Zoe has covered major poker series across Asia, including APT and the Players Series. With solid experience as a live reporter, she now joins SoMuchPoker to deliver in-depth coverage and share her insights from the tables.

Updated: 2026.03.16

Tsugunari Toma is a world class poker pro from Japan who has become one of the most successful and respected players in Asia. Living in Osaka, he is a major star on the international circuit and currently holds the number four spot on the Japan All Time Money List. While he is a successful businessman and CEO by trade, he treats poker as more than just a hobby, traveling the world to compete in the highest stakes games. Known for his friendly smile and his nickname “Tsugu-nii,” he has become a true ambassador for Japanese poker and a hero to players across the region.

Career Earnings & Biggest Results

According to The Hendon Mob, Tsugunari Toma has total live earnings of over $3.63 million. He has recorded massive results across Europe, Asia, and the United States. His career reached an incredible high point in 2019 at European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague, where he went on a legendary run, winning two high roller titles in a single week. He won a €10,200 Single-Day High Roller for $150,551 and followed it up by winning the €10,300 EPT High Roller for a career-best $581,943.

Toma also performs at an elite level in the WSOP . In 2025, he had a very busy summer in Las Vegas, securing multiple cashes including a 30th place finish in the $25,000 High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed event for $50,829. He has also found great success on the Triton Poker Series, finishing 29th in the 2025 Mystery Bounty in Jeju. His success has continued into 2026, where he recently secured a 22nd place finish in the EPT Paris Main Event for $37,654 and a 23rd place in the EPT High Roller for $35,433.

Tsugunari Toma poker — Tsugunari Toma (credit: PokerNews photographer Christian Zetzsche)

Biography & Poker Background

Tsugunari Toma was born in Osaka and balance a very busy life as a top executive and a poker player. He is the CEO of a major business company he founded in 2008, but he fell in love with poker as a way to challenge his mind and relax from work. He first started making a name for himself in 2012 at the Asia Championship of Poker in Macau. Even though he is a successful businessman, he approaches poker with the discipline of a pro, often acting as a mentor to younger Japanese players. He is a Natural8 Ambassador and frequently uses his platform to help grow the game in Japan, hoping to see a major tour stop in his home country one day.

Play Style & Strategy

Toma is feared for his highly aggressive and fearless style of play. Because he has a deep background as a business leader, he is very good at reading people and isn’t afraid to take big risks when he sees an opportunity. He is especially good in High Roller games, where the competition is the toughest, because he enjoys the challenge of playing against the best in the world. Even though he is aggressive, he is famous for his polite and calm table presence, always remaining respectful to his opponents whether he wins or loses a big pot. This combination of a friendly personality and a “killer” instinct at the table makes him one of the hardest players to play against in any tournament.

Want to keep up with Tsugunari Toma as he aims for more trophies across Europe and Asia in 2026? You can follow his career and see his latest results through these links: