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Yukinori Kojima is a Japanese poker player who claimed the biggest result of his career at APPT Korea 2026, winning the Super High Roller at Paradise City Incheon in South Korea. Mounting a remarkable comeback from a short stack, Kojima defeated Kotaro Kurotaki in a two-and-a-half-hour heads-up battle to claim KRW 95,534,000 (~USD 70,782) and his first major title.
Career Earnings & Biggest Results
Kojima's career-best live score of KRW 95,534,000 (~USD 70,782) came from winning the APPT Korea 2026 Super High Roller at Paradise City Incheon, South Korea (according to The Hendon Mob). Runner-up Kotaro Kurotaki collected the second-place prize after an extended heads-up duel that lasted over two and a half hours.
Biography & Poker Background
Based in Japan, Kojima competes on the Asian live circuit with the APPT Korea 2026 Super High Roller marking a significant breakthrough result. He came into the final table as one of the shorter stacks and mounted a sustained comeback, making it increasingly difficult for opponents to read his game with a deliberately unpredictable approach.
Speaking after the win, Kojima described his heads-up strategy: "I tried to keep my mind blank while still thinking — I focused on playing in a way that made it impossible for my opponent to read what I was thinking. So I think there were some pretty tricky plays." On what comes next, he was measured: "There isn't anything in particular; I just want to keep challenging myself in big tournaments going forward."
Play Style & Strategy
Kojima's APPT Korea Super High Roller performance was defined by resilience and deliberate unpredictability. After coming from a short stack, he outlasted a competitive final table before engaging in a marathon heads-up battle against Kotaro Kurotaki — a player who had built a dominant chip lead earlier in the day. Kojima's self-described approach of making his thought process unreadable proved decisive, with a series of tricky plays in the heads-up that wore down Kurotaki over more than two hours of play. The match was decided when Kojima's pocket queens held against Kurotaki's pocket eights, ending a back-and-forth battle.
Social Media & Online Presence
About the Editor
Callum Jury is Somuchpoker's Live Content and Social Media Specialist, reporting live from WSOP and Asia Pacific poker festivals including the APT and PokerStars LIVE series. Originally from the Lake District in the UK, he has covered the Southeast Asian poker circuit since 2025, combining day-by-day tournament reporting with the social and digital content that brings the action to fans.