Shiina Okamoto - SOMUCHPOKER

For Japanese architect Shiina Okamoto, building a professional poker career seemed to be part of her second career blueprint. Since Okamoto’s third place finish at the Japan Open Poker Tour in May 2021, she had been laying the foundations for being a contender in the live tournament scene.

Shiina Okamoto – Poker Achievements

Okamoto dove into the deep end to jumpstart her career, participating in the 52nd World Series of Poker Las Vegas, the Autumn at Aria Poker Series and the European Poker Tour Monte Carlo. In 2022, she made deep runs at the Venetian DeepStack Championship Series, Las Vegas and the European Poker Tour Barcelona shipping nearly $24,000 in prize money. 2023 however would be Okamoto’s break-out year.

The looker from Japan would warm her poker skills up with a decent run again at the European Poker Tour Monte Carlo, this time going more adventurous at the High Roller Event where she would cash $ 15,370. Then at the 54th World Series of Poker 2023, Las Vegas, Okamoto led most of the way in the Ladies Championship but fell short to American Tamar Abraham. Shiina Okamoto would miss out on a WSOP bracelet but nonetheless cashed a career live best $118,768 as runner-up. She would participate in two more bracelet events and as of this writing would have a total 6 cashes at World Series of Poker Events.

2023 WSOP Main Event: Shiina Okamoto, Victor Chong, Punnat Punsri, Anson Tsang, Lok Chan among Asian survivors of Day 2D; 11 remain for the Survivor Promo

In August 2023, Shiina Okamoto was one good hand away from bagging her maiden title at the Asian Poker Tour Incheon Mystery Bounty Hunter Event. Okamoto had a bridesmaid finish again this time to Hong Kong’s Dicky Siu Hang “Tricky Dicky” Tsang but due to bounties, the Japanese claimed the bigger prize money at $ 25,145. Days later though, Okamoto would finally place first at the Freezeout Event of the same tournament then make a table finish at the Double Stack Event making an additional $ 27,695.

Shiina Okamoto has broken the 100K milestone in career cash earnings with a current total of $285,036 placing her 62nd in the Japan All-Time Money List with a GPI National ranking of 18 in Japan as of this writing.

*Profile by Mike Alcazaren