Kayhan Mokri: Why High Rollers are a Mindset Game, Not a Job
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Kayhan Mokri didn't just double his all-time largest cash this year, he did it twice.
The vast majority of Mokri's $13.1 million cashes are split across two extraodinary Triton victories — in Jeju and at WSOP Paradise — putting him on course to topping the 2025 Money List.
But Mokri says he's unlike most high rollers, and has a different approach to playing in the biggest tournaments on the world's poker stage.
No Slouch on the High Roller Scene
"I think the difference between me and most other High Roller players," Mokri told PokerNews. "Is that they feel obliged to go to play poker at these events, because they feel like it's their job.
"When I arrive at a poker tournament, I'm 100% motivated"
"For me personally, I try to go [to events] when I feel like going, and I think that makes me enjoy it more."
Mokri's approach seems to have paid off in 2025, winning six times from just ten cashes this year.
"When I arrive at a poker tournament, I'm 100% motivated. I still have the same spirit and enjoyment for the tournaments because I don't play them as much, and maybe that just works for me."
After starting out playing in Norway's local underground poker clubs, Mokri pivoted to tournaments and eventually transitioned to High Roller tournaments thanks to an unlikely source.
"It was actually Adrian Mateos who got me to start playing these High Rollers when I was just starting to burst onto the tournament scene. If it wasn't for him, I might not even be here right now."
Even in the short time period that Mokri's been playing at poker's top tables, he says he's noticed the players in the field shift and change with time, with newcomers like Samuel Mullur and Tom Fuchs arrive. However, he still considers himself a newcomer on the scene.
"If you talk to the old high rollers, like Nick Petrangelo and these guys, they say it's normal for people to shift in and out. The poker economy is always changing; over a two- or three-year span, you'll see some players stop playing, and you'll see up-and-comers start.
Triton: The Pinnacle of Poker
Mokri now counts three Triton titles on his poker resume, after bagging two in 2025.
"For obvious reasons, you can call Triton the pinnacle of poker these days. Triton is, for me, the number one tournament series. They just do everything great, and I'm just happy to be a part of it. "
At Triton Jeju in September he played five events without cashing. Ultimately, it was going against one of his core tenets saw him return to winner's row.
"In the past, there have been times when I play a tournament that I didn't feel like playing, but ended up playing anyway. And I don't think that's ever been a success.
"It sounds contradictory, but after I bricked all the tournaments in Jeju I was feeling really motivated and just wanted to play through everything. So when we got to the $150k, I just ended up winning it! It worked out for me. I thought I played well, but obviously was lucky, especially at the final table."
The Triton Invitational
Mokri had cashed in the Triton $100,000 PLO Main Event at WSOP Paradise, finishing 17th for $161,000, before joining the $250,000 Triton Invitational alongside Invitee partner Albert Daher.
"The Invitational is a very special tournament, and I think both the Invitees and the Pros enjoy themselves. And then there are other factors: the staff are enjoying themselves, the dealers are enjoying themselves. And I would assume PokerNews is enjoying themselves! It's a great event and a great concept."
"For the Invitees, it's not really about the money. It's about the competition and the glory. And as a Pro, especially on Day 1, you have to show what you're made of, because you're not going to get any free chips from anyone. You're all alone there, you have to perform, and you need to give it your best."
Mokri calls being invited to the Triton Invitational "one of the greatest honors" a pro tournament poker player could receive.
"And it doesn't happen that often. You could really ride this concept and try to squeeze the juice out of it, but the way it's been done now, you have it 2-3 times a year, and you always get good numbers. It's a truly special concept."
