Egor Zarev

Egor Zarev was born on September 25, 1983, in Odessa, Ukraine. He holds a degree in economics and initially worked in his father's firm before dedicating himself to poker. Zarev's father was a producer on the iconic Ukrainian TV show "Maski-Show," and Egor himself participated in filming. He discovered poker in his youth and quickly became passionate about the game.

Zarev began playing poker over 15 years ago, starting with cash games and eventually playing high-stakes (NL5000) as a regular. He experienced a significant downswing when Full Tilt closed, losing a large portion of his bankroll and dropping from NL5k to NL200. After rebuilding, he transitioned to multi-table tournaments (MTTs), which he described as the hardest challenge of his career.

Tournament Success

Zarev has recorded 25 WSOP online cashes between 2022 and 2026, totaling approximately $60,000. His best result came in 2026 when he finished 168th in the WSOP Europe Main Event (€5,300 buy-in) for €14,000 ($15,260). Other notable cashes include a 36th place in a $210 WSOP Online event in 2022 for $9,494 and a 423rd place in the $5,000 WSOP Online Main Event in 2023 for $15,469. In live tournaments, his best result is $23,591 at EPT Barcelona, and his total live earnings exceed $40,000.

Ambassador Roles

Zarev achieved his dream of becoming a poker room ambassador, first for VBET UA and later for online poker UA. He built his online presence from scratch, streaming on Twitch and creating content on YouTube, Instagram, and Telegram. His streams are known for their humor and Odessa charm.

Poker School and Content Creation

Together with partners, Zarev co-founded the poker school "Evolution," where he serves as both a trainer and a student. He faced an ultimatum from online poker to choose between the school and his ambassadorship and chose the school. He also commentates on major tournaments (e.g., GGMillions finals) and interviews top players.

Zarev's primary discipline has been cash games, particularly No-Limit Hold'em high-stakes. He is known for a balanced approach, combining aggressive play with strong fundamentals. His transition to MTTs required relearning strategy, and he emphasizes the importance of adaptability. He is also a regular streamer, often analyzing hands live and sharing strategic insights.

Zarev is married to Irina Zareva, and they have two daughters. He is a dog lover with two dogs. He considers his family his greatest achievement. He is an avid fitness enthusiast, completed a public fitness marathon in 2021, and maintains a strict training regimen. His favorite book is "The Hobbit," and he identifies with the protagonist Bilbo. Zarev co-hosted a poker show with Ilya Gorodetsky about the most expensive hands of the week. During the war in Ukraine, he switched to speaking Ukrainian on his streams, which cost him 90% of his audience, but he persevered.