Kai Cocklin is a poker journalist and live reporting manager who has worked with PokerNews at major festivals including the World Series of Poker and the European Poker Tour. He has managed multiple live reporting teams at the World Series of Poker and trained individual reporters to develop their skills. He now oversees Somuchpoker’s editorial and live coverage, ensuring consistent quality and engaging content across the Asian poker scene.

Updated: 2025.12.17

Fabian Schmidt is an Austrian professional poker player who has become a prominent figure on the Asian and European tournament circuits. In 2025, he reached a new career peak with multiple high-stakes titles and deep runs in the Asian Poker Tour (APT). He is currently ranked 85th on the Austria All-Time Money List.

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

With over $312,810 in total live earnings, according to The Hendon Mob, Fabian Schmidt has firmly established himself as a high-stakes competitor. The year 2025 proved to be his breakout season, accounting for over $212,000 of his total lifetime winnings.

His career-best live cash of $61,062 (NT$ 1,866,600) was achieved for a 1st place finish in the Superstar Challenge (8-Handed) at the Players Series Taiwan Championship II in August 2025. Other major 2025 highlights include:

~$56,916 (NT$ 1,723,700) – 1st place in the Zodiac Dragon Super High Roller in Taipei City.
~$26,349 (KRW 37,150,000) – 9th place in the APT Super High Roller at APT Jeju 2025 .
~$20,051 (KRW 27,970,000) – 10th place in the APT Super High Roller 8-Max at APT Incheon.
~$11,899 (NT$ 360,000) – 5th place in the Natural8 Open Main Event in Taiwan.

Biography & Poker Background

Originally from and residing in Lochau, Austria, Fabian Schmidt has transitioned into a global circuit regular. While he has a history of online success with over $34,000 in WSOP and WPT online cashes, 2024 and 2025 marked his full-scale emergence into live high-roller fields. His schedule covers major stops in South Korea, Taiwan, Cyprus, and Las Vegas.

In early 2025, Schmidt was the subject of international news coverage regarding a non-poker-related incident where he was detained by immigration officials while returning home to New Hampshire (where he was living at the time) after a trip to Europe. He was released after two months and subsequently resumed his professional poker career.

Play Style & Strategy

Schmidt is recognized as a formidable high-roller specialist, particularly in the “Superstar Challenge” and “Zodiac” formats. His 2025 performance data suggests a high level of technical proficiency in short-field, high-buy-in events where stack depth and ICM awareness are critical.

Live reporting from APT Incheon described him as a dominant force on Day 1 of the Superstar Challenge, entering the final table with a competitive stack before ultimately finishing 6th against a field of elite international professionals. His ability to capture two major Super High Roller titles in a single month (August and September 2025) underscores a highly aggressive and effective late-stage tournament strategy.

Recent Attendances