Lu started his poker journey online, using his online bankroll to fund live tournaments. This decision paid off, as he quickly found greater success in live events. Now, with over $1.3 million in live poker earnings, he has established himself as one of Australia’s rising poker stars.

Anton Lu Poker Journey

Before transitioning to live poker, Anton Lu was an online grinder. His first recorded live cash came in 2023 when he cashed in the Poker Dream 2023 Malaysia Main Event, earning $3,730. He then traveled to Taipei City for the 2023 USOP Poker2u Taiwan Series, cashing in seven events, including two final table finishes.

His final table results included a runner-up finish in the NT$67K High Roller, where he won an impressive $26,716, and a 6th place finish in the NT$100K Super High Roller, adding $8,761 to his bankroll.

Lu didn’t have to wait long to capture his first major poker trophy. In March 2023, he won the APT Phu Quoc Event #27: Turbo-8 Max, banking $8,024. The following month, he finished runner-up in the WPC III Hanoi Super High Roller, earning a massive $57,184.

During the summer of 2023, Lu traveled to Las Vegas for the 54th Annual WSOP, cashing in six events and pocketing over $40,000. He later secured his maiden Poker Dream trophy, winning the Poker Dream 6 Malaysia Single Day High Roller for $51,554.

He ended his breakout year in style, winning WPT Australia A$1,100 Event #14 for $29,400. He followed this victory with another title at the Poker Palace Spring Championships A$3,000 NLH The Masters 6-Max, earning $32,152.

Anton Lu’s 2024 Poker Highlights

Lu began 2024 by competing in USOP Taiwan 2024, finishing runner-up in the NT$35K Mini High Roller for $7,975. That same month, he finished 4th in the Poker Dream 8 Malaysia High Roller, collecting $34,248.

In March, he added another trophy to his collection by winning the 2024 Vietnam Poker League Super High Roller, securing a $57,523 payday. He followed up with another victory at USOP Da Nang, earning $32,232 for winning the High Roller Warm-Up Event.

April saw another triumph, as Lu won the VIPT Hanoi Super Star Challenge, adding another $50,000 to his earnings. During the summer, he participated in both live and online 2024 WSOP events, securing multiple cash finishes.

2024 became a milestone year for the young gun when he achieved a career-best score of $143,401 by finishing 3rd in the Poker Dream 12 Jeju Super High Roller. That same month, he won two back-to-back inaugural Taiwan Millions Tournament trophies—taking down the Single Day High Roller for $14,743 and the Super High Roller for another $57,768.

His last recorded cash finish of 2024 came in December, when he placed 5th in the USOP Grand Finale High Roller Megastack, earning $11,626.

Anton Lu’s Stats

In just two years of playing live poker tournaments, Anton Lu has accumulated over $1.3 million in earnings from 117 cashes. Impressively, from January 2023 to December 2024, he cashed in tournaments every single month, showcasing his exceptional skill, tournament endurance, and hunger for poker trophies and bracelets. He currently ranks 47th on Australia’s all-time money list.

For his remarkable cashes, deep runs, and victories, Lu earned 2,273 GPI points, finishing 9th in Australia’s 2024 GPI rankings—an impressive feat, given that Australia’s top 10 is dominated by far more experienced players. Considering his recent performances coupled with performances in 2023 and 2024, he is definitely a player to watch out for in 2025. 

Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of rising stars in poker. 

The post Meet Anton Zhen Zhao Lu, Australia’s Rising Star first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

In this report on rising poker stars, we explore Han Feng’s impressive poker career and his journey to winning the Mid-Major Player of the Year award.

Han Feng’s Poker Accolades and Career

Han Feng’s live poker journey began in 2021 when he secured his first recorded live cash with a money finish in the I-35 Cup $600 NLH, earning $2,019. A year later, he significantly improved his results by finishing 69th in the Wynn Las Vegas $3,500 NLH Championship, taking home $15,042. In 2022, Feng made his debut in the World Series of Poker (WSOP), cashing in Event #75: $777 NLH Lucky 7’s for $1,557.

Later that year, Feng reached the final table in the WSOP Circuit Online Event #11: $320 NLH Double Stack, finishing in 8th place and collecting $3,950. His breakthrough moment came in the summer of 2023 when he achieved his first six-figure score of $119,048 for finishing 2nd in the Venetian DeepStack Championship $1,100 NLH. The following month, he added another notable score by cashing in the 54th WSOP Main Event for $40,000. Feng closed the year on a high note by winning his first live poker trophy in the $300 NLH Turkey Shootout, pocketing $25,000.

Feng’s 2024 campaign began with a milestone victory, as he won his first major title at the Moneymaker Poker Tour Houston $1,100 Main Event, earning an impressive $54,100. His success continued in March when he captured his maiden WSOP Circuit ring by winning the WSOP Circuit Tulsa $1,700 Main Event for a six-figure payday of $144,413. In August, he secured his second WSOP Circuit ring after triumphing in the WSOPC North Carolina $600 PLO, banking $33,504.

