Chaar-Lee discovered poker over 20 years ago, starting with fixed-limit games before embracing the rise of No-Limit Hold’em across cash games, STTs, and MTTs. In the early days, he and his circle sometimes played more than 40 different formats in a single night. He organized the first poker camp in his region and has contributed poker technology to several televised shows. Today, he supports the SOMUCHPOKER team from the tech side, blending two decades of poker passion with technical expertise.

Updated: 2025.11.11

This young gun from Beijing is a WSOP bracelet winner. Renji Mao is one of only 4 Chinese poker professionals to own the prestigious prize. Mao is a regular at the World Series of Pokers tournaments with 25 cashes in 25 live tournament plays as of this writing. His prize earnings of $586,505 from the series beginning 2019 make up more than half of his total career prize money. Mao’s banner year began in 2023.

Renji Mao – Poker Achievements

Renji Mao’s only win prior to his Las Vegas achievement was at the HSPC Huangshan Cup Guangzhou. Other than that, Mao was off-the poker radar. Then came the 54th World Series of Poker Las Vegas. Renji Mao scorched a field of 4,747 entries over three days of play. Mao’s aggressive play upended bracelet winner and poker star Matthew Elsby of the United States to clinch his own gold bracelet. The win was only his second title and came with a career best live cash of $402,588.

The Chinese used the momentum to pick up more titles in the Asian circuit with wins at the Asian Poker Tour Summer Series Da Nang, the VSOP Championship IX, Hanoi and the Asian Poker Tour Hanoi Billions clinching the Single Day High Roller, High Roller 8 Max and PLO Hi-Lo 5-Card Events respectively. Together with a 4th place finish at U Series of Poker Ha Noi – High Roller MegaStack Event, Mao banked a combined $67,240. The Chinese hot hand returned to the World Series of Poker in the Bahamas Island and made a deep run at the WSOP Paradise Main Event, collecting $72,200 more to cap off a memorable 2023 run.

Renji Mao would pick up where he left off starting with a deep run at the World Poker Tour Cambodia Championship Main Event cashing more than $34,000. Mao would continue to make table finishes or significant runs at the European Poker Tour Paris and World Poker Tour Korea, Jeju.

Renji Mao’s total live earnings to date amount to $846,459 and is currently China’s number 10 in the GPI National Rankings.

*Profile by Mike Alcazaren