Japan's Yosuke Miki Finishes 4th in WSOP $25K High Roller 6-Handed, Continuing Japan's Poker Frenzy Post-Kihara's Back-to-Back Wins

Japan's Yosuke Miki Finishes 4th in WSOP $25K High Roller 6-Handed, Continuing Japan's Poker Frenzy Post-Kihara's Back-to-Back Wins

Japan's Yosuke Miki secured $577,326 (approx. 790 million KRW) for his 4th place finish in the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #24, the $25,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em High Roller. In this event, which saw 242 participants create a prize pool of $5,687,000 (approx. 7.8 billion KRW), Miki battled for the win among the final seven players but was eliminated in 4th place by Russia's Artur Martirosian with A-J versus A-10. Martirosian went on to win the tournament, claiming his fourth career bracelet and $1,286,285 (approx. 1.76 billion KRW).

Miki Continues Japan's Poker Momentum Following Kihara's Back-to-Back Victories

While Miki's 4th place finish is an impressive result on its own, it holds even greater significance within the context of the series. Just days prior, Naoya Kihara became the first player in 2026 WSOP history to win back-to-back bracelets, triumphing in both the $10,000 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball and the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, and taking sole possession of the all-time WSOP bracelet lead for Japanese players. Merely two days after Kihara's latest victory was confirmed, Miki reached the final table of the $25K High Roller, demonstrating that the momentum of Japanese poker remains unbroken. Miki aimed for his first bracelet in this series, and while his challenge concluded in 4th place, reaching the final four of a major high roller with a 7.8 billion KRW prize pool left a significant impression.

Seized Initiative with Chance Kornuth's KO, but Met Martirosian's Wall

On the final day, Miki started with the 4th largest stack (4,605,000 chips) and successfully seized the initiative early on. Chance Kornuth, the shortest stack returning with only 8 big blinds, moved all-in with A-K, but Miki's A-Q hit a queen on the flop, eliminating Kornuth in 6th place. However, the momentum shifted towards Martirosian afterward. After sending Marius Gierse (5th place) to the rail, Martirosian accelerated, decisively outdrawing Miki's A-10 with A-J in a crucial hand to eliminate him in 4th place. Miki ultimately secured $577,326 (approx. 790 million KRW).

Japanese Players Prove Their Mettle on the $25K High Roller Stage

Miki's final table appearance is one of several instances where Japanese and Chinese players have showcased their competitiveness on the highest high roller stages during this WSOP. China's Biao Ding finished 3rd ($819,504) in the preceding Event #19 $25K High Roller, and Miki took 4th place in this Event #24 $25K High Roller 6-Handed. With 100 bracelet events continuing through the July Main Event, there is potential for Miki, alongside Kihara who already holds three bracelets, to make further challenges in the remaining high roller tournaments.