Maxim Lykov

Maxim Lykov (Russian: Максим Лыков) was born on September 21, 1987 in Balashikha, Russia, and currently resides in Moscow. He began his poker career online under the screen names "Decay" or "superdecay", quickly establishing a reputation as a high-stakes regular in the Russian poker community.

In 2011, Lykov won the WSOP $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event, defeating 4,576 players to take home $648,880 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. Earlier, in 2009, he won the EPT Kyiv Main Event for $473,088, his first EPT title. Additionally, he finished 4th in the 2011 EPT San Remo Main Event ($430,621) and 3rd in the PCA Super High Roller that same year ($369,490).

Lykov continued to show strength in major live tournaments. In 2025, he won the Wynn Summer Classic $1,100 event for $230,842. That same year, he placed 131st and 36th in the WPT World Championship and WPT Prime Championship respectively, earning $25,000 and $25,500. As of the latest data, his live tournament earnings exceed $4,548,620, ranking him near the top of Russia's all-time money list.

As a member of Team PokerStars Pro, Lykov is highly regarded in the online poker world. He is known for his aggressive and creative style, adept at using position and stack depth to apply pressure, and dynamically adjusting his strategies based on opponent types. His online success complements his live performance, making him one of Russia's most well-rounded poker players.

Lykov's online nickname "Decay" is widely discussed on poker forums, and he is seen as an iconic figure in the rise of Russian poker. Despite maintaining a low profile, his WSOP and EPT victories have earned him the label "Russian Poker Ambassador." Rumors suggest he grew rapidly during the early poker boom, though specific details remain rarely disclosed.