Calvin Lee 🇺🇸

Calvin Lee, originally a Korean-American New Yorker, honed his skills in top-tier high-stakes cash games in Macau for years before shifting his focus to tournaments. Now residing in Seoul, South Korea, he's a central figure in the local professional poker scene, frequently seen with friends like StarCraft commentator Dan "Artosis" Stemkoski. Lee's transition from cash games to tournaments has been seamless. Unlike many "old-school" pros who have faded from the spotlight, he has adapted to modern poker, as evidenced by his recent dominant performances in Superstar series events across Asia.

Calvin Lee is known for his fearless, aggressive "street poker" style, which often leaves opponents adhering to GTO strategies helpless. His extensive experience in deep-stack cash games allows him to approach post-flop situations with unique creativity. This was perfectly demonstrated in his heads-up match against Daniel Nelson at the 2025 APT Taipei. In that tournament, he made several "bold" calls—including a second pair to counter a strong bluff—ultimately securing the championship with this decisive, heroic call. His ability to switch seamlessly between patiently accumulating chips and high-volatility pressure makes him a formidable opponent in any high-stakes tournament.

According to Hendon Mob, Calvin Lee's total live tournament winnings exceed $6.9 million, firmly establishing him as a top player in the global high-stakes poker scene. He first made headlines in 2016 when he won $531,577 and a gold bracelet at the WSOP $3,000 buy-in six-max No-Limit Hold'em tournament. His career reached new heights in 2025. His career-high live tournament winnings are $1,185,000, earned in March 2025 at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in Jeju Island, where he finished as runner-up in the $25,000 WPT Global Grand Slam, defeating Anatoly Filatov. He then excelled on the Asian Poker Tour (APT), winning the APT Superstar Challenge in Incheon in August 2025 and the APT Superstar Championship in Taipei in November 2025, for a total of NT$18.7 million (approximately US$595,000). Calvin Lee (Photo courtesy of the Asian Poker Tour)