Who is Sashimi Poker? The Controversial Rise to the Poker Elite

Who is Sashimi Poker? The somewhat controversial story of her rise to the poker elite

Mysterious, magnetic, and never short of controversy, Sashimi Poker has quickly become one of the most talked-about figures in the poker world. With her bold personality, unfiltered table presence, and controversial stories, she’s captured attention both at and away from the table. But who is the woman behind the poker princess with the handle “sashimipoker”? From learning the game’s basics in her hometown to earning a seat on America’s most-watched poker livestreams, her journey is laced with high-stakes drama, glamour, and more than a few raised eyebrows. Best known for a now-infamous wardrobe malfunction that some say was a calculated move to rattle opponents, Sashimi Poker walks the fine line between strategy and spectacle. 

Sashimi (or Sashimi Poker) is a well-known name in the poker world, though little is known about her background, where she came from, how she learned to play poker, or who she is behind the attractive poker star. Here is what the poker world has gathered about the identity of the player who made headlines due to an outrageous wardrobe malfunction, which might or might not have been intentional. 

Yuuki Kaida, also known as Sashimi Poker in the poker world, is a Japanese poker player. She is believed to be in her early 30s. Coming from a South Korean family but born and raised in Japan, Kaida grew up in a small coastal town. She later moved to Tokyo, then ventured further from her home country and settled in the United States. Sashimi Poker reportedly learned the basics of poker in her home country but began appearing regularly at Las Vegas poker events. 

Although at first she was not a prominent figure in the US poker world, she began building her connections within the game, reportedly trying to make her way onto the big field with the help of various wealthy men in the poker world. According to one of the videos on her official YouTube channel, she is reported to have been in a brief relationship with famous poker player Joseph Cheong, who has won one WSOP Bracelet and whose total live earnings currently stand at a whopping $19,514,359. 

Her increasingly frequent appearances in live-streamed poker games and her active presence on social media quickly made her famous in the gaming world. Her YouTube channel (@sashimipoker), with around 27,800 followers, features videos of her vlogging about her poker tournaments and sharing highlights of her games with her fans. She started posting regularly on her channel four years ago but has been inactive since the summer of 2023. However, Sashimi is still active on her Instagram profile, where she has more than 90,000 followers.

Her posts showcase highlights of her poker matches and portray her high-end lifestyle. She regularly appears on private jets, plays golf, and travels worldwide. Sashimi Poker is also on X (formerly Twitter), with a following of around 38,600 people. Sashimi Poker is not afraid to engage with other players in controversial situations and often takes to her social media to show her side of the story.

The poker player behind the pretty face – Sashimi’s career and style of play

Sashimi has gained significant attention for her performances in high-stakes cash games, particularly on live-streamed platforms. After her reported appearances in smaller poker tournaments in Asia, she made her US debut in July 2021 on a Poker At The Lodge stream. She gained widespread recognition through frequent appearances on the popular Hustler Casino Live, with her first episode airing in May 2022. Since then, she has participated in over 100 episodes and has generated tracked profits of approximately $250,000 as of early 2026. One of her biggest pots was a $193,600 win with pocket tens, a hand that showcased her ability to extract maximum value under pressure. 

However, Sashimi Poker has not been as successful at the Lodge Poker Club (PATL). She appeared in five episodes and lost $15,905, including a particularly rough session in which she lost over $33,000. She played more than 600 hours in her professional career. Her tracked net winnings, based on publicly livestreamed cash games, now stand above $230,000 as of early 2026 – though her full earnings across private games are unknown.

She mastered poker terminology and math early in her career and continues to improve by practicing regularly – “playing poker for fun,” as she describes on her Instagram profile. 

Her style of play, characterized by aggression, emotional manipulation, and timing, makes her easily recognizable among other players. She stirs things up at the table, throws her opponents off balance, and then snatches the win at the very last moment. She thrives in chaotic situations and often leans into controversy to throw her opponents off. Whether through unfiltered table talk, body language, or dramatic plays, she creates a stir that disrupts the game’s rhythm. 

She strategically uses this psychological edge. She strikes with sharp, decisive action once her opponents are rattled or distracted. Sashimi is unafraid to make big bluffs and place massive bets if she senses weakness. This fearless style sometimes leads to volatility, but it also makes her a dangerous opponent, as her moves are hard to predict.

“Wardrobe malfunction” at HCL – the controversy that brought fame into Sashimi Poker’s life

Sashimi Poker is no stranger to controversy and drama. The scandal that made her a worldwide front-page story occurred in 2022 – a story that made headlines not only in the poker world but also on non-poker websites such as The Sun and Daily Mail. 

In late 2022, Sashimi Poker participated in Hustler Casino Live’s event, Max Pain Monday, a new poker reality show that some people believe is more about entertainment and drama than the actual poker itself, generating views and using female players to create drama and attract even more attention. In the infamous live stream episode, Sashimi appeared wearing a prosthetic body suit and fake breasts that slipped out of the sheer top that she was wearing while other players were trying to concentrate on the game. 

The male opponents were visibly distracted by the scene, and the match commentator seemed uncomfortable. 

“Sashimi, come on, please. I’m looking away from the screen right now – are you, guys? Sashimi, come on, please,” – he was heard saying on the live stream.

