Asaki Tanaka is a Japanese professional poker player who achieved a major career milestone by winning the APPT Open at Okada Manila for $78,070. Turning a short stack of just nine big blinds on Day 2 into a championship comeback victory, he has established himself as an accomplished tournament title winner in the Philippines .

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

With total live tournament earnings of $82,265 across 4 recorded cashes (according to The Hendon Mob), Asaki has built a remarkably efficient tournament record. His top career tournament results in reverse chronological order include:

• August 2026: 1st place in the APPT Manila ₱60,000 APPT Open Event for $78,070 (₱4,800,000), capturing his career-best live cash.
• October 2025: 45th place in the APPT Manila Championship ₱60,000 APPT Open Event for $1,805 (₱105,000).
• October 2025: 5th place in the APPT Manila Championship ₱10,000 Charity Event for $1,360 (₱79,200).
• October 2025: 63rd place in the APPT Manila Championship ₱35,000 APPT National Event for $1,030 (₱60,000).

Biography & Poker Background

Asaki hails from Japan, where he first discovered poker around 2023. Over his initial years in the game, he studied multi-table tournament strategy before making his international live tournament debut on the Asian circuit.

Asaki made his first major international trip in October 2025 to Okada Manila for the APPT Manila Championship, recording three separate cashes during the festival. He returned to Manila in August 2026 for APPT Manila 2026 and entered the 508-entry ₱60,000 APPT Open. Entering Day 2 as one of the shortest stacks in the field with only nine big blinds, Asaki executed a remarkable comeback to advance to the final table, eventually defeating South Korea’s Jaeil Lee in a one-hand heads-up match to take home ₱4,800,000 ($78,070) and the APPT Shard trophy. Following his victory, Asaki reflected on his rapid progression, stating, “I’m feeling very, very fabulous because it’s my first time to win a champion ever since I started poker three years ago. I actually started Day 2 with nine big blinds. I didn’t think I could make it to first place.”

Play Style & Strategy

Asaki plays a resilient and patient No-Limit Hold’em tournament strategy. Thriving under short-stack pressure, he excels at navigating late-stage tournament pay jumps, making calculated pre-flop decisions, and maintaining composure during high-stakes final table play. His comeback from nine big blinds to secure the APPT Open title highlights exceptional mental toughness and effective stack management in large-field events.

Social Media & Online Presence

• The Hendon Mob Profile