In October, the two-time circuit ring holder added yet another trophy to his collection by winning the Champions Club Fall Poker Open $1,500 NLH Main Event, taking home $159,805 – his career-best score to date. He wrapped up the year with a deep run in the 2024 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, where he cashed for $21,600.

Being Crowned as the 2025 GPI Mid-Major Player of the Year

Feng had an outstanding 2024, cashing in 49 events and winning five of them. His stellar performances earned him 3,014.45 points, helping him to claim the prestigious 2025 GPI Mid-Major Player of the Year title. Feng amassed over $917,000 in earnings throughout 2024, solidifying his status as one of the top rising stars in the poker world. In 2025, he has already racked up five cashes, including a runner-up finish for  $42,525 in the $ 2,000 NLH- One-Time High Roller (Event #3) at The Beau Rivage Heater, Biloxi. Given his recent performances, he is a rising star in the world of poker and definitely a player to watch out for in 2025. 

Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of rising stars in poker.

The post Meet Han Feng: Poker’s Fastest-Rising Mid-Major Star first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

From his humble beginnings with online freerolls to earning six-figure scores in major international tournaments, his rapid rise has caught the attention of the Indian poker community and beyond. This report will delve into Siddharth Arya Jolly’s Poker Journey, winnings, and achievements. 

Siddharth Arya Jolly’s Poker Journey

Siddharth Arya Jolly, an Indian entrepreneur and professional poker player, scored his first online cash in 2021 by competing in the Spartan Poker Depositor Daily Freeroll, where he finished in 59th place collecting just ₹25. He then followed it up with a money finish in the 1Cr WPT Unreal Finale in Adda52 for ₹1,800, which was followed by INR 1,11,650 in PokerBaazi’s 1000X#40 Main Event in 2023. 

Jolly continued participating in online poker games on Spartan Poker, Adda52, PokerBaazi, and PokerStars and won several online tournaments along the way. He has accumulated lifetime earnings of ₹73.99 Lakhs from online victories and cashes (as per PokerGuru). 

In 2022, he took part in the WSOP 2022 $400 NLH Closer Online Bracelet Event and made it to the money to collect $787. The next year, Jolly scored his first recorded live cash by finishing 4th in the WPT Prime India Main Event, collecting a whopping $38,873. He then scored a runner-up finish in the WPT Prime India Event‌ #11: 50k NLH collecting a hefty $13,850. 

Most recently, he competed in the Poker Dream 15 Malaysia where score five cash finishes, including a victory in Event #23: NLH Turbo where earned RM 11,700 for his win.  As of February 2025, Jolly has earned over $89k in live poker from 19 tournament cashes. 

Siddharth Arya Jolly’s Online Poker Milestones

Jolly’s biggest poker milestone online came when he scored a runner-up finish in PokerBazzi’s WPT #31 BOUNTY HUNTER 75L GTD (PKO), pocketing a career-defining ₹8.27 Lakhs.  Jolly then continued his impressive journey during the WPT India Online where he scored a 2nd place finish for ₹7.57 Lakhs.  in the WPT#79 PREMIERE (PLO-6) 60L GTD last December. 

His last big score also came  last December during the WPT India, where he came close to winning his first WPT title but had to settle for 2nd place in WPT#86 DEEPSTACK 40L GTD, adding ₹4.27 Lakhs. 

Live Poker Milestones

Following his impressive run at the 2023 WPT Prime India and a couple of cash finishes at DPT, Jolly participated in the Asian Poker Tour Hanoi, where he was able to achieve his first live poker title, winning the APT Hanoi Event #46: NLH Tick Tock Boom Hyper Turbo for a payday of $6,002 and his first APT trophy. He also cashed in the 2023 APT Hanoi Main Event for $1,445. 

Jolly kick-started his 2025 in style by capturing his career’s second live poker title. He outlasted a field of 62 entries to win the Poker Dream 15 Malaysia Event #23: NLH Turbo last month for his maiden PokerDream Trophy, and a payday of RM 11,700 (over INR 2.26 Lakhs). Besides the victory, Jolly cashed four more events, including a runner-up finish in Poker Dream 15 Mini High Roller for RM 48,316 (over INR 9 Lakhs). All his Poker Dream just last month. 

What Makes Siddharth Arya Jolly the Rising Poker Star?

With a growing list of accomplishments, both online and on the live felt, Siddharth Arya Jolly is steadily carving a name for himself in the competitive poker scene. His consistent deep runs, multiple runner-up finishes in WPT India events, and recent triumphs in Poker Dream Malaysia and APT Hanoi solidify his status as a rising poker star of Indian poker. 

As he continues to push his limits and chase bigger titles ahead, it’s only a matter of time before Jolly secures his place among the top poker professionals in India. He is definitely a player to watch out for in 2025.

 
Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of rising stars in Indian poker.

The post From Freerolls to Live Titles: Siddharth Arya Jolly’s Meteoric Rise in Poker first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

Abby Merk’s Early Life and Introduction to Poker

There isn’t much info available about Abby Merk’s family, but as per her interview with Business Insider, Merk comes from a business family. Before becoming a poker player, Merk studied mathematics and philosophy at Wake Forest University, which ultimately led to the foundation for her poker career. Besides this, Merk also worked at Jenny Just’s Peak6 as an Option Trader.

She was one of the first students of Poker Power, learning the game under the mentorship of founder Jenny Just, a longtime friend. She quickly fell in love with poker and started playing small-stakes tournaments. In her earlier stage, she faced lots of stereotypes at the table, because of her gender. Merk didn’t hold back and used them to her advantage, learning to adapt and grow in the game. 

“When I first started learning to play poker about three years ago, I thought there was more luck involved. I thought it was gambling. But once you dive into poker, you understand there’s always a correct decision.”—Abby Merk. 

Abby Merk’s Poker Career Highlights

Merk’s first recorded live cash came in 2021 when she made a money finish in the 52nd WSOP $1,000 NLH Ladies Championship for $2,163. A year later, she again ran deep in the 53rd WSOP $1,000 NLH Ladies Championship for $2,398. In 2023, Merk played a lot more live tournaments and scored a 21st-place finish in the WSOP Circuit Chicago $1,700 Main Event for an impressive $11,613. 

That same year, she rounded out a podium finish in the WPT SHRPO Showdown $250 NLH DeepStack Ladies Event for $2,115. In 2024, Merk scored a money finish in the WSOP Circuit Chicago Main Event earning $3,054. Merk concluded the year with an 11th-place finish in the BetMGM Fall Festival Championship at $1,100 NLH for $5,063. 

As of January 2025, Merk has earned over $48k from live poker with 19 cashes,as per Hendon Mob. 

Abby Merk’s Journey as a Content Creator

When Merk started her poker journey, she always wanted a job in the poker industry to stay involved in the game of poker. So, Merk reached out to PokerNews and joined them as a reporter interviewing poker players. She also began making short content on her Instagram and TikTok page in early 2023 and has been constantly uploading poker skits and short vlogs. 

Her most viewed Instagram reel is a comedic skit featuring high-stakes poker pro Tom Dwan. In the clip, she borrows $100K in chips from Dwan, then humorously leaves the table to cash them out. That reel has over 5.9 million views with over 116k likes. Merk currently has over 83k followers on Instagram.

After becoming a successful short-form poker creator, Abby jumped into YouTuber in mid-2024, uploading documentary-style poker vlogs with comedic touch. As of now, her YouTuber Channel AbbyPoker has over 15.5k subscribers. She recently started focusing more on YouTube, with three videos in 12 days. 

What Makes Abby Merk a Top Contender for the Global Poker Awards?

Abby Merk has quickly made a name for herself in the poker industry, not just as a player but also as a content creator. Her ability to blend humor, storytelling, and poker strategy into engaging short-form content has earned her a massive following across social media platforms. From her viral skits with poker legends like Tom Dwan, and Phil Ivey to her transition into long-form documentary-style vlogs on YouTube, Merk has consistently pushed creative boundaries in poker media, inspiring the young generation and promoting the game of poker. 

Her impact on the poker community has not gone unnoticed, as she was recently nominated for ‘Rising Star in Content Creation’ at the Global Poker Awards. With her growing influence and unique approach to making poker more accessible, inspiring and entertaining, Merk is undoubtedly one of the strongest contenders for this prestigious GPI recognition.

Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of women in poker!

The post Abby Merk: The Rising Star In Poker Content Creation! first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

The Australian poker scene has been witnessing the emergence of a new wave of talents, showcasing exceptional skills and establishing themselves as rising stars in the country’s scene. One such talent is James Searle, a rising poker star from the country. 

James Searle has quickly risen through the poker ranks, making waves in the Australian poker community since his first recorded live cash in 2023. In just two years, he has accumulated  more than $100,000 in live tournament earnings, with several final tables and standout victories at the Australian Poker League Poker Tour (APLPT) and multiple Super High Roller titles.

James Searle’s Poker Journey And Recent Performances

James Searle’s first recorded live cash came in 2023, and since then, he has accumulated over $100k in total live poker earnings. Although his poker journey started in 2023, Searle’s breakout year was 2024, as he notched up an impressive 9 final table finishes, including four live titles. 

The last five-to-six months have been incredible for James Searle. Last August saw him claim his first live victory of 2024. He won the Australian Poker League Poker Tour (APLPT) A$100 NLH for $3,562. Searle followed it up with a 2nd place finish in the Australian Poker Tour A$250 NLH Mini Main, pocketing $5,315.

