Isai Scheinberg is a Canadian-Lithuanian entrepreneur, software engineer, and PokerStars co-founder who achieved a career-best $278,552 score by placing 7th in the WSOP $50,000 High Roller in Las Vegas. With over $374,000 in live tournament earnings, he is one of the most historic and influential figures in global poker, representing Canada .

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

With total live tournament earnings of $374,190 across 6 recorded cashes (according to The Hendon Mob), Isai has recorded high-profile scores across four decades of selective live competition. His top career tournament results in reverse chronological order include:

• December 2024: 263rd place in the WSOP Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event in Paradise Island for $50,000.
• July 2024: 7th place in the 55th WSOP $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller Event in Las Vegas for $278,552, capturing his career-best live cash.
• October 2014: 1st place in the UKIPT Isle of Man £2,200 High Roller Event in Douglas for $22,253 (£13,850).
• April 2008: 8th place in the EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final €1,070 Event for $18,039 (€11,400).
• May 1996: 25th place in the 27th WSOP $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Event for $3,337.

Biography & Poker Background

Isai was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, and later immigrated to Canada, settling in Ontario. A former senior software programmer for IBM Canada, his deep technical expertise and passion for competitive card games led him to enter live tournaments in the mid-1990s, where he finished 25th in a WSOP No-Limit Hold’em event in 1996.

In 2001, Isai co-founded PokerStars alongside his son Mark Scheinberg. Under his leadership as CEO, the platform grew into the largest online poker room in world history, revolutionizing online tournament structures, software stability, and global satellite qualification pathways. After selling PokerStars to parent entity Amaya Gaming for $4.9 billion in 2014, he maintained a legendary status within the poker community. In July 2024, at age 77, Isai made a triumphant return to live high-stakes poker at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, outlasting an elite field in the $50,000 High Roller to reach the final table and claim 7th place for $278,552.

Play Style & Strategy

Isai plays an analytical, patient, and highly disciplined No-Limit Hold’em tournament strategy. Leveraging his background as a world-class software engineer and pioneer of online poker software, he possesses a fundamental understanding of multi-table tournament dynamics, pot odds, and structural equity. His success against super-high-roller fields demonstrates sharp decision-making, sound hand selection, and remarkable mental endurance.

Social Media & Online Presence

• The Hendon Mob Profile
• WSOP Official Profile