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05-24-2017 12:54 UTC+3

Spotlight: Five Top Russian Poker Players

Will Shillibier

With the PokerStars Championship Sochi being one of the biggest tournaments in Russian poker history, we thought we'd shine a spotlight on some of the best players to come from the country, both live and online. Here we take a look at six players who have excelled at their craft, taking down some of the biggest tournaments on the planet and with them bagging some eye-watering amounts of cash!

Igor Kurganov
Earlier this year PokerStars signed one of their newest Team Pros, bringing the total number to 30. Igor Kurganov has over $12.2m in live cashes, good enough to sit atop the Russian all-time money list, and is a board member and founder of REG or Raising for Effective Giving.
He currently holds three seven-figure scores including an EPT 8 Monte Carlo High Roller win for $1.4m, and a 3rd place in the EPT 10 Monte Carlo Super High Roller for $1.5m.
However, with the 2017 edition of the Super High Roller Bowl in a matter of days, Kurganov could be in line for yet another monster pay-day.

Vladimir Troyanovskiy
With $4.7m in life-time earnings, and a whopping six EPT High Roller and Super High Roller final tables, Vladimir Troyanovskiy sits sixth in the Russian all-time money list.
Despite not having managed to secure a major title, he did finish 5th in the 2016 PCA Main Event for a respectable $207k.
However, he’s enjoyed a number of decent cashes at the start of 2017, including four at the PokerStars Championship Bahamas, and has since gone on to win a tournament at King’s Casino in the Czech Republic and finish a respectable 9th in the Opening €10k event at the PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo.

Anatoly Filatov
This young Russian pro may only have $1.3m in lifetime earnings but he more than makes up for that with his infectious and bubbly personality.
Anatoly Filatov, team manager for the GPL team the Moscow Wolverines and partypoker Brand ambassador, is passionate about promoting poker both in his native Russia and across the world.
His best result is a second place in the EPT 10 Vienna High Roller for $366k and will be desperate to secure a big result soon.

Timofey Kuznetsov
A player with only three live cashes according to Hendon Mob might cause certain players to raise their eyebrows in confusion, however with one of them being a 4th place finish in the 2015 Super High Roller Bowl for $2.1m, you can see that this is a player of some pedigree.
However, others will know Kuznetsov as ‘Trueteller’ online, a phenomenal player who is one of the biggest winners at the online cash tables in the history of online poker with $2.8m.
Two years ago Kuznetsov played online against a certain Phil Ivey for 30 hours straight, emerging slightly ahead of his opponent, and this year alone according to HighStakesDB he has earned over $500k.

Alexander Kostritsyn
If you wanted to put together a poker CV, look no further than Alexander Kostritsyn. With over $3.0m in lifetime earnings, he’s 11th on the Russian all-time money list with some remarkable results.
He has made four WSOP final tables in addition to winning the 2008 Aussie Millions for $1.45m. If that wasn’t enough, he beat a certain Erik Seidel heads-up in that event.
Away from the live scene he also has a 2010 WCOOP title for $269k in addition to over $4.5m in online earnings since 2007.

Tags: Alexander Kostritsyn Anatoly Filatov Igor Kurganov Max Altergott Timofey Kuznetsov Vladimir Troyanovskiy

05-23-2017 20:00 UTC+3

Online Qualifier Vladislav Zhukov Leads PokerStars National Championship

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The chip lead after Day 2 of the PokerStars National Championship at the Sochi Casino and Resort belongs to $5 qualifier Vladislav Zhukov. The Russian player, hailing from Voronezh, tops just 39 survivors with a stack of 1,401,000.

Zhukov admits this is his first-ever live event, primarily playing online, where he qualified for this event. Sitting second in chips is fellow countryman Robert Askarov with 1,139,000. Petr Bartagov (1,011,000) and Sergei Chantcev (962,000) also have top stacks with Nacho Barbero (676,000), 615,000), Aleksandr Denisov (443,000), Harry Lodge (427,000), Timofey Vekshin (407,000), Josef Snejberg (217,000) and Andrey Kotelnikov (172,000) all still in the mix.

When registration closed, the field was set at 756 entries, 205 of them being re-entries, and 83% of the total coming from Russian players. There were 20 countries represented in the event with Belarus chipping in 20 players and Armenia with 13, claiming the top three spots. Kazakhstan and Ukraine round out the top five.

The day did not go so well for the vast majority of the field but some notable players leaving with some consolation include Alexander Lakhov (44th - RUB 158,000), Nikolay Fal (52nd - RUB 158,000), Dmitry Ponomarev (70th - RUB 139,000), Alexander Moiseev (77th - RUB 121,000) and Mikhail Korotkikh (91st - RUB 121,000).

Brazilian PokerStars Team Pro Felipe Ramos was in the hunt as the day began but was eliminated sometime before the money bubble popped. As the festival has really just kicked off, Ramos will have plenty of opportunities to make this a profitable trip.

Play will resume with Day 3 action at noon local time and is expected to continue until an official final table is set.

