Nikita Kuznetsov

Nikita Kuznetsov hails from Perm, Russia. Like many top-tier pros from his region, he built his foundation in the highly competitive online arenas, playing under various screen names. He developed a reputation as an "online wizard," capable of handling the high swings of professional tournament poker. His online success culminated in September 2021 when he finished third in the $5,000 WSOP Online Main Event on GGPoker, earning a life-changing $1,430,073. This remains his largest cash to date.

Kuznetsov transitioned to live tournaments with immediate impact. At the 2021 World Series of Poker, he finished runner-up in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed Championship, earning $445,892 after a tough heads-up battle with Ben Yu. He came incredibly close to winning a WSOP bracelet multiple times. In June 2026, he again placed second in the $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em Heads-Up event, taking home $528,000. As of mid-2026, Kuznetsov has 5 WSOP final tables and over 40 cashes, with total WSOP earnings approaching $2.5 million.

Beyond the WSOP, Kuznetsov has achieved notable results across the World Poker Tour, Triton Poker Series, and European Poker Tour. On the WPT, he has three cashes totaling $73,840, including an 11th-place finish in the 2021 WPT Online Series Main Event ($25,646) and a 6th-place finish in the 2023 WPT Alpha8 at Wynn Las Vegas ($192,424). In the Triton Super High Roller Series, he placed 7th in the $15,000 No-Limit Hold'em Eight Max at Triton Jeju (Spring) 2025 for $182,000, and runner-up in the $30,000 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo Bounty at Triton Monte Carlo in November 2024 for $438,000. At the European Poker Tour, he has 6 cashes with 2 final tables, accumulating $307,886.

Kuznetsov continues to stay active in high-stakes tournaments. His most recent recorded live cash came on June 21, 2026, earning $86,568 at an undisclosed event. In 2025, he finished 52nd in the WSOP $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six Max ($21,194) and 44th in