This creative, perhaps not entirely ethical, method of trying to distract her opponents caused a stir in the poker world and on social media. Some fans found the scene amusing and viewed it as a light-hearted joke. In contrast, others criticized her actions, saying this tasteless attempt to gain an unfair advantage over the others is demeaning to female players in poker. It also did not help the situation that a newcomer in Max Pain Mondey called Tao called out Sashimi, saying “she is old” and “sucks at poker” – which Sashimi Poker reacted with quote-tweeting Tao’s video and calling her a slur. 

This controversy arose at a particularly inopportune time for the female poker community and Hustler Casino Live, as it occurred just a few months after the scandal involving Robbi Jade Lew and Garrett Adelstein . Adelstein accused Lew of cheating in an episode of HCL after she pulled a controversial move that made no sense in the eyes of poker professionals. She later denied these accusations but refunded Adelstein’s $135,000 winnings. Hustler’s third-party investigation also concluded that there was, in fact, “no evidence of wrongdoing,” but the poker community remains split over the matter. 

Women in a male-oriented field – female poker controversies

There have been many dramas and controversies involving female players and women in the poker world, further sparking debates about sexism, professionalism, and ethics in the game. Examples of these controversies, other than Sashimi’s and Lew’s case, involve Vanessa Kade’s stand against racism, Molly Bloom’s illegal poker games, and a male player entering and winning a ladies’ tournament. Let’s take a look at these controversial cases!

Vanessa Kade’s stand against racism

In November 2024, Canadian professional poker player Vanessa Kade criticized CoinPoker for hiring Benjamin “ Bencb789 ” Rolle, a $100,000 WCOOP champion, as their ambassador, whom she labeled an “overt sexist.” She was referring to his previous opinion shared on his social media account about men having an inherent advantage at poker and calling out women who spoke up on the matter.

“Also, I find it very concerning how women are throwing around terms like sexist, racist, and misogynist. You are trivializing these terms for people who are real victims. You are inflating their use, making it harder for people to speak up and address issues. This is what is happening in 2024: the moment you don’t like an opinion, you call it racist, sexist, or misogynistic without even knowing what these terms mean,” he wrote in his tweet. 

Vanessa Kade’s comment started a conversation on social media about sexism in the poker world – or rather, a wave of negative comments insulting her under her post.

Molly Bloom’s illegal poker games

The controversial story of Molly Bloom, also known as the Poker Princess, is widely recognized within and outside the poker community. The story that put Bloom on the front pages was told in both her 2014 memoir and the 2017 biographical film about her life, titled “Molly’s Game”. Bloom, a former Olympic-level skier, helped organize high-stakes poker games in the United States, reportedly involving celebrities, such as actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, athletes, businessmen, and other wealthy individuals. The buy-ins to the games were often $250,000 or more, and the nights were organized in five-star hotels, with private chefs, bodyguards, and exclusive guest lists. 

In 2013, the FBI launched an investigation into her case when they raided her poker operation as part of a larger crackdown on illegal gambling and Russian mob connections. She was found guilty but was later sentenced to one year of probation and substantial fines. She later revealed in a podcast that she was involved with the mafia, threatened by an armed person who robbed her apartment and physically abused her. 

Man wins ladies’ tournament in Florida.

In 2023, a man named David Hughes won a $250 buy-in Ladies No-limit Hold’em tournament after netting $5,555 for the win. He exploited Florida’s anti-discrimination laws that forbid casinos from banning men from entering a women’s event. Some of his female opponents from the game took to social media to express their feelings about the unusual and somewhat unethical situation, with one of them saying, “While we appreciate the dead money, I wish men would get what these events stand for.”

That was not the first time a man entered and won a poker competition organized for women: in 2009, Abraham Korotki won the $300 buy-in Ladies No-limit Hold’em event. These cases sparked a debate in the poker world about the role of only-female tournaments, gender differences, and sexism in poker. 

Sashimi Poker & BC.Game – Brand Ambassador

Sashimi Poker joined forces with BC.Game Casino one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto casinos, in mid-2024. But she’s not just a face on a banner – BC.Game gave her an official title: Head of All In.

The title fits. Fearless, unfiltered, and always ready to push chips in the middle – she represents BC.Game at top poker events worldwide and creates content that connects the poker world to the platform’s crypto gaming ecosystem.

It’s also a genuine commercial move. The deal adds a significant income stream to her overall net worth – on top of her cash game earnings at Hustler Casino Live. For a full breakdown of what she’s worth and how she earns, see our Sashimi Poker net worth guide.

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Sashimi Poker Net Worth 2026 – What Is She Actually Worth?

Her tracked cash game earnings, brand deal income, and social media reach put her estimated net worth at $500,000 to $1.1 million as of 2026. That figure includes approximately $250,000 in documented livestream winnings, private high-stakes sessions, casino wins, and the BC.Game ambassador deals are not publicly valued.

For a full breakdown – HCL earnings by year, PATL results, brand deal estimates, and income source analysis – see our dedicated Sashimi Poker net worth article.

Conclusion: More Than the Headlines

Sashimi Poker is undoubtedly a controversial figure in the modern poker scene, but there’s more to her than the headlines, rumors, and constant criticism (deserved or not). Beneath the surface, she is a sharp, aggressive player with a deep understanding of poker theory and a unique ability to manipulate table dynamics.

Love or criticize her, one thing’s clear: Sashimi Poker has carved out a space for herself in a male-dominated industry.

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