Igor Kurganov

Igor Kurganov was born on May 5, 1988 in St. Petersburg, Russia, and moved to Germany with his family at a young age. He studied mathematics in Munich before transitioning to professional poker. Kurganov started playing online poker under the screen name "lechuckpoker" and made his first live tournament appearance in 2010 at the PCA Main Event, finishing 119th for $20,000.

Kurganov's breakthrough win came in 2012 at the EPT Monte Carlo €25,000 High Roller, defeating Daniel Negreanu and others to take the title and $1,425,874. In 2013, he made three final tables at the Aussie Millions, earning over $1 million in total, and finished sixth in the Guangdong Asia Millions Main Event for $1,069,137.

In 2017, Kurganov partnered with his girlfriend Liv Boeree to win the WSOP $10,000 Tag Team event, earning his first gold bracelet and $273,964. That same year, he won the PokerStars Championship Barcelona Super High Roller for an additional $1,273,165. Other top results include third place in the 2014 EPT Monte Carlo $100,000 Super High Roller ($1,559,373) and fourth in the 2019 WSOP $100,000 High Roller ($840,183).

As of 2025, his total live tournament earnings exceed $19,145,011, ranking 65th on the all-time money list (second among Russian players).

In 2014, Kurganov co-founded "Raising for Effective Giving (REG)" with Liv Boeree. The organization advocates for rational donations, focusing on supporting highly effective charities. As of July 2020, REG had raised over $14 million. Kurganov personally focuses on organizations researching existential risks. After winning his WSOP bracelet in 2017, he and Boeree donated 50% of the prize money to REG.

During 2021-2022, Kurganov provided coordination advice for Elon Musk's charitable donations.

Kurganov has lived in Munich, London, and recently moved to Austin, Texas. He has been in a relationship with British poker player Liv Boeree since 2014, and they married during Burning Man 2025.

Kurganov is known for his calm and disciplined approach, with a solid foundation in game theory and the ability to adjust flexibly to opponents. He excels in post-flop decision-making and accumulating advantages in deep-stacked phases, demonstrating patience and discipline in both high-stakes cash games and tournaments.

Kurganov is not only a top-tier player but also, through REG, has directed resources from the poker community toward effective global charities, setting a benchmark for rational philanthropy. His success demonstrates the potential of combining mathematical thinking, strategic discipline, and social responsibility.