Poker Dream Unveils Expanded Player of the Year Awards for 2026

Poker Dream is raising the stakes for 2026 with a major update to its Player of the Year program, expanding beyond its flagship award to recognize more players across the region. After a strong response to the Poker Dream Player of the Year race in 2025, the tour has confirmed the introduction of two new titles for the upcoming season: Ladies Player of the Year and Regional Player of the Year.

The expansion builds on the momentum of last year’s standings, which saw Eugene Zhou Yujian crowned Dream Player of the Year for 2025 . With the new categories in place, Poker Dream is aiming to reward consistency, performance, and regional strength across a full calendar of events in 2026.

Three Player of the Year Titles for 2026

For the 2026 season, players will compete across three connected leaderboards under the Poker Dream Player of the Year points system. The Dream Player of the Year remains the headline award, given to the top overall performer across all eligible Poker Dream events in 2026. The winner will receive a prize package valued at USD $15,000, made up of tournament and hotel credits usable during Poker Dream events in 2027.

The newly introduced Ladies Player of the Year title will honor the highest-ranked female player on the overall leaderboard, with additional points available from non-freeroll ladies events. The LPOY winner will receive prizes valued at USD $5,000 in tournament and hotel credits.

Regional Player of the Year adds another layer to the race, recognizing the top point-earner from each of nine regions: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. Each regional winner will be awarded prizes valued at USD $3,000, ensuring standout performers from across Asia are recognized for their results.

How the Points System Works

All three awards use the same DPOY points framework, ensuring a consistent and transparent system throughout the season. Points are awarded only to players who finish in the money, with calculations based on field size, final position, and buy-in amount. Main Events receive additional weighting, giving them greater influence on the overall standings.

Events with restricted entry such as seniors, ladies-only tournaments, influencer invitationals, team events, and satellites do not count toward DPOY points. Points accumulate across all Poker Dream events held between January 1 and December 31, 2026, with the year-end leaders in each category officially crowned at the close of the season.

How the Poker Dream Player of the Year Fits the Bigger Picture

While Poker Dream’s Player of the Year race focuses on results within its own festival calendar, the wider Asian poker scene is also evolving in how long-term performance is measured. One of the newest additions is the Somuchpoker Poker Index , known as SPI, a ranking system designed to track player results across major live events throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The SPI looks beyond a single tour, combining performances from multiple festivals to provide a broader view of consistency, volume, and success across different stops and buy-in levels. Where the Poker Dream Player of the Year crowns the best performers within its own ecosystem, the SPI aims to reflect sustained achievement across the regional live poker circuit.

Together, the two systems offer complementary perspectives. Poker Dream rewards commitment and results within its tour, while the SPI provides a wider snapshot of how players stack up across Asia. Strong Poker Dream results can therefore contribute not only to Player of the Year ambitions, but also to a player’s overall regional standing.

Poker Dream 20 Sets the Stage in Malaysia

The 2026 Player of the Year race officially begins at Poker Dream 20 , which returns to Malaysia from January 29 to February 9, 2026, at Resorts World Genting. Set in the cool climate of the Genting Highlands just outside Kuala Lumpur, the festival is expected to attract a strong mix of regional and international players.

The Main Event offers two buy-in options, MYR 2,400 and MYR 3,600, each with its own payout structure. Ten percent of the field will make the money in the MYR 2,400 flights, while the MYR 3,600 option pays 15 percent of entries, giving players flexibility based on preference and bankroll.

Adding further appeal, the Poker Dream 20 Main Event carries a MYR 4,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, underlining the scale of the opening stop and its importance in the early Player of the Year standings.

Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season

With the expanded Player of the Year structure now in place, Poker Dream continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia’s most competitive and player-focused live poker tours. By introducing Ladies Player of the Year and Regional Player of the Year alongside the flagship DPOY title, the tour is offering more players clear targets to chase throughout the season.

Poker Dream 20 in Malaysia will set the tone for the year, with early results likely to play a meaningful role in shaping the Player of the Year race. Backed by a MYR 4,000,000 guaranteed Main Event and a wide-ranging festival schedule, the opening stop offers both immediate opportunity and long-term significance for those planning a full 2026 campaign.

Poker Dream has also confirmed that the full Poker Dream 20 schedule is now live , allowing players to plan their series in advance and identify key events as the 2026 Poker Dream Player of the Year race begins on January 29.