Notable Players

Paul Phua

Paul Phua is a prominent Malaysian businessman and high-stakes poker player, known for his involvement in both the gambling and poker industries. He started from humble beginnings in a poor family of Chinese immigrants and initially became successful in the junket business, which involves facilitating gambling experiences for wealthy clients in casinos, especially in Macau. He later transitioned to the world of poker, where he has become a key player in high-stakes tournaments, winning millions in prize money.

Phua’s poker career began in the early 2010s, and he quickly made a name for himself by winning major events like the Aspers 100K High Roller. He is also known for co-founding the prestigious Triton Poker Series with his partner Richard Yong in 2015, which attracts top players and high rollers from around the world. His biggest poker success came in 2019 when he won $3.1 million at the Triton London Main Event.

Richard Yong

Richard Yong is a prominent Malaysian poker player and businessman, known for participating in high-stakes poker tournaments and being a key figure in the Asian poker scene, particularly in Macau’s big cash games. Initially a businessman with connections to junket operations and sports betting, Yong gained international attention when he began competing in major poker events. His first major cash came in the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Big One for One Drop, where he placed 8th and won over $1.2 million.

Yong is known for his involvement in Triton Poker, a high-stakes poker series he co-founded, which attracts some of the world’s wealthiest recreational players and top professionals. He has multiple high-roller tournament victories, including a win at the 2015 Aussie Millions High Roller, where he took home $1.47 million.

Yong Wai Kin

Yong Wai Kin, also known as Wai Kin Yong, is a professional poker player from Malaysia. He has gained prominence in the high-stakes poker world, particularly in the Triton Poker series, which his father, Richard Yong, co-founded. Wai Kin Yong has won multiple titles, including several Triton events, and is known for his skill in high-roller tournaments. His biggest career win came at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in London, where he earned over $3 million.

Despite his success, Yong is also keen to try new poker formats especially after shifting his focus primarily to Short Deck poker. His total live earnings exceed $13 million, making him one of Malaysia’s top poker players.

Michael Soyza

Michael Soyza, born Christopher Michael Soyza, is a Malaysian poker player known for his impressive performances on the global poker scene. He ranks third on Malaysia’s all-time money list and has earned over $14 million in live tournament winnings. Soyza initially started playing poker casually with friends before becoming captivated by the game’s mix of skill and psychology. Over time, he transitioned from small-stakes games to high-stakes tournaments, becoming one of the most successful poker professionals from Asia.

Soyza’s notable achievements include victories in prestigious events such as the Triton Poker Series and various European Poker Tour (EPT) tournaments. In 2023, he won $1.7 million at the Triton Super High Roller Series in Cyprus and finished second in the $100,000 Main Event at the Triton Super Series in Vietnam, winning over $2 million.

Natalie Teh

Natalie Teh is Malaysia’s top female poker player who left her career at the startup iFlix in 2018 to pursue poker full-time. She made this bold move after feeling unfulfilled with her corporate life, and within seven months, she became the highest-ranking female poker player in Malaysia, with significant tournament successes.

Teh started her poker journey by playing casually with friends but soon turned professional. Notably, she made a deep run in the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event, finishing 120th and earning $57,000. Her career has seen her accumulate nearly $200,000 in winnings, and she continues to compete on the global stage, employing a “tight-aggressive” strategy in her gameplay.

Ivan Leow

Ivan Leow was a renowned Malaysian poker player and businessman, known for his significant contributions to the high-stakes poker world. He co-founded the prestigious Triton Poker Series alongside Paul Phua and Richard Yong, and earned over $13 million in live tournament winnings during his career. Leow’s rise in the poker scene was meteoric, starting in 2018 when he quickly moved from modest winnings to winning major high-roller events, such as the Triton Jeju Short Deck Event and the partypoker MILLIONS Russia Main Event, each securing him over $1 million.

Leow was highly respected in the poker community for his aggressive playing style and his positive personality. His untimely death in 2022 at the age of 39 from a heart attack shocked the poker world, and events were canceled in Cyprus to honor his memory.

Simon "Happyriver" Lim

Simon Lim is a Malaysian professional poker player with notable success in various tournaments. As of now, his recorded tournament earnings exceed $148,000, with a total of 24 cashes in live events. In 2024, he established Malaysia Poker Federation (MPF) with the motto to put Malaysia in the map of the poker world. His selfless act of giving back to the poker community is a noble feat that we should all appreciate and celebrate as a fellow malaysian.

Beyond his organizational efforts, Simon is an active poker player. He shares his personal experiences and insights on his blog, "Story of an Aspiring Poker Player" where he reflects on his journey, challenges, and aspirations within the poker world. Through both his leadership in the MPF and his personal endeavors, Simon Lim has significantly contributed to the development and recognition of poker in Malaysia.

Mervin Chan

Mervin Chan is a prominent Malaysian professional poker player known for his significant achievements in the game. He gained major recognition after winning the 2013 Aussie Millions Main Event, where he secured approximately AUD 1.6 million (around RM 5.17 million) in prize money, triumphing over several high-profile opponents during an intense eight-day competition

His total live tournament earnings exceed $1.69 million, with his best cash coming from the aforementioned Aussie Millions victory. Chan is regarded as one of Malaysia’s leading poker players and is actively involved in various international poker tournaments