The rising prominence of poker in Asia is unprecedented. This is seen in the poker series across the globe wherein Asian players are registering impressive scores and making heads turn with their talent. The impressive runs of the Asian contingent are reflected in the latest Global Poker Index (GPI) ranking update for male poker players in Asia. The rankings highlight the remarkable performances of players across regional and international tournaments.
Players from countries such as India, China, South Korea, and Thailand have made significant moves on the leaderboard, underlining the influx of talent in the Asian poker scene. The GPI rankings primarily take into consideration the consistent results in major circuits, including the Asian Poker Tour (APT), World Poker Tour (WPT), Triton Poker Series and World Series of Poker (WSOP) among others.
Asian players have displayed their prowess by excelling in High Roller events, thus sustaining the region’s growing prominence in the global poker community. The GPI rankings for Asian male players not only reflect monetary wins but also players’ ability to excel in various formats and competition styles. This establishes them as serious and worthy contenders in the international arena.
Punnat Punsri – 3,842.79 GPI points
Leading the GPI rankings for Asian males is Thailand’s Punnat Punsri with 3,842.79 GPI points. Apart from his top position among the Asian contingent, Punnat also ranks 5th on the Global GPI ranking. His impressive position is attributed majorly to the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo edition held in Monte Carlo, Monaco earlier in November.
The Thailand-based pro registered three cashes at the series all of which were final table finishes. He first took the 7th place in + 20,000 No Limit Hold’em – Mystery Bounty 7-Handed (Event #3) and pocketed a sum of $116,000. Later he narrowly missed his third Trition Poker title in No Limit Hold’em – 7-Handed (Event #9). Here he cashed a massive $1,021,000 for his runner-up finish. Lastly, he took the second runner-up spot at No Limit Hold’em – Triton Main Event (Event #10) walking home with a mammoth $2,045,000.
Tony ‘Ren’ Lin – 3,696.42 GPI Points
Second on the GPI rankings for Asian males is Tony ‘Ren’ Lin with 3,696.42 GPI Points to his credit. Tony has had an impressive month leading up to his second spot on the GPI rankings. He was most recently seen cashing at the PokerGO Tour – PGT Texas PLO Roundup Houston, Texas in the United States, wherein he finished 26th at the Pot Limit Omaha – Main Event (Event #5) for a paycheque of $11,000.
Prior to that, he was seen at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Monte Carlo, Monaco where he registered five cashes. This included a 4th place finish at + 7,500 Pot Limit Omaha – Turbo Bounty Quatro (Event #16) for $124,500, a 13th place finish at No Limit Hold’em – 8-Handed (Event #12) for $318,000, a 7th place at the No Limit Hold’em – Turbo (Event #11) for $175,700, a 5th place finish at + 10,000 No Limit Hold’em – Turbo Bounty Quatro (Event #7) for $156,000 and an 8th place finish at + 20,000 No Limit Hold’em – Mystery Bounty 7-Handed (Event #3) for a sum of $84,000. Interestingly apart from his second place on the GPI Asian men ranking, Tony Lin also takes an impressive 8th place on the global GPI rankings.
Quan Zhou – 3,456.75 GPI Points
In the third place is Quan Zhou with 3,456.75 GPI Points. The Chinese player was seen grinding at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Monte Carlo, Monaco. His four cashes in the series helped him earn GPI points and boost his position on the ranking.
His four cashes at the series included a 9th place finish at No Limit Hold’em – 8-Handed (Event #2) for a paycheque of $100,000, followed by a 7th place finish at No Limit Hold’em – 8-Handed (Event #5) for a sum of $291,000. He later took the 4th place at Pot Limit Omaha – 6-Handed (Event #13) for a prize of $393,000 and finally finished 11th at + 7,500 Pot Limit Omaha – Turbo Bounty Quatro (Event #16) for $29,000.
Daniel Chi Tang – 3,373.07 GPI Points
Next on the GPI Asia rankings for males is Daniel Chi Tang with 3,373.07 GPI Points. The Hong Kong-based player’s recent exploits at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo in Monte Carlo, Monaco helped his rise in ranks on the board. At this series, he recorded four cashes including one final table finish.
He started his season with an 18th place exit at No Limit Hold’em – 8-Handed (Event #5), for which he took home $93,000. This was followed by a 11th place finish at + 10,000 No Limit Hold’em – Turbo Bounty Quatro (Event #7) for $43,000. He then reached the final table of the prestigious No Limit Hold’em – Triton Main Event (Event #10) and bowed out in the 7th place adding $743,000 to his bankroll. Finally, he ended his season with a 12th place finish at + 7,500 Pot Limit Omaha – Turbo Bounty Quatro (Event #16) for $27,000.
Biao Ding – 3,106.39 GPI Points
Ranking fifth on the list is China’s Biao Ding holding 3,106.39 GPI Points. Biao too was last seen registering two cashes at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Monte Carlo, Monaco. This includes a 19th place finish at No Limit Hold’em – 8-Handed (Event #12) for $236,000 and a 22nd place finish at No Limit Hold’em – 8-Handed (Event #6) for $152,000.
Next on the list is India’s ace poker player Santhosh Suvarana with 3,053.70 GPI Points. His two humble cashes at the 10th and 20th places respectively at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Monte Carlo, Monaco helped him rise up in the ranks. Santhosh Suvarna is followed by China’s Xixiang Luo, who takes the seventh place with 3,000.58 GPI Points.
Next in line are Malaysian pros Christopher Michael Soyza and Wai Kiat Lee at the 8th and 9th spot respectively. While Christopher Michael Soyza enjoys 2,997.41 GPI Points to his credit, Wai Kiat Lee sits with 2,979.70 GPI Points. Finally, India’s Ankit Ahuja ranks at the 10th place with 2,927.41 GPI Points.
| Rank | Country | Name | GPI Points |
| 1 | Thailand | Punnat Punsri | 3,842.79 GPI Points |
| 2 | China | Tony “Ren” Lin | 3,696.42 GPI Points |
| 3 | China | Quan Zhou | 3,456.75 GPI Points |
| 4 | Hong Kong | Daniel Chi Tang | 3,373.07 GPI Points |
| 5 | China | Biao Ding | 3,106.39 GPI Points |
| 6 | India | Santhosh Suvarna | 3,053.70 GPI Points |
| 7 | China | Xixiang Luo | 3,000.58 GPI Points |
| 8 | Malaysia | Christopher Michael Soyza | 2,997.41 GPI Points |
| 9 | Malaysia | Wai Kiat Lee | 2,979.70 GPI Points |
| 10 | India | Ankit Ahuja | 2,927.41 GPI Points |
The GPI rankings function as a report card of the results as well as the dedication and skill of these players. Many of these players with their hard work continue to inspire the next generation of poker enthusiasts in Asia and across the globe.
Keep following PokerProNews for the latest updates on Global Poker Index rankings!
