Tom Verbruggen

Tom Verbruggen is an up-and-coming poker player from the Netherlands with USD 77,664 in total live earnings in his career pocket. While his career is somewhat in its genesis, Verbruggen is already proving himself to be a force of poker nature, with deep runs in the Manila Megastack, APT Jeju, and Poker Dream.

Verbruggen’s longest run occurred during the Manila Megastack 18, during which he placed in seven events and cashed a total of PHP 507,700 (USD 9,080). However, Verbruggen’s biggest cash occurred during APT Jeju, when he placed second in the Mini Main Event, cashing KRW 31,127,000 (USD 22,916). Verbruggen also cashed large at APT Jeju’s APT Main Event—roughly KRW 16,660,000 (USD 12,102) for placing twentieth.

Immediately following his biggest win, Verbruggen placed first in the Win the Button Turbo event at the Manila Super Series 20, cashing PHP 176,660 (USD 3,040) and managing a deep run, placing ninth in the Super Series High Roller event

Interview With Tom Verbruggen (RDPT Jeju 2025, May 8, 2025)

How was your run here in the main event?

My run today is all right, I would say today I only fired one bullet. I think my highest chip count was 200K this was around break, so after level 9, then unfortunately from there I went slowly or surely downhill, so I only bagged 93K which will be 15BB. Tomorrow could be better but at least I’m in Day 2, and as one of my coaches says “you can’t win the main event in day one, so let’s go for day 2”.

You had a pretty good run here in Asia, can you tell me which one is your most memorable win?

I would say the most memorable were actually last year towards the end of last year was really good. I had good run at APT where I won two events in one series. Then I got second in a High Roller in Vietnam at USOP, and then I went to the inaugural player series in Taipei and I won the super High Roller there. It hasn’t been really good this year, a little bit less.

You’ve had so much success with plenty of final tables here in jeju – including the back to back to back super high roller and both superstar challenge final tables at the Poker Dream 16 we had the pleasure to report about – what is it about Jeju that brings the best out of you?

It’s nice to come here in Jeju because there are many Chinese people here and I used to live in China for over seven years, so for me it’s actually a great opportunity as well to keep my Mandarin on point. I think it’s a very beautiful casino here, very luxurious so it’s a nice place to be.

USOP high roller 2nd place in december for your biggest $103K cash to date and finally a win a week later at the PST Super high roller. Did you work on your heads up game to clinch the title more often, if the opportunity presents itself next time?

Yes, I have been working on my heads up play but maybe not yet as much as I should. This summer I’m gonna go to Vegas for WSOP for the first time. I think it’s definitely good this upcoming weeks which i will be studying to put some extra attention to the heads up play, because this is actually where the most money is going to be made.

You’ve been on the Asian poker scene since 2019, what do you like about it compared to Europe or other places in the world and where in Asia do you like to play the most?

Actually, I played one event in 2019, this was the APT in Vietnam and actually since last year I started to grind full time in the Asian circuit. I was living in China, so this was always convenient and closeby and yeah I think it’s much easier to travel here in Asia. My friends are here as well, we travel together so this is one of the main reasons for me. It’s often a nice weather here compared to Europe.

Do you have a mentor or coach? if yes how does it help you improve your game?

I mean, they’ve been extremely important for me from the start, because I only started grinding since last year. I would say they helped me a lot with confidence and with all the important things that I need to know, when going to the different tours. I would say without my coaches, I wouldn’t be where I am today for sure.