Pua<br /> 🇲🇾

Paul Phua was born in Miri, Malaysia, and currently resides in Miri, Sarawak. He amassed a fortune early in his career through casino junket operations and sports investments across Asia, before shifting his focus to poker in his forties. In the early 2010s, during the high-stakes poker boom in Macau, he began playing as a recreational player, learning directly from legends like Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey. In 2016, Phua co-founded the Triton Poker Series with Richard Yong, aiming to create a world-class circuit specifically for high-stakes players. In 2019, he received the GPA Person of the Year Award, formally recognizing his contributions to the sport of poker.

Paul Phua is renowned for his exceptional skill and fearless playing style, particularly in high-stakes cash games and tournaments. He is often described as a player who prioritizes quality over quantity. Although he considers himself an amateur and doesn't make a living playing poker, his record consistently places him among the world's top players. Phua achieved his first major victory at the 2012 Aspers $100,000 High Roller in London, demonstrating the tactical sophistication required to defeat numerous experienced professionals. His strategies are built on a deep understanding of No-Limit Hold'em and Short Deck Poker, which he actively shares through his educational platform, "Paul Phua Poker." On this platform, he collaborates with top professionals to provide strategy guides and tutorials for a wider player base.

Paul Phua's total live poker winnings exceed $33,662,000, currently placing him first on the Malaysian poker all-time money list and 28th on the Hendon Mob all-time money list. According to Hendon Mob, his career-high live poker winnings are $3,113,429, earned in August 2019 at the Triton Poker Super High Roller in London, where he finished as runner-up in the £100,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event. In 2022, Phua reached a significant milestone, winning his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet. He triumphed in the WSOP Europe €25,000 No-Limit Hold'em Platinum High Roller event in Rozvadov, earning $481,509. His recent impressive record includes numerous victories in top-tier events in 2025. In December 2025, Phua finished third in the WSOP Paradise $50,000 Buy-in High Roller Turbo event, winning $815,000. Earlier that year, he also finished third in the Triton Jeju PLO Bounty Four-Handed event, winning $145,000 (plus a $160,000 bounty), and fifth in the Korea Poker Cup $25,000 Super High Roller event, winning $112,000. (Photo courtesy of Triton Poker Series)