Eugene Katchalov

Eugene Katchalov was born on February 21, 1981, in Kyiv, Ukraine. At the age of 10, he moved with his parents to Brooklyn, New York, where he grew up and learned to play poker. He graduated from New York University with a business degree before turning to professional poker in 2003 at age 22. Katchalov is nicknamed "The Connoisseur" for his appreciation of fine wine and food, and is known for his friendly, humble demeanor.

Katchalov's first WSOP cash came in 2005, and his breakthrough came in 2008 when he cashed five times, including a 6th-place finish in the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo World Championship for $110,450. The following year, he made another final table in the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Shootout and placed 39th in the Main Event ($178,857). At the 2010 WSOP, Katchalov earned $540,000 across four cashes, highlighted by a 3rd-place finish in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship ($248,831) and a 6th in the $25,000 Six-Handed event ($194,559).

His crowning achievement came in 2011 when he won the $1,500 Seven Card Stud event, earning his first WSOP bracelet and $122,909. He added six more cashes in 2012. Overall, Katchalov has 30 WSOP money finishes and over $1 million in WSOP earnings.

Katchalov's most famous victory came at the 2007 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, a $15,000 No-Limit Hold'em event. He defeated a strong field to win $2,482,605 — the largest payday in a non-championship WPT event at the time. He also finished 9th in the 2009 $25,000 WPT Championship ($130,735). Across nine WPT cashes, his total earnings exceed $2.9 million. In recent years, Katchalov has continued to post WPT scores, including a 9th-place finish at the 2025 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown ($65,000) and a 40th in the 2025 WPT World Championship ($71,000).

On the European Poker Tour, Katchalov has nine Main Event cashes, including third-place finishes in London (2009) and Barcelona (2011), and a runner-up in Deauville (2014). At the 2011 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, he won the $100,000 Super High Roller, defeating Daniel Negreanu heads-up for $1.5 million. Days later, he placed second in the $10,000 High Roller Six-Max event for $131,920. These results cemented his reputation as a high-stakes specialist.

Katchalov is known for a versatile, analytical style. He blends loose-aggressive and tight-solid play, adjusting to opponents and exploiting weaknesses. His strong grasp of pot odds and implied odds allows precise value bets and bluffs. Post-flop, he uses position to create difficult spots, and his table reading skills enable quick identification of weaknesses. This adaptability has made him a consistent force in both tournaments and cash games.

In March 2011, Katchalov joined Team PokerStars Pro, playing under the screen name "E.Katchalov" (previously "MyRabbiFoo" online). He left the team after five years. In late 2016, he co-founded QLASH, an Italian eSports team, with friend and fellow poker player Luca Pagano. The team competed at Dreamhack events. Katchalov returned to the poker scene in 2024 and discussed his career, the Russia-Ukraine war, and a new project aiding recreational players on the Life Outside Poker podcast. He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, and is ranked #403 on the Global Poker Index, with a career-high ranking of #2. He stands first on the All-Time Money List for Ukraine.

Eugene Katchalov's career live tournament earnings stand at $9,294,703 (Hendon Mob) as of 2025. He has 30 WSOP cashes, 9 WPT cashes, and 9 EPT Main Event cashes. His Global Poker Index ranking is #403, with a career peak of #2. He is the all-time money leader from Ukraine and ranks 177th on the global all-time money list. His largest single cash is $2,482,605 from winning the 2007 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, which remains the biggest payout in a non-championship WPT event.

After a brief hiatus, Katchalov returned to the felt in 2024, participating in the Life Outside Poker podcast and launching a project to assist recreational players. In 2025, he demonstrated his enduring skills by cashing in two major WPT events: finishing 9th in the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown for $65,000 and 40th in the WPT World Championship for $71,000. These results brought his total WPT cashes to 13 and his career live earnings past $9.2 million. Katchalov continues to be a competitive presence in high-stakes tournaments worldwide.