Derrick Yamada is an American poker player from Sacramento, California, who is best known for winning back-to-back RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) San Diego Main Event titles.
Yamada has some impressive results on his profile despite not being as prolific as some of his peers. Most of Yamada's time is taken up running a gym with his wife and taking his son to Little League baseball practice. However, he still finds the time to play in a dozen tournaments each year.
The Californian racked up 15 cashes between June 2010 and June 2013, including a runner-up finish in the WSOP Circuit Lake Tahoe Main Event, a finish worth $86,056. Yamada put poker on the back burner from June 2013 until he returned in November 2021, playing at the delayed, COVID-19-hit 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
In May 2023, Yamada came out on top in the $1,110 Mid-Stakes Poker Tour (MSPT) in Sycuan, San Diego, for $72,277.
San Diego proves to be a happy hunting ground for Yamada. In November 2023, he took down the $600 RGPS Road Trip to California by PokerGO at the Jamul Casino in San Diego for $31,565 after a heads-up deal. Three months later, in late February 2024, Yamada binked the same tournament, this time without any deals, and took home $41,550 for his back-to-back victory.
Derrick Yamada's Top 5 Live Poker Tournament Results
| Date | Event | Rank | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2012 | $1,675 WSOPC Lake Tahoe | 2nd | $86,056 |
| May 2023 | $1,110 MSPT San Diego | 1st | $72,777 |
| Nov 2012 | $1,590 WPT Five Diamond | 2nd | $54,710 |
| Feb 2024 | $600 RGPS San Diego | 1st | $41,550 |
| Nov 2023 | $600 RGPS San Diego | 1st | $31,565 |
