Taichi Ichikawa

Taichi Ichikawa was born in Japan and graduated from Waseda University with a bachelor's degree in Law in 2017. During his university years, he developed an interest in cryptocurrency and later joined a crypto exchange company after graduation.

Ichikawa first encountered poker as a casual game with friends but quickly became fascinated by its strategic depth. In 2018, the exchange he worked for was shut down following a regulatory crackdown after the NEM hack, leading him to reassess his career. Inspired by a documentary featuring professional poker player Naoya Kihara, Ichikawa decided to pursue poker full-time in 2019. He began his professional journey in the Philippines, where the low cost of living allowed him to build his bankroll playing $1/$2 no-limit hold'em.

Ichikawa's tournament results include:

• 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP): Event #55: $1,000 TAG TEAM No-Limit Hold'em – 3rd place out of 913 entries ($32,529)
• 2019 WSOP: $888 Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold'em (Event #64) – 1,407th out of 10,185 entries ($1,331)
• 2019 Asian Poker Tour (APT) - Resorts World Manila: ₱50,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event – 25th out of 503 entries (₱177,400)

His total live tournament earnings amount to $37,259 according to WSOP.com records. However, Ichikawa primarily focused on live cash games, playing $5/$10 and occasionally $10/$20 in casinos across Asia and the United States. He maintained a monthly volume of around 200 hours of live play, with a modest win rate that sustained his lifestyle.

As a professional, Ichikawa relocated every two to three months, visiting over 20 cities across seven countries, including the Philippines, South Korea, Georgia, and the United States. He spent several months in Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he also played online poker (50NL zoom on PokerStars, maintaining a win rate of ~2bb/100 hands over 100,000 hands). His typical schedule revolved around casino hours, with weekends being peak playing times.

In June 2025, Ichikawa transitioned from professional poker to journalism, joining NewsPicks as a journalist covering automotive and technology topics. He writes a blog on note.com and describes himself as a former professional poker player.

Based on his own account, Ichikawa played a tight-aggressive style in live cash games, emphasizing positional advantage and careful hand selection. He avoided marginal spots and maintained patience, especially in deep-stacked situations. His approach was methodical rather than flashy, reflecting a mathematical understanding of the game.

While not among the most decorated Japanese players, Ichikawa's story of transitioning from a corporate job to professional poker and later to journalism has inspired many in the Japanese poker community. His detailed blog posts about his poker journey provide valuable insights for aspiring players.