Tags: Alexander Lakhov Felipe Ramos Harry Lodge Jose Ignacio Barbero PokerStars Championship Sochi Sochi Casino and Resort

05-23-2017 18:30 UTC+3

Extreme Tour a Massive Hit

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It’s not all poker at the PokerStars Championship Sochi. On Monday, players who signed up for the Extreme Tour at the events desk were treated to a ride up one of the many mountains surrounding the city.

Packed into nine jeeps, the crew began a trek up, taking in mountains, waterfalls, ancient dolmen tombs, ravines and mineral water sources.

The cold and rain would usually dampen spirits but the conditions made for tougher terrain which in turn allowed the adventurers to truly witness the skill of the drivers. Maneuvering the tight corners and narrow pathways would seem challenging as rainwater and bits of rock flowed down the mountain and across the paths, but, to the drivers, it gave them a chance to show off their skill.

One driver by the name of Konstantin has been a professional driver since 1996 and continues to stay behind the wheel as a hobby and a way to make a living. Neil Stoddart, who witnessed Konstantin’s skill first hand was very impressed with how the local driver handled the road.

The crew was rewarded with a refreshing taste of a natural spring, were able to cast a wish on a magical stone, and saw the beauty of several waterfalls. They also got to see tiny, ancient caves that have many stories or beliefs surrounding them. Some would say small people build and lived in them while giants resided elsewhere. Others believe that the holes were created to store food and supplies, keeping them out of harm’s way.

This was just the first activity PokerStars planned for the players in Sochi. Bungee jumping, karaoke, VR Challenge, a meet and greet, and the player’s party are still yet to come. Check out the Events Desk for full details.

Tags: PokerStars Championship Sochi

05-23-2017 17:00 UTC+3

Language Barrier No Problem for Harry Lodge

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Will Shillibier

Online qualifier Harry Lodge is making the most of his trip to Russia by playing the PokerStars National Championship Event. After finishing Day 1b second in chips, the young British pro said he went home and immediately launched an online grind.

"I was really unorganised and didn’t know the SCOOP dates ahead of time! So for the first week and a half I was on holiday with my girlfriend. I went to Monte Carlo and then she came and met me and we went on holiday there and then on to Sicily.

"I got back, played about a week of SCOOP and then realised that Sochi was set for the final Sunday of SCOOP. I made played day 1b of the National two days ago, went home and fired up a scoop session that last until 8am. That was a long day of poker!"

Lodge has already tasted success in PokerStars sponsored live tournaments. His first major live score was a fifth-place finish in the UKIPT4 Isle of Man Main Event for a £27,600 payday. Lodge has also made his mark on the PokerStars Festival London earlier this year, finishing third in the £2k High Roller for £36,150. In all, he's racked up $338,000 in live cashes, with his career-best result coming in the 2015 UK Poker Championships Nottingham Main Event where he took down the title along with £60,000.

However, he's now enjoying his first trip to Russia, despite troubles with getting a visa and getting that all arranged with ample time to spare.

"I don't really recognise in the field! Usually it’s a good thing when there’s no one at the table you recognise because chances are they’re not going to be as strong if you’ve not heard of them before. But I’ve never played in Russia before so I don’t know how the average Russian player really plays so coming into it a bit blind and just taking each hand as it comes."

The language barrier is one of the biggest issues, says Lodge, and he's come up with an ingenious way to make his bet sizes clear to the dealer.

"When someone’s made a bet, especially when they’ve used a larger denomination chip like a 5,000-value chip, and they’re betting 3,300 or whatever amount, I’m not actually sure what they’re betting.

"Fortunately, a lot of the dealers do speak English but when they don’t I’ve actually gone ahead and lined my chips up in front of my stack and been “Is this how much they’re betting?”

"I think I’ve learned the numbers for three or seven, but that’s about it. If they bet 3,700 then maybe I’ll know what they’re doing! "

And like all players in mid-May, his eyes are now looking towards the bright lights of Vegas and the WSOP.

"My plan is simple! I win the Main, fly back straight after, and then have a little bit of time off before Vegas. I think I’m going 10th June until the end of the series.

"I’m not playing the really large stuff. I play everything up to $5,000 as well as the Main Event. I'm going for a week less than last year, mainly because of a bit of negotiation with the girlfriend!

"It's still going to be about $100,000 in buy-ins for the summer."

Tags: Harry Lodge PokerStars Championship Sochi

05-23-2017 15:33 UTC+3

Felipe Ramos: "Emotions Make Poker More Fun"

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Will Shillibier

PokerStars Team Pro Felipe Ramos has enjoyed great success at PokerStars events in the past six months, cashing in tournaments in the Bahamas, London, Panama, Macau and Monte Carlo as well as his native Brazil.

Ramos now finds himself in Sochi at PokerStars' first event in the country. Currently playing in the National Championship, which attracted nearly 800 entrants, he spoke to PokerNews about his recent SCOOP exploits, playing with Russian poker-players, and how he's looking forward to seeing his favourite person of all-time in poker: Chris Moneymaker.

