Poker professional Tony “Ren” Lin is a Chinese-born player who now resides in the United States. He is 2023’s GPI Player of the Year in Asia accumulating a region-leading 4,260.94 points.

Ren Lin at WPT World Championship — Ren Lin – Photo by WPT

Lin started his career grinding it out at low-level tournaments in Las Vegas developing consistency and gaining relative success. Ren Lin then stepped into big-time poker when he took his first six-figure paycheck at the 2021 World Series of Poker placing 3rd at the 8-Handed Event. He backstopped this by a first title at the PokerGO Tour – PGT Aria High Roller Series 2021 winning the High Roller Event 29. The PokerGO Tour series would be fertile ground for Lin for more success having deep runs at the 2022 PGT US Poker Open events accumulating more than $500,000 in prize money.

Lin would return to the November edition of the WSOP Las Vegas and nearly clinch the High Roller Event, finishing second and banking his second biggest career cash of $ 903,610. The Chinese announced his arrival on the world stage but the best had yet to come.

Ren Lin’s Best Results

Ren Lin would continue to wax hot on the felt in 2023. Ten of his 13 best tournament results have come in 2023 including 3 WSOP final tables, plus wins again on the PokerGo and WPT Tours – all with six-figure cashes. 2023 began with a trio of deep runs at the PokerGO Studio inside the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The Chinese player clinched a runner up finish at the 2023 PokerGO Tour Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, a 7th place finish in the $10,500 buy-in opening event of the U.S. Poker Open and his first PGT title in event no.2 at the USPO. Lin would earn $ 636,000 in a span of a week.

In May, Lin picked up a side-event win at the the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown series PLO High Roller event. His most significant win though would come at the 2023 World Poker Tour Alpha8 Las Vegas High Roller Event where he shipped his third title and a career best payday of $1,045,781.

Daniel Sepiol clinches WPT World Championship; Ren Lin wins WPT Alpha8 – Somuchpoker

His resume’ continued to build up with an exceptional debut in the High Stakes Triton Poker Series in Monte Carlo. Lin would place 3rd in the Eight Max Event banking $468,000. This would provide momentum for 2024 where Ren Lin would continue his deep runs at the high stakes series.

There is no turning back for GPI Asia’s 2023 Player of the year as Ren Lin establishes his place in the poker world. He is currently second in both the Global Poker Index Ranking and the China All Time Money List.

*Profile by Mike Alcazaren