Searle didn’t stop there, in October 2024, he claimed back-to-back APLPT titles, winning the A$350 NLH 6-Max for $5,137, and A$1,500 NLH JackStar Super High Roller, adding over $34,184 to his earnings. A month later, Searle topped a field of 189 entries to win the A$1,500 NLH JackStar Super High Roller at the APLPT Sydney for a career-best $40,242 payday and his second JackStar Super High Roller title. 

His victory was nothing short of remarkable, as he was down to just 4.5 big blinds during the final table action and staged a heroic comeback to claim his second JackStar title. This incredible performance earned him popular nicknames within the Australian poker community, including “One Bullet Jimmy,” “The Comeback King,” and more.

After winning his second Super High Roller title a few weeks after his first, Searle said, “Townsville’s still sinking in.” “I’m stoked,” Searle added. “It’s amazing, especially with the incredible support from family and friends.”

His last victory of 2024 pushed his live poker career earnings past $100k, cementing him as a rising poker star in the Australian Poker community. His most recent cash earlier this month when he scored a deep run in the JackStar Super High Roller (Event #19) at Australian Poker League Poker Tour, notching up a 27th place finish and earning him A$ 3,110 for his run. 

Final Words 

By consistently showcasing his skill, talent, and resilience, Searle is quickly establishing himself as a rising star to watch in the months ahead. His consistent success not only highlights his brilliance but also makes him a player to watch out for in 2025. 

Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of rising stars in poker.   Follow us on our social media platforms –Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for all the interesting stories and updates from the world of poker!

The post Meet James Searle: A Rising Force In Australian Poker first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

Over the last few months, we have seen a wave of many emerging poker talents from India and one name that often comes to our mind is Shreyansh Sharma. This young prodigy began cashing online poker tournaments in 2021 and since then there has been no looking back. Known for his sharp mind and consistent performances, this 23-year-old poker sensation has come a long way in his over 4-year-old journey, winning more than 100 online poker titles and quickly establishing himself as a rising star of Indian online poker.

Shreyansh Sharma’s Rise in 2024

2024 was a memorable year for him with several massive scores across Natural8 India, PokerBaazi, Adda52 and other platforms. Shreyansh Sharma not only showcased his consistency but also recorded some jaw-dropping scores throughout 2024, solidifying his place as a rising star of Indian poker.  Following his runner-up finish in the ‘The MoneyMaker’ tournament, a win in The Big Show Lite,  the WTF victory and a runner-up finish in Endeavour High Roller in April, Sharma’s strategic brilliance and aggression propelled him to new heights. With podium finishes in Adda52’s Mega Millions, JungleePoker’s Thursday Deepstacks, a final table  in PokerBaazi’s BSS Super Value, plus his dominance on Natural8 India, Sharma topped the May Leaderboard, earning him the “Prince of May” nickname.

Sharma continued to post final tables and deep runs across major online poker platforms before winning PokerBaazi’s Blockbuster in September 2024. Continuing his momentum, he went on to crush PokerBaazi’s The Pride for a hefty INR 3.36 Lakhs and final-tabled Zodiac Main Event.

The month of November was highlighted by his epic score in Natural8 India’s Sunday Showdown 108  where he blazed his way through massive 7,150-entry field  to finish 42nd for a jaw-dropping INR 51.45 Lakhs—including a staggering INR 50.86 Lakhs in mystery bounties alone.

The month of December was nothing short of extraordinary for Sharma as he notched up several jaw-dropping scores on the virtual felts. The biggest highlight of the month included a career-defining victory in Natural8 India’s Bounty Hunters HR Main Event 525 where he overcame a massive field of 2,870 elite players to claim a career-best score of INR 1.54 Crores.

Among other significant scores he notched up during December last year included besting a field of 464 players in Natural8 India’s Bounty Blastoff 150 and  pocketing INR 6.39 Lakhs. This was his fifth-best score on Natural8 India, pushing his overall earnings on the site to INR 2.77 Crores.

Shreyansh Sharma’s Online Poker Stats

Shreyansh Sharma’s total winnings from December in 2024 exceeded INR 1.67 Crores, while his yearly winnings across major platforms stood at INR 4.40 Crores, with over INR 2.72 Crores won on Natural8 India alone. 

Sharma’s rapid rise in India’s online poker landscape is a testament to his hard work, dedication and passion to excel in the game. Given his poker prowess and epic performances over the last six months, Sharma is a rising star in Indian poker and definitely a player to watch out for in 2025.

 Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of rising stars in poker.

