Raymond Wu

Raymond Wu Shao Kang was born on January 22, 1985, in Taipei, Taiwan. He holds dual citizenship of Taiwan and the United States. Wu moved to the U.S. to study psychology at the University of California, Irvine, where he was first introduced to poker by watching the World Series of Poker on television. He regularly followed the WSOP broadcasts and cites Gus Hansen as one of his early influences. After graduating from Irvine, Wu returned to Asia, where he promptly made a big impact on the fledgling poker scene there.

Wu's first significant live cash came in July 2009 when he finished third in the HK$50,000 No Limit Hold'em event at the Macau Poker Cup, earning $11,613. His true breakthrough occurred in October 2009 at the European Poker Tour (EPT) London Main Event, where he stormed through a tough field to make the final table and finished seventh out of 730 players, cashing for £87,000 ($139,712). This performance earned him a spot as a member of Team PokerStars Pro Asia, signed both for his potential for success in the game as well as his marketability.

In March 2010, Wu clinched his first major live tournament title in Asia by winning the Main Event of the Macau Poker Cup, taking home HK$664,000 ($85,520). He later added a No Limit Hold'em Deepstack Championship title at the 2012 PokerStars ACOP Macau, worth $54,164, and finished 13th in the ACOP Macau Main Event in November 2012 for $39,094.

In January 2010, Wu was named captain of Team Chinese Taipei for the inaugural World Cup of Poker, held at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas as part of the annual PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. Although Chinese Taipei were rank outsiders to win the tournament, the team prevailed against strong favourites such as Germany, Italy, and the United States to claim the title. Following the victory, Wu was hailed as a national sporting hero in Taiwan and received widespread coverage in the media, appearing on national television as well as in Baller Magazine.

In 2009, Wu founded a poker training academy called Five of a Kind alongside a few of his close friends and partners. The academy has an office and training centre in Taipei and regularly conducts classes providing instruction on No Limit Hold'em and Pot Limit Omaha. In addition, Five of a Kind produces original training videos in Chinese, with the aim of educating poker players on advanced game strategy. Wu serves as the academy's lead instructor.

Wu regularly plays poker online on PokerStars under the screen name 'Raymond Wu'. He plays in cash games ranging from $2/$4 to $25/$50 in stakes. His preferred games are no limit Texas hold 'em and Pot Limit Omaha. His playing style is described as patient and disciplined, well-suited for the long-term survival strategies required in major tournaments.

Wu's live tournament earnings total over $627,000, placing him among the top Taiwanese players on the all-time money list. He currently resides in Taipei, Taiwan.