Paul Phua 🇲🇾

Originally from Miri, Malaysia, and currently residing in Miri, Sarawak, Paul Phua built a massive fortune through business ventures in casino junket operations and sports investments across Asia before turning his focus to poker in his 40s. He began playing recreationally in the early 2010s during the high-stakes boom in Macau, learning the game directly from legends like Tom Dwan and Phil Ivey. In 2016, Phua co-founded the Triton Poker Series with Richard Yong to create a world-class circuit specifically for high-stakes players. His contributions to the game were formally recognized in 2019 when he won the GPA Industry Person of the Year Award.

Paul Phua is known for a highly skilled and fearless approach to nosebleed stakes cash games and tournaments, often described as a player who favors quality over quantity. While he considers himself a recreational player because he does not rely on poker for income, his results consistently rank him among the global elite. During his first major victory at the 2012 Aspers 100K High Roller in London, Phua demonstrated the tactical discipline required to defeat a field of seasoned professionals. His strategy involves a sophisticated understanding of No Limit Hold’em and Short Deck, and he actively shares his insights through his educational platform, Paul Phua Poker, where he collaborates with top tier pros to provide strategy guides and tutorials for the wider community.

With over $33,662,000 in total live earnings, Paul Phua currently ranks 1st on the Malaysia All Time Money List and is 28th on the Hendon Mob All Time Money List. According to The Hendon Mob, his career best live cash of $3,113,429 was achieved in August 2019 at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London, where he finished as the runner up in the £100,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event. A major milestone in his career occurred in 2022 when Phua captured his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet. He won the €25,000 No Limit Hold’em Platinum High Roller at WSOP Europe in Rozvadov, earning $481,509. His recent good records include a high volume of scores at the most elite levels of the game throughout 2025. In December 2025, Phua finished 3rd in the WSOP Paradise $50,000 High Roller Turbo for $815,000. Earlier in the year, he recorded a 3rd place finish in the Triton Jeju PLO Bounty Quattro for $145,000 (plus $160,000 in bounties) and a 5th place finish in the Korea Poker Cup $25,000 Super High Roller for $112,000. Paul Phua (photo courtesy of Triton Poker Series)