Source: Natural8India and PokerGuru

The post Shreyansh Sharma – A Rising Star In India’s Online Poker Landscape  first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

Vladimir Korzinin’s Rise To Poker’s Newest High-Stakes Wizard

The white-bearded high-stakes newcomer Vladimir Korzinin took the world by storm with his bold play on the felts. The newcomer from Estonia, who burst onto the live poker scene in 2024 with a third-place finish in the Mystery Bounty at European Poker Tour (EPT) Cyprus in October 2024, went on to dominate Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Monte Carlo. 

Dubbed by as “Gambledore”by fans, he played some crazy poker, stunning the field with a second-place finish in Event #8 – $200K Triton Invitational. Not resting on his laurels, he then went on to defeat some of the best players in the game to win Event#12 $150K NLH 8-Handed for $4.35 million prize money, establishing him poker’s newest high-stakes wizard.

Shiina Okamoto Claims WSOP Bracelet & GPI Japan Female POY Honor

Another player who made big waves in 2024 was Shiina Okamoto from Japan. She scored over 12 dozen final table finishes, including four titles victories. She started the year on a historic note by winning the WSOP Ladies Event for a career-best  $171,732 and then followed up that score with a win in Jeju Dragon Quest of Red Dragon Poker Tour for $ 64,564 and a victory in the Single Day High Roller (Event H2) at Taiwan Millions Tournament (TMT) Championship. Okamoto’s last victory of the year came in the Win the Button Hyper Turbo of WPT Korea where she won $ 7,977.

With her power-packed performance through 2024, she wrapped up the year with 1,733.72 GPI points, topping the GPI Japan Female POY race and establishing herself as one of the rising stars in the world of poker.

Masashi Oya Claims Two Massive Wins & GPI Japan POY Title

Another poker player from Japan whose career witnessed a meteoric rise in 2024 was Masashi Oya. He had a breakout year with 12 final table scores, including  two prestigious live titles.  The young prodigy started the year with a victory for $539,347 in the€ 24,010 + 990 NLH Event at EPT Monte Carlo in April. He then followed up that live score with a win for $ 535,000 in the $50,000 + 1,500 NLH SHRB #04 7-Max at Super High Roller Bowl Series Cyprus (SHRB) in August. The two massive victories coupled with deep runs across several prestigious events earned coveted the GPI Japan Player of the Year honor for this rising star of poker.

Thomas Santerne Rises To Stardom With Four Major Victories

2024 turned out to be a breakout year for Thomas Santerne, a French player, who started his career just last year. He went on to record over an impressive 8 final table scores and 4 EPT titles, displaying exceptional skill, determination, and a passion for the game to cement his place among a new wave of rising stars in the world of poker. Sentence started 2024 on a grand note by winning the European Poker Tour (EPT) Super High Roller in Paris for $ 958,719 in February and followed that with another three EPT titles. His fourth EPT victory of the year came in December when he won the EPT Prague Super High Roller Second Chance for $138,287.

Japanese-Filipino John Matsuda’s Rise To Prominence

Japanese-Filipino John Matsuda also had a break-out year with over 14 final table scores and four live titles. Until July 2024, his highest score was around $8,932 but then in August,he finished as a runner-up in the APPT Manila 15 Main Event for a career-high PHP 9,320,000 ($159,687) to set a new top score. He continued his momentum and won the APPT Manila Championship High Roller in October before scoring two more APT high roller wins and a runner-up finish for a total $292,842 in winnings.

His last victory came in December when he won the USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong Championship Event for VND 2,503,800,300 ($98,701) for his first title outside of the Philippines. With four major victories and plenty of deep runs, he also etched his name in a new wave of rising stars in 2024.

Jia Chi Lee’s Rise To Stardom in Women’s Poker

Another player who made it to the list of rising stars in 2024 was Taiwan’s Jia Chi Lee, who scored over 14 final table finishes and two victories in 2024, earning her recognition as a rising star of poker on home turf. Lee started the year with a third-place finish in the 15th Taiwan Millions Tournament (TMT) Main Event for $56,730 and followed that score with several final table finishes and two victories in the prestigious live events.

Harsh Bubna And Harshdev Jhirmiria’s Rise To International Glory

The Year 2024 witnessed the rise of several Indian players, including Harsh Bubna and Harshdev Jhirmiria. The former scored three final table finishes, including a victory and a runner-up finish. He started the year on a grand note, winning the DPT Mini Main Event in May for INR 787,668. He followed that live score with several deep runs and ended the year with a career-best $75,250 for his runner-up finish in the USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong Championship, earning a place among the rising stars of poker.

Talking about Jhirmiria, he started participating in international events only this year and made a strong impact, scoring over seven final table finishes and two live victories. The first of his victories came in Malaysia in April when he took down the Poker Dream 9 Mystery Bounty for RM 286,000 (including RM 98K in bounty prize). His second victory came on home turf when he shipped the  DPT High Roller for INR 34,30,180 ($ 41,175).

