Asia-Pacific Players at the 2025 WSOP Las Vegas
The 2025 WSOP (World Series of Poker ) in Las Vegas has officially reached its halfway point, with over 65 gold bracelets already awarded.
In our previous coverage, we reported on the first 49 events — but unfortunately, since then, no players from the Asia-Pacific region have captured another bracelet.
However, several have made deep runs and reached final tables, keeping the regional spirit alive on poker’s biggest stage.
More details on these standout performances are summarized below.
Najeem Ajez Finishes 7th in the $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha Event
Australia’s Najeem Ajez continued his pursuit of poker glory in Las Vegas, following his career-best run at the 2024 World Poker Tour Championship.
In Event #51: $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha, Ajez ended Day 2 as the chip leader among a stacked field of 489 entries, battling for a massive $11,491,500 prize pool. His aggressive playing style carried him deep into the event and onto the final table.
After an intense series of swings, Ajez ultimately finished 7th, earning an impressive $293,329. Poker legend Phil Ivey was later eliminated in the same event.
The title went to Germany’s Dennis Weiss, who defeated Michael Duek heads-up to win his second consecutive 2025 WSOP PLO gold bracelet and a top prize of $2,292,155.
🇹🇭 Punnat Punsri Scores Another Final Table Finish
In Event #54: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha, a total of 1,564 players competed for a $2,076,210 prize pool.
Two Asian players reached the final table:
Qiaonan Liu from China finished 4th, earning $105,947.
Thai poker star Punnat Punsri made yet another deep run, finishing 3rd for $146,266.
Veteran American pro Matt Vengrin outlasted Bryce Yockey to capture his first 2025 WSOP gold bracelet and a $306,791 top prize.
💰 Asia-Pacific Players Shine in the $50K PLO High Roller
Event #57: $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller drew 194 entries, creating a $9,215,000 prize pool, with the top 30 players all earning six-figure payouts.
Notable Asia-Pacific results:
Indian businessman Santhosh Suvarna placed 16th for $105,000.
Zhou Quan, co-founder of The Lord Poker Tournament, finished 7th for $294,013.
Jia Kwan Liu, a Hong Kong-born player based in Spain and former PLO champion, placed 6th for $386,768.
China’s Biao Ding reached the final four, finishing 4th and collecting $713,762.
In the end, mixed-game specialist Dylan Linde defeated Stephen Chidwick to win his third 2025 WSOP gold bracelet and $2,146,414 in prize money.
🧓🧑 New Event Spotlight: Battle of the Ages
Event #59: $1,000 Battle of the Ages made its debut on the 2025 WSOP schedule, dividing players into two groups — under 50 and 50 and over — before merging into one field after two days.
The event drew an impressive 3,074 entries and a $2,705,120 prize pool.
Xia Wang from Macau/China was the last remaining female player, finishing 8th and earning $42,424.
Asia-Pacific Players in Affordable Events
Event #61 – $500 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout drew a massive field of 5,082 entries, creating a $2,109,030 prize pool.
Japan’s Yudai Nikai reached the final table, finishing 8th for $28,635, while China’s Bin Fan placed 5th for $63,706.
American recreational player Craig Savage turned his modest investment into a life-changing victory, capturing his first WSOP gold bracelet and $229,628 in prize money.
🇦🇸 Asia-Pacific Players Beyond the 2025 WSOP
In addition to the 2025 WSOP, Las Vegas’ major poker venues — including The Venetian, Wynn, Aria, and Golden Nugget — host parallel live poker festivals that attract thousands of players from around the world.
While full results are often slow to appear in the Hendon Mob database, several Asia-Pacific players have already made headlines with strong performances in these side series.
🏆 Kunal Patni Shines at The Venetian
Indian pro Kunal Patni, who has scored multiple titles on the Asian Poker Tour in the past year, has recently found success off the WSOP stage.
He won the $1,600 Monster Bounty event at the Venetian DeepStack Championship Poker Series, earning $37,210 plus bounties.
The following week, he placed 6th in the same event for $13,609 plus bounties.
That tournament ended in a three-way deal, with Japan’s Atsushi Obara taking the title and $49,000 plus bounties.
👑 Marie Kabaki Goes Deep in Ladies High Roller
In the same festival, Marie Kabaki reached the final table of the $2,500 Ladies High Roller event, which was featured on the live stream.
Holding A-K, she flopped top pair with top kicker but was eliminated when her opponent hit a straight on the turn.
Kabaki finished 6th for $10,839, while Tirza Sanders (USA) claimed the title, winning $67,846, a gold coin, and the championship trophy.
💰 Josh McCully Wins at the Wynn
Australian pro Joshua McCully also celebrated success outside the WSOP by winning the $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Progressive Bounty event at the Wynn Casino, earning $99,936 in cash prizes — plus a significant but undisclosed amount in accumulated bounties.
🥇 Marc Rivera Triumphs in Aria High Roller
Philippine poker standout Marc Rivera, who leads the country’s all-time earnings list, had a strong showing in the WSOP Seniors Event, finishing 32nd out of 801 players for $17,670.
But his biggest success came just off the Strip — Rivera captured the title in the $10,100 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller at the Aria Casino, defeating 37 entrants to win $133,200 and further cementing his position among Asia’s elite PLO players.
Red Dragon Poker APP Officially Launched
The long-established tournament brand Red Dragon Cup has now released its own app — “Red Dragon Poker.”
The Red Dragon Cup is a well-known Asian poker brand with a strong reputation across the region. Originating in Macau, it quickly became one of the most influential poker events in Asia. Red Dragon Poker tournaments regularly attract players from all over the world, offering massive fields and impressive prize pools.
For those interested, we highly recommend downloading the “Red Dragon Poker” app to join more exciting tournaments.