives which may affect game dynamics, such as that above, will also be debated. Also up for discussion is how operators might penalize behavior, such as the WSOP’s actions above, as well as what can be done about excessive time used to make decisions — poker’s tanking problem.
Standardizing rules across new regions
The choice of Taiwan for the first TDA summit outside of the US reflects the fast growth of poker in the area.
“This Summit is not just about sharing rules,” says WPF CEO Leonardo Cavarge, “it’s about helping fast-growing regions organize themselves around values that can carry poker into the future. By joining forces with the TDA and APSA, we’re helping bring international standards to Asia while listening to the region’s specific context.”
APSA Secretary General Raymond Wong added, “Hosting the Summit in Taiwan is a chance to strengthen our community, connect professionals across Asia, and amplify our voices in the global conversation.”
To find out more, and reserve a spot, head to the summit webpage now.
