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Rio Kitaoji is an Australian poker player who recorded a career-best $1,119 payout for a fifth-place finish in the PokerStars LIVE Manila Super Series Megastack Event. Active across Asia-Pacific and international circuit stops, he continues to build his tournament record.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
With total live tournament earnings of $1,306 across recorded cashes (according to The Hendon Mob), Kitaoji has established a growing competitive resume across regional and global series. His top career tournament results in reverse chronological order include:
August 2026: Participated in the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship Series at NagaWorld Integrated Resort in Phnom Penh.
November 2019: 5th place in the PokerStars LIVE Manila Super Series 12 ₱6,000 No-Limit Hold'em Megastack Event in the Philippines for $1,119 (₱56,900), capturing his career-best live cash.
November 2019: 40th place in the PokerStars LIVE Manila Super Series 12 ₱6,000 Warm-Up Event in Manila for $187 (₱9,500).
Biography & Poker Background
Kitaoji hails from Australia, where he developed a passion for multi-table tournament poker before taking his skills to international venues across Asia.
Kitaoji established his presence on the Asian circuit by competing in popular regional series in the Philippines. In November 2019, he put together a breakout performance at the PokerStars LIVE Manila Super Series 12 festival hosted at Okada Manila, making two distinct cash runs. After cashing in the Warm-Up event, Kitaoji navigated through a competitive field in the ₱6,000 Megastack event to reach the final table, ultimately finishing fifth for a career-best $1,119 score. He expanded his travel schedule to Southeast Asia in August 2026, competing in the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship series at NagaWorld Integrated Resort in Phnom Penh.
Play Style & Strategy
Kitaoji employs a disciplined, flexible No-Limit Hold'em tournament strategy. Showing an affinity for fast-paced megastack structures and multi-table freezeout formats, he focuses on fundamental pre-flop selection, positional leverage, and effective stack management during middle levels. His ability to reach late-stage payouts in competitive regional fields reflects sharp tactical execution and composure under high-pressure payjump conditions.
Social Media & Online Presence
About the Editor
Khanh Ho is a Live Content Writer at Somuchpoker, covering major poker festivals across Southeast Asia, including APT and PokerStars LIVE events. Alongside live tournament reporting, he conducts interviews and writes player features, bringing the human stories behind the game to life.