Callum Jury, one of Somuchpoker’s newest Live Reporters, hails from the Lake District in the UK and joined the live poker reporting scene in 2025. Before moving into poker journalism, Callum built a career in business, drawing on his strong analytical skills. His passion for storytelling first developed during higher education, where he studied media and photography, sharpening his ability to capture moments with precision and creativity. Since joining Somuchpoker, Callum has covered major international poker events in Asia in 2025, bringing a mix of media expertise and keen attention to detail to the team’s live reporting.

Updated: 2025.12.20

Kozo Yamada is a prominent Japanese professional poker player who has become a consistent force on the Asian tournament circuit. Based in Japan, he is currently experiencing a career-best period, significantly increasing his live earnings and national ranking throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Career Earnings & Ranking

As of late 2025, Kozo Yamada has established himself as one of Japan’s most active and successful tournament regulars:

Total Live Earnings: USD 271,094 (The Hendon Mob).
Japan All-Time Money List: 96th.
Global Poker Index (GPI) Ranking: 2,234th (National Rank: 36th).
Best Live Cash: USD 135,307, achieved in 2024.
2025 Player of the Year (PoY) Rank: 3,303rd globally (National Rank: 52nd).

2025 Season: The “Jeju Meta” Dominance

The 2025 season has seen Yamada maintain high volume, with over USD 52,000 in recorded winnings this year alone. He is a frequent deep-runner in the South Korean poker hubs of Jeju and Incheon.

Gods of Poker (GOP) Eden Awakens, Jeju (Dec 2025): * Finished 6th in the Titan Stack for USD 4,624 (KRW 6,810,000).
- Finished 42nd in the GOP Main Event for USD 3,300.
Jeju Poker Festival (Nov 2025): Secured a 25th-place finish in the Red Dragon Prestige High Roller for USD 9,297.
Red Dragon Poker Tour (RDPT) Jeju (May 2025): Finished 2nd in the Survivor Bounty for USD 8,020 (KRW 10,900,000).
APT Incheon (Aug 2025): Recorded several cashes, including a deep run in the Sunday Super Stack.

Career Highlights & Biography

Yamada surpassed the USD 100,000 milestone in early 2024, largely due to a massive breakout performance in South Korea where he secured his best live cash of USD 135,307. His results history shows a specialized proficiency in Large-Field No-Limit Hold’em and Mixed Game formats.

His play style is characterized by:

Mixed Game Capability: He is a frequent participant in Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) 5 Card – Hi-Lo (Big O) and Fixed Limit Omaha H/L8 events, recording several podium finishes in these technically demanding formats.
Bounty Strategy: His success in Survivor Bounty and Titan Stack formats indicates a strong technical edge in adjusting ranges for bounty value and accelerated blind structures.
Deepstack Specialist: Consistent deep runs in “Main Event” and “Prestige” structures suggest a high level of patience and the mental stamina required for multi-day tournament navigation.