"I got here a couple of days ago," said Ramos, "It's my first time in Russia. I stayed in Moscow for two nights just to do some tourist stuff. It's an amazing place and I liked it very much. Then I flew to Sochi.

"It reminds me of south Brazil! It's a little cold and with the mountains and the pure air - I like it very much and it’s a very nice environment at the casino. There's been a good turnout for the National event which I’m playing right now."

The event is close to the money now, but the Brazilian is taking it one event at a time.

"I'm looking forward to winning this, and playing the main event next. Hopefully they'll be the only two things that I play. You always focus on the tournament you're playing, and the next event. That's my game plan.

"Obviously, if I bust then of course I'll have to check the schedule. You need to play a full schedule just to maximise your time at an event. I might play the PLO High Roller, although I might still be in the Main Event. If not I'll hop in like in Macau [where Ramos finished 3rd for $53,918]."

There is plenty of other fun activities for Ramos to enjoy away from the table, including karaoke, bungee jumping and the Stars player party. He's looking forward to enjoying them with some of his fellow PokerStars Team Pros.

"These events are the best. Whenever you play poker for a living you’ve got to make the most of this poker lifestyle. Two of my favourite people in the poker world are Liv Boeree and Igor Kurganov, and they're going to be here. It's always so much fun hanging out with them.

"And then, my favourite person of all time in poker is Chris Moneymaker. He’s just an unbelievably nice guy. We are going to go bungee jumping and I said to him “Don’t worry Chris, I’m your friend. I'm going to give you a hand”

Ramos laughed as he mimed pushing someone in front of him.

"You know how us poker players know our pushing ranges!"

Cue more laughter from the Brazilian as he looked around the tournament floor.

"It’s a really nice atmosphere here. I like the Russians. They’re very passionate. I really appreciate that and I really think they're awesome. If everyone could love the game like they do, we would have such a better environment.

"I see people winning hands and cheering, I think that’s pretty cool. On Day 1 this guy was hitting rivers and giving me bad beats, hitting the table. He was apologising to me and I said to him: 'That’s fine, you gotta do what you feel like!'

"These emotions make poker more fun."

Having enjoyed playing SCOOP online while travelling the live circuit, Ramos is looking forward to travelling to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker later this month.

"Sochi ends on the 31st, and on the 1st I fly to Vegas to start my WSOP grind. I always look forward to playing all the events I can while the WSOP is going on. I think there’s no point in playing the big ones, like the $100,000 event. There’s no point.

"I think there’s value in some of the events such. I’m looking to play wherever I’m a winner. So that’s how poker players need to think. I’m trying to become the first Brazilian in the GPI top ten. That would be really something."

Tags: Felipe Ramos PokerStars Championship Sochi

05-23-2017 13:15 UTC+3

Welcome to the PokerStars Championship Sochi!

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Will Shillibier

After the success of events in the Bahamas, Panama, Macau and most recently in Monte Carlo, the PokerStars Championship rolls into Sochi, Russia for one of the largest poker events on Russian soil.

Set in the heart of Russia's holiday location, Krasnaya Polyan, the Sochi Casino and Resort is one of the largest in Eastern Europe with the capacity of 2,000 people.

The first four PokerStars Championship Main Events saw three Russian players navigate their way to a final table. Aleksei Opalikhin finished fourth in The Bahamas, taking $192,420 while Andrey Bondar and Maxim Panyak met each other on the final table at PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo. Bondar was eliminated in third place for €271,500 and Panyak bust in fourth place worth €199,900.

PokerStars Championship Sochi will also feature online legend Vladimir "shabalinvlad" Shabalin, who earned more than 10 million VPPs during his career on PokerStars. Shabalin has already proved he can transition his skills to the live felt, too. He won two tournaments at PokerStars Championship Macau and fell just shy of completing a remarkable hat-trick.

Along with a variety of buy-ins and games on offer, the tour's first stop in Russia also features #StarsFun activities during players downtime away from the table, including a Virtual Reality (VR) Challenge running daily between 11:00 and 22:00. The most successful players will be rewarded with prizes each day and the owner of the highest score for the event wins a complete VR set up.

There is a Meet & Greet reception on May 24 from 20:00 until 22:00; an exclusive session for online qualifiers to meet and speak to some of the world’s best players and enjoy complimentary drinks and finger food at the Marriot Hotel Bar.

For those looking to add more adrenaline to their poker battles, there is a Bungee Jumping session planned for May 25 and May 26 (30-person capacity for each time) where players can try the highest jump in Russia at 69 & 207 meters high.

The unmissable Players Party will kick off on May 27 at 21:00 in the Sky Bar. Complimentary drinks will be featured at the party. Another cultural #StarsFun activity is planned for May 30 as the Karaoke SingStar Night starts at 22:00 in the Medora Karaoke Hall. Come and become the PokerStars Championship Sochi SingStar!

Stay tuned to PokerNews for feature coverage over the next couple of days live from the Sochi Casino and Resort.

Tags: PokerStars Championship Sochi Sochi Casino and Resort

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