Chaar-Lee discovered poker over 20 years ago, starting with fixed-limit games before embracing the rise of No-Limit Hold’em across cash games, STTs, and MTTs. In the early days, he and his circle sometimes played more than 40 different formats in a single night. He organized the first poker camp in his region and has contributed poker technology to several televised shows. Today, he supports the SOMUCHPOKER team from the tech side, blending two decades of poker passion with technical expertise.

Updated: 2024.10.17

– General Information –

James Obst 1498454976 69085 — James Obst. Criedit: WSOP.com (Melissa Haereiti)

James Obst is an Australian professional poker player who has been competing on the live circuit since 2009. He began with tournaments in his home country before testing himself in the highest quality field at EPT London later that year. He has since gone on to impress at the WSOP, winning a bracelet in 2017 for the $10,000 Razz Championship Event. He plays online under the name “Andy McLEOD”.

– Key Career Dates –

2004: He starts playing online poker at age 14, underaged.
2016: He finishes 13th in the WSOP Main Event for $427,930. That is the biggest single live tournament cash of his career to date.
2017: He wins his first WSOP gold bracelet after finishing first in the USD$10,000 Razz Championship event for USD$265,138.

– James Obst’s Career –

Before getting into poker, Obst played chess at a very high level. He even represented his home country of Australia at the World Junior Chess Championship.

Having started his poker career in the online world, James Obst quickly rose through the ranks and began participating in large buy-in tournaments. His exploits in the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) series are particularly noteworthy, as he holds four SCOOP titles in total.

His skill in poker is so impressive that he is successful both online and offline. Just two years into his live circuit tour, Obst had a major victory and his first significant cash earning at the 2010 Asia Pacific Poker Tour High Roller Event in Melbourne, Australia where he won first place for USD$148,300. Since then, Obst had been going deep into the tournaments that he joined making 6-figure cash-outs. In 2011, he placed 5th at the Aussie Millions AUD$100,000 No Limit Holdem event taking home USD$197,804. In 2014, at the 45th World Series of Poker (WSOP), he placed 10th at the USD$50,000 Poker Players Championship Event and 3rd at the USD$10,000 7-Card Stud Event, winning USD$115,447 and USD$103,895, respectively.

At the 2016 WSOP, Obst placed 2nd in the USD$10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship for USD$261,354 and he finished 13th at the Main Event for USD$427,930

In 2017, at the 48th WSOP Championship, Obst started the festival phenomenally. He finished at 2nd place at the USD$2,500 Limit Mixed Triple Draw Lowball taking home USD$80,922 in the process. A few days later, he took down the USD $10,000 Razz Championship winning USD$265,138 and his very first WSOP Bracelet.

Obst has outshone many despite his health issues with mercury toxicity. Although he hasn’t achieved as much in recent years as early in his career, he definitely is a poker celebrity online and offline and he has absolutely earned the respect of his peers in the industry.

Read more aboutthis player on Somuchpoker:

June 26, 2017: James Obst talks about winning his first WSOP Bracelet and his goals as player
June 18, 2017: WSOP: James Obst wins first bracelet; Alexander Lynskey runner-up; James Chen and Xixiang Luo go deep
March 16, 2017: The Australian Online Generation takes control of the National GPI Ranking
July 18, 2016:Main Event Day 6: James Obst Climbs Higher, Vojtech Ruzicka takes the lead
January 27, 2016:Aussie Millions Main Event: James Obst grabs the lead at the end of the 3 starting days