 Other Poker Players Who Rose To Prominence in 2024 

Among other players who rose to prominence in 2024 were Japan’s Sachiko Uchihara (won APT Women’s Event and scored 10 final table scores), Simone Andrian (won Merit Poker Western Series warm-up event for $ 165,000 and the 2024 WSOPE Main Event for $ 1,434,451), Boris Angelov (won EPT Barcelona Mystery Bounty for $ 123,581 and scored deep runs in multiple EPT and WSOP events), and Adam Thaggard (won an incredible seven live poker titles including WPT and APL victories) were the other notable players who rose to poker stardom in the year 2024. 

Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories from poker! Follow us on our social media platforms –Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for all the interesting stories and updates from the world of poker!

The post Some Of The Poker Players Who Rose To Stardom In 2024 first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

Fresh talents from all continents are establishing themselves, challenging seasoned pros, and redefining traditional strategies. Their ability to adapt to the modern dynamics of the game, while bringing forth an unrelenting passion to succeed, has made them formidable contenders on the global poker stage.

Thomas Santerne

One such player is Thomas Santerne, who is France-based, and currently residing in Portugal. He often spends most of his time travelling for live poker events around the world. 

Over the years, he has ascended to newer heights at a rapid pace. What makes his journey noteworthy is that five years ago, Thomas was working a factory job and unsuccessfully playing poker online. He recalls back then, his dad would often ask for his bank account, and his mum, “always said I’d be a pro.”

Interestingly, within just a year, his mother’s prediction came true, when he had begun displaying a swift rise online. He began attacking at the big $10K events on GG, and gradually dedicated his life to the game. He joked, “I played 350 days a year for three years. This is why I wear glasses now.”

Taking his virtual successes forward, within just two years, Santerne has ascended to the 12th spot on France’s all-time money list. In the process, he has also picked up four EPT SHR trophies and one title from a Winamax High Roller.

Thomas Santerne’s live poker exploits

Santerne stormed onto the live poker tournament scene just last in 2023. And had already cashed in two events in Morocco and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure even before the first month of the year concluded.

Come February 2023 and Santerne cashed in the €2,100 EPT Mystery Bounty event and the €10,300 EPT Paris High Roller. Santerne’s impressive form continued in March, wherein he registered his first live victory. He clinched the €1,500 Winamax Poker Tour La Grande Finale for a career-best €56,000.

After a solid run of making headlines, Santerne went underground for the best part of six months. He recorded no live scores for the next six months. However, his dry spell didn’t last long and he made a roaring comeback by registering three cashes in Cyprus in October. He picked up from where he left six months ago in a true champion style, making the point that he was still in the scene. 

The French player then headed to the inaugural World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise in The Bahamas in December 2023, and once again proved his mettle. 

2024

2024 turned out to be a breakout year for Thomas Santerne as he clinched two EPT €50,000 Super High Rollers bagging combined cashes of over €1.2 million. Additionally, he also recorded the biggest cash of his career at the Triton Montenegro $100,000 event, wherein he finished runner-up for a massive $1,735,000 paycheque.

He also took the runner-up spot in another $100,000 at the Super High Roller Bowl Series Cyprus for another handsome $870,000.

He didn’t stop there, he went on to finish in the money in the record-breaking €1,100 FPS Main Event at the 2024 EPT Paris festival held in February. The Freshman also entered the €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller and went on to defeat Chris Brewer heads-up to grab the title, along with €889,480 in prize money. In the process, he denied Brewer what would have been his back-to-back €50K victories.

Thomas then topped the victory with a series of high-roller successes in Montenegro and Cyprus that summer. Later he headed to EPT Prague, where he won the €20,000 High Roller to kickstart the festival with a bang. His hunt for glory again found fruit at the EPT Prague €50,000 Super High Roller, just ten months after his Paris success.

Recent spotlight

He seems to have no stopping and his recent exploits prove it. He registered three high-roller titles along with three victories, all in a single week. 

He first took down the €20,000 High Roller on December 6 2024 and pocketed $ 184,597. He followed it up with a €50,000 EPT Super High Roller win just three days later on December 8, 2024, and added another $ 407,657 to his kitty. In the following three days on December 11, 2024, he captured the €25,000 Super High Roller Second Chance for a handsome $ 138,287. 

Although the €25,000 Super High Roller Second Chance had a narrow field of just 11 entrants, it was still a significant one in terms of the stakes and the names involved. The high-stakes showdown witnesses some of the biggest names in poker, such as Niklas Astedt, Steve O’Dwyer, and Teun Mulder in contention. Irrespective of who he was playing against, Santerne had an invincible level of confidence that’s to the previous two victories at the series already under his belt. 

These three historic wins earned him a total of $733,494, taking his lifetime total earnings close to the $5.30 Million mark.

