Xuan Liu is one of the trailblazers among female poker players. With nearly $3 million in poker earnings, Liu is regarded as one of the best female players, excelling in both live poker tournaments and cash games. Here is a look at Xuan Liu’s early life, education, poker career, earnings, net worth, and more.
Xuan Liu’s Early Life and Introduction to Poker
Xuan Liu was born in Tianjin, China on June 25, 1985. After living there for five years, her family emigrated to Toronto, Canada. By the age of seven, Liu had already learned the basics of poker by watching movies and TV shows. Her curiosity led her to play solo games, creating imaginary scenarios for each player.
After completing high school in 2006, Liu enrolled at the University of Waterloo, pursuing social development studies and political science. While many know the university as the MIT of Canada, fewer realize it has an active poker community hosting regular tournaments. The university played a pivotal role in honing the poker skill of Liu. She actively started participating in community poker games and used to generate side income.
However, poker began to take a toll on her academics. She became so involved in the game that her grades suffered, ultimately costing her a scholarship. Despite this setback, Liu continued to play, even hosting poker games at her apartment to help pay for her tuition. By 2010, encouraged by friends, she began traveling the world to compete in various tournaments.
Xuan Liu’s Poker Career Highlights and Winnings
Liu’s journey in live poker tournaments began in 2007 when she finished 31st in the British Columbia Poker Championship, taking home $4,918. But her real breakthrough came in 2010 when she decided to travel the world to pursue poker more seriously. That year, she visited poker hotspots like Macau, Las Vegas, and Barcelona, eventually striking gold in Sanremo, Italy.
In Sanremo, she triumphed in the Italian Poker Tour (IPT) €1,100 NLH Event, securing a first-place prize of $64,376. This win was a turning point for Liu, boosting her confidence and proving her potential in the poker world.
Sanremo continued to be a lucky destination for her. In 2011, Liu secured a career-defining moment by finishing 3rd in the EPT Sanremo Main Event, earning a staggering $524,705.
She followed that success with a 4th-place finish in the EPT Sanremo €330 NLH Turbo event, adding another $4,412 to her winnings.
At the start of 2012, Liu continued her upward trajectory, finishing 4th in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) $10,300 Main Event and earning a career-high of $600,000. That same year, she made a deep run at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #4, securing a 6th-place finish and $29,985.
Liu won her first major title in 2016, topping a field of 267 entrants to claim the APPT Event #11: HK$5,000 NLH Bounty win, earning $27,476. In 2017, she added another prestigious victory to her resume, winning the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic C$2,500 event for $232,114. More recently, in 2022, she finished 3rd in the PGT Poker Masters Event #4, banking $96,200.
In 2024, Liu continues to shine in the poker world. She finished 23rd in the Wynn Summer Classic $10,400 NLH Championship Main Event, earning $73,382. During this year’s World Series of Poker, she also banked $121,500 from cash games.
Through her career since 2007, she has amassed more than $2.3 million in live earnings.
Xuan Liu’s Career Earnings and Net Worth
As of 2024, Liu has accumulated over $2,371,701 in live poker earnings. She revealed in 2021 that her combined live and online earnings since 2011 have reached $3 million. Much of her income now comes from cash games and home games, which she actively participates in.
While we don’t have exact information on her net worth in 2024, it should be more than $3 million as of October 2024. Her income from poker as well as her role as an ambassador for WPT Global.
Where is Xuan Liu Now?
While Liu has reduced her participation in live tournaments, she still continues to compete in the World Series of Poker and select World Poker Tour events.
Liu has now shifted her focus toward cash games and online poker, considering how it took a toll on her mental health, which is why she even disappeared from poker tournaments in 2018. You can often find her playing at renowned venues like The Lodge Card Club and Hustler Casino, as well as private home games.
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