Sho Katsura (often known by his moniker “madness”) is a prominent Japanese professional poker player based in Tokyo. He is a highly active regular on the Asian tournament circuit and a frequent traveler to international series like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.

Career Earnings & Ranking

As of late 2025, Sho Katsura has solidified his position as a leading mid-to-high stakes competitor:

Total Live Earnings: USD 158,508 (The Hendon Mob).
Japan All-Time Money List: 162nd.
Global Poker Index (GPI) Ranking: 7,125th.
Best Live Cash: USD 34,400, achieved at the WPT Prime Cambodia Main Event.

Notable 2024–2025 Results

Katsura has maintained a high volume of play across the Asian Poker Tour (APT) and various flagship festivals in Taiwan and South Korea.

APT Taipei (April 2025): Finished 39th in the APT Main Event for USD 11,510 (NTD 374,500) and 22nd in the Single Day High Roller Mystery Bounty.
APT Manila Classic (Feb 2025): Recorded a 4th-place finish in the Mix Game Masters (9-Game) for ₱162,000 (approx. USD 2,786), demonstrating his versatility in mixed disciplines.
APT Jeju (May 2024): Secured a 4th-place finish in the Hyper Turbo for USD 2,667 and a 7th-place finish in the No Limit Short Deck event.
WSOP 2024 (Las Vegas): Recorded multiple cashes in bracelet events, including the COLOSSUS, SALUTE to Warriors, and the Tag Team event.
APT Taipei (March 2024): Finished 4th in the Mystery Bounty for USD 22,345 (NTD 706,000).

Biography & Play Style

Katsura is part of a highly successful wave of Japanese players who have turned the Asian circuit into their primary playground. He is known for his aggressive tournament strategy and his willingness to compete in specialized non-Hold’em formats.

His play style is characterized by:

Mixed Game Proficiency: His 4th-place finish in the 9-Game Mix Masters in Manila highlights a technical foundation that spans across Razz, Stud, and Omaha.
Mystery Bounty Specialist: He consistently deep-runs in high-action Mystery Bounty formats, effectively managing the high-variance nature of “bounty hunting” in Taipei and Jeju.
High-Speed Aggression: A significant portion of his final tables occur in Turbo and Hyper Turbo structures, where precise “push-fold” math and late-stage aggression are paramount.

The Best of Sho Katsura: Exclusive Poker Image Gallery