Getting up close with Australia’s Anton Zhen Zhao Lu

Seen in the mix across the U Series of Poker Hai Phong games, Somuchpoker had a chance to catch up with Anton Zhen Zhao Lu. The Australian runner is relatively new to the live tournament scene, having just begun his career last 2023. Within a short span of time, the young gun has successfully locked in several deep finishes across the Asian circuit to breach $1 million in live earnings. 

Lu’s biggest cash to date stands to be a runner up finish in the 2023 WPT Prime Vietnam Billionaire Club High Stakes Challenge for VN₫ 1.6 Billion (~US$ 68K). Under his belt are also a number of incredible feats, including titles across APT, Poker Dream, VPL, and USOP. His latest victory hailed at this Hai Phong season’s Mini High Roller games, earning him an additional VN₫ 274 Million (~US$ 11K) in winnings.

SMP: You have now been playing live for over a year and a half, what strategies have you found that work for both online and live play?
Lu: Playing good poker works for both, not bluffing too much, and going for greedy value bets. 

SMP: Most players take a long time to reach a million in live earnings. You are nearly there in such a short time. Is this a goal for you?
Lu: Yeah I’d say so. I kind of like already hit it, but some results haven’t really updated. I had a couple of results that haven’t really shown up. That was kind of a goal just for like playing live poker. It just like pretty cool to have a one million in Hendon Mob. 

SMP: Many online players jump into the live scene using their online winnings as funding, how about you? Or vice versa? Or has the live now been able to sustain itself?
Lu: I kinda do the same. So when I first began, I used some of my online winnings and stuff but I didn’t have much. But then quickly I ran pretty hot when I started playing live tournaments and quickly made more. When you play live the buy-in are a lot bigger than online, the money comes in a lot faster. 

SMP: What do you love about playing in the live circuit? What is it that keeps you coming back as an online player?
Lu: Live is obviously really fun, friends, and familiar faces, everyone that you see every now and then. Just being able to have fun in the table essentially. Seeing a lot more of creative stuff. During this series I probably played like 6 times online. I just play live in the day and then do an all-nighter in the night probably get a few hours sleep. 

*Interviewed by Derick Elomina