Takahiro Nakai bested a field of 2,497 players in event #57 - $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em to lay hands on his first gold bracelet and $399,039 in first prize money!
Nakai, a high-tech specialist from Osaka, is the second citizen of Japan to win a gold bracelet in the 46-year history of the World Series of Poker. He discovered poker online and has been playing for several years on his computer. [...] Read more » 2015 WSOP: Takahiro Nakai Wins Event #57 - $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Joined: Mar '11
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 7371
Many congratulations to Takahiro Nakai on winning his first bracelet and the first place prize of $399,039. I am surprised he is only the second Japanese player ever to win a bracelet
I wonder how much computer wizardry he needed to be able to play poker online since the japanese goverment still very strict on their gambling ban policies. Of course being a high-tech specialist never hurt either, he is probably good at math too.
Joined: Mar '12
Location: United Kingdom
Age: 45 (F)
Posts: 2261
I don't know of any other Japanese players off hand but this guy is still only 8th in the money list for Japanese players so there must be some around,top player is Kagawa with 1.5 million.
Well, I looked the hendonmob ranking list about their players. Some name were familiar, some weren't but their overall cash sum is a bit dissapointing compared to mmm... let's say Hungary - and most mobbit here cannot name a notable hungarian pro either.
"I am surprised he is only the second Japanese player ever to win a bracelet."
I am not surprised! Although Japans surely have big potential to be world class poker players, their online gambling policies are very strict. Unfortunately, this hurts poker players as well.
Posted by ddblt1970: "I am surprised he is only the second Japanese player ever to win a bracelet."
I am not surprised! Although Japans surely have big potential to be world class poker players, their online gambling policies are very strict. Unfortunately, this hurts poker players as well.
Plus they would probably gamble more in an underground cardroom established by the yakuza than in an online enviroment where they can leave traces behind (financially I mean) for their goverment to find out...