Apart from the victories, he also nailed a humble cash that went unnoticed in the big figures of the High Rollers. He finished 20th at the € 920 + 180 + 1,000 No Limit Hold’em – Hyper Turbo Knockout Freezeout (Event #19) for a modest $3,013.

Thomas Santerene Stats

Thomas Santerene has earned a mammoth $5,121,473 in total Live Poker earnings in just two years of his live poker career. His best live cash to date has been $1,735,000, which he bagged after finishing runner-up in the $ 100,000 + 6,000 No Limit Hold’em – 8-Handed (Event #8) at Triton Poker Super High Roller Series held in Montenegro, Budva.

According to Hendon Mob, Thomas Santerene ranks 394th on the global All-Time Money List. As far as France’s All Time Money list is concerned he sits gloriously at the 12th place.

Talking of Thomas’ World Series of Poker (WSOP) exploits, he has yet to grab a gold bracelet or a ring. Nevertheless, he has earned a humble $370,455 from WSOP, thanks to his 5 cashes at the series. 

Likewise, he has one World Poker Tour (WPT) cash at the WPT Prime Paris Championship at Club Circus Paris in 2024. He finished 32nd and pocketed $6,038.

As a promising player, Thomas Santerene continues to polish his skill and rise through the ranks. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the future of poker has never looked more exciting with players like Thomas in the mix. The poker community eagerly waits to witness his next breakthrough performance soon and keeps an eye on the poker endeavours of this round pro.

Keep Following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of rising stars. Follow us on our social media platforms –Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for all the interesting stories and updates from the world of poker!

The post The French Phenom: Thomas Santerne’s Meteoric Rise In Poker World first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

One such player is Johan Schultz-Pedersen, a rising force in the dynamic world of poker, who is driven by his dedicated study and passion for analysis. While still very young by age, Johan has carved a name for himself as a seasoned veteran of online poker. Within a considerable short span of time, he has already racked up over $1M in cashes and counting. 

Beginning of Johan Schultz-Pedersen’s poker career

Johan Schultz-Pedersen began his professional poker career at just 18 years of age in his home country of Denmark. Later after pursuing his passion for poker, he moved to Austria to play professionally. His peers know him as an extremely detailed strategic thinker. Interestingly, he shares study circles with some of the game’s greatest minds which gives him a lot of exposure and valuable insights to further hone his skills. 

Johan is also known to constantly engage himself in the latest study tools and technologies. When Johan is not at the felts playing or grinding, one is likely to find him showcasing his unique sense of humour and keeping his peers on their toes with his pranks. 

As a well-respected and decorated player, Johan has made big waves in the international online poker scene. Over his career, he has recorded an impressive report card including a victory at the $1,050 buy-in $150K GTD on PartyPoker for $43,428. Having initially started off as an online poker player, Johan has also displayed his skills in the live poker circuit and made heads turn.

GTO Trainer

Apart from being just a player, Johan is also a coach with LearnWPT, the World Poker Tour’s initiative to train people in poker. Johan’s unparalleled passion for the game, strong strategic mindset, and in-depth knowledge of Game Theory Optimal (GTO) tools have made him a priceless asset to LearnWPT Students.

Being an exceptionally talented strategist, Johan has become a widely recognized face among his peers and study partners. His peers and students look up to him as the go-to resource for poker strategy tools as well as solver technology. Johan’s unique experience and knowledge of Game Theory Optimal (GTO) poker strategy has proven to be a significant asset in developing multiple training solutions that currently form a part of the WPT GTO Trainer.

His talent was also noticed and recognised by LearnWPT’s Andrew “LuckyChewy” Lichtenberger, who went on to found Octopi Poker, a  Poker Community and Educational Platform. Lichtenberger believed in Johan’s “expertise in the superior quality sims and general theoretical poker acumen” which eventually led to Johan becoming one of the founding members of Octopi Poker. He also serves as the Chief Theoretician of the platform. 

Johan Schultz-Pedersen’s poker exploits

Johan Schultz-Pedersen first grabbed headlines for recording his career first WSOP cash in 2022. He made a deep run in the $5K 6-Max No-Limit Hold’em event, which is often stacked with players. He took the 24th place at the event. 

Johan started off his 2023 season with a deep run at the 2023 PokerStars EPT Paris €5K Main Event. He finished 8th on the final table and took home €144,300 for his deep run. After some noteworthy cash in 2023, Johan officially etched his name among the game’s best after clinching his first WSOP Bracelet in the Online Colossus Event in 2024

The Danish-Austrian pro who was regarded as an online veteran, registered the first major win of his career by shipping the prestigious online Colossus event. He walked away with his first ever WSOP gold bracelet and its $149,745.20 in top prize. In the process,  ‘SerJohan’ outperformed a massive 3,379 entries including 2,162 unique players and 1,217 re-entries.

What made his victory sweeter and more heads turn was that he clinched the victory by busting a prior bracelet winner, Jonathan ‘the85bears’ Dokler, who finished runner-up up to Johan amd pocketed $106,925.07 for second. Meanwhile, the third place and $76,392.43 paycheque was claimed by Benjamin ‘Phenom7’ Underwood.

Johan Schultz-Pedersen stats

Johan Schultz-Pedersen boasts of Total Live Earnings of a whopping $608,197 in a relatively short span of time. His best live cash to date has been $154,204, which he collected for his 8th place finish at France PSLIVE EPT  € 5,300 No Limit Hold’em – EPT Main Event (Event #16) in early 2023. Johan ranks 5,089th on the global All-Time Money List and 41st on Denmark’s All Time Money List.

Johan Schultz-Pedersen achievements and significant contributions to the poker space at a young age showcase his expertise, talent and passion for the game of skill. Given his impressive achievements in such a short span, Johan Schultz-Pedersen is certainly one of the brightest rising stars in poker. It is worth keeping an eye on this talented pro to witness what new heights he scales in the coming days.

Keep following PokerProNews for more such stories of rising stars in poker! Follow us on our social media platforms –Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for all the interesting stories and updates from the world of poker!

The post The Next Big Thing In Poker: Meet Johan Schultz-Pedersen first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.

One such player is Avneesh Munjal, an emerging poker talent from India who has displayed exceptional growth and consistency in his poker journey. The Mumbai-based player is known for his strategic gameplay and consistent performances, which have earned him recognition both domestically and internationally. 

The poker pro began his poker journey online before gradually transitioning to live tournaments. He gained significant recognition by grabbing eyeballs with his talent not only in the Indian circuit but also at international poker stages through his consistent performances. His shining poker resume included some significant cashes and titles at prestigious events like the World Poker Tour, Asian Poker Tour as well as deep runs at the World Series of Poker. 

Avneesh Munjal has been playing on the domestic online platforms ever since in 2018. He later made his live poker debut in 2019 at DeepStack Championship Poker Series in Las Vegas. After years of grinding and cashes, he finally nailed his first live title in 2023 at the World Poker Tour Prime – WPT Prime in Hanoi Vietnam. He took down the WPT Opener event for $32,838. This marked a significant milestone in his career, thus boosting his confidence to compete globally.

And ever since he hasn’t looked back. The passionate pro has since then been on a consistent upward trajectory. His participation and in the money (ITM) finishes in prestigious events such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and others have further established him as a reckoning force from the Indian poker circuit. 

He claimed his second live title in May this year by taking down the ₫ 5,000,000 + 500,000 No Limit Hold’em – Short Deck (Event #19) at the 2024 Vietnam Poker League – VPL Summer Series in Hanoi, Vietnam. For this he pocketed a handsome $1,852 (₫ 47,000,000). This win preceded his 17th place finish for VN₫ 101.20 Million in the 2024 Vietnam International Poker Tour (VIPT) Hanoi Main Event in April.

Then came the much-awaited WSOP 2024 season and this year he registered an impressive six in-the-money (ITM) finishes at the WSOP, including four bracelet events. These accomplishments further highlighted his growing confidence and expertise at the poker felts. 

Just when he was basking in the glory of a successful WSOP campaign he added another shining feather to his cap by grabbing his first-ever Asian Poker Tour title. He registered a monumental maiden APT title win at the prestigious High Roller – Double Stack event at APT Phu Quoc in 2024. With the historic win, he also earned his career-best $60,981 (₹51.34 Lakhs).

Avneesh Munjal live poker stats

Avneesh Munjal boasts of Total Live Earnings clocking at $213,456 from his six years long live poker career, according to the Hendon Mob. His best live cash to date has been $60,981, which he pocketed after taking down the career-defining ₫ 54,000,000 + 6,000,000 No Limit Hold’em – High Roller Double Stack (Event #29) at the Asian Poker Tour – APT Phu Quoc, Vietnam recently.

Talking of his WSOP exploits, Avneesh Munjal flaunts 8 cashes from the World Series on his poker resume. Owing to these 8 cashes he has earned $36,691 from the WSOP alone. 

Avneesh Munjal online stats

He has also been an active player on the online poker felts in the country. With more than an envy-worthy 400 online poker titles and countless cashes to his credit, Avneesh has earned a massive ₹7.05 Crore from his online poker exploits. His largest online cash to date has been ₹28,28,741. He banked this massive amount for his runner-up finish at the AOPS ME Finale on Adda52 back in 2020.

Keep follwoing PokerProNews for more such inspiring stores of rising stars in the world of poker! Follow us on our social media platforms –Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube for all the interesting stories and updates from the world of poker!

The post India’s Poker Pride: Avneesh Munjal’s Remarkable Rise first appeared on Global Poker News Daily: PokerProNews.com.