Ivan Seng Yee Leow

Seng Yee “Ivan” Leow, a renowned Malaysian poker player and businessman, commands a prominent position in the world of high-stakes poker. His legacy was further solidified as a co-founder of the prestigious Triton Poker series, alongside Paul Phua and Richard Yong. With a remarkable total live earnings tallying an impressive $13 million, Leow earned his place as one of Malaysia’s most cherished and respected poker players.

Ivan Leow: Poker Career

Leow burst onto the poker scene in 2018. He underwent a meteoric rise that saw his live tournament earnings from a modest $123K to a staggering $5.69M. This remarkable ascent unfolded over a mere ten months, spanning from January to November. During this time he claimed victory in numerous high-stakes events, securing three titles with six-figure prize pools. Despite consistently competing at the highest levels of the game and amassing an impressive list of achievements, Leow remains humble. Leow refused the poker pro label as he embrace ongoing learning and experiences on his poker journey.

Hailing from Malaysia, Leow adopts an ultra-aggressive poker style, believing it’s crucial to gain an edge against elite players. In 2018, Leow secured a five-figure payout in Macau before venturing to Montenegro in May for the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series. Competing against the world’s elite in sky-high buy-in tournaments, Leow showcased his skills by reaching the final tables of two events – the HK$250K Short Deck Ante-Only and the HK$1M Super High Roller Main Event, finishing 6th in both. These achievements marked his first six-digit cashes, totaling a substantial $450,194.

Just a week later, Leow made a triumphant return to Macau during the 2018 Oriental Poker Championship. He got his first career victory in the HK$100K High Roller event, defeating 43 entries. This triumph was followed by a commendable runner-up finish in the HK$16.5K No Limit Hold’em Main Event with a total of $313K. Leow was rapidly approaching the million-dollar milestone in live tournament earnings. However, the real breakthrough occurred just two months later in Jeju at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series. Instead of reaching a million, he amassed over $1.57M in winnings, propelling his live tournament career earnings past the impressive $2M mark—all achieved in just three remarkable events.

The following month, Leow journeyed to Sochi, Russia. Leow won the partypoker LIVE Millions Russia – ₽6M Triton Poker Super High Roller event. This remarkable win added $1,133,555 to his live earnings, marking his second seven-figure payout.

Ivan Leow: Continued Poker Triumphs

Leow’s high-stakes poker journey pressed forward in late August as he ventured to Spain for EPT Barcelona. Although he cashed in two events, neither of them matched the significance of his recent accomplishments. By mid-September, he returned to Korea, this time participating in WPT Korea in Incheon. Korea proved to be a winning ground once more, as he got 1st and 2nd place finishes in two Super High Roller events, amassing a combined prize of $213,647.

October marked a significant moment in Leow’s poker journey as he headed to Czech Republic for the WSOP Europe. While he didn’t secure any bracelet events, he found success in four other tournaments. Notably, he clinched a 2nd place finish in the €25K NLH King’s Short Deck Championship, pocketing $164,200. Ultimately, Leow celebrated another million-dollar victory in the €100K NLH Leon’s High Roller, where he earned $1,422,140.

In 2019, he raked in an impressive $2,385,260 across five tournaments. The following year, 2020, saw him earn $1,042,500. However, his most significant win, a whopping $2.46 million, happened in August 2021 when he secured a runner-up finish to Wiktor Malinowski in the Merit Poker Super High Roller Bowl Europe.

Conclusion

In 2022, his live tournament winnings amounted to an impressive $1,276,544, accumulated through participation in eight events. His last appearance was at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Cyprus on September 5, 2022. Tragically, on September 17, 2022, at the age of 39, Ivan Leow’s cause of death was from an apparent heart attack, Ivan Leow died at the age of 41. His untimely demise is a profound loss, felt deeply by all who knew him. The close-knit high roller community is characterized by its limited number of players capable of competing in such prestigious events. The Malaysian poker star was universally cherished and respected, and his poker legacy will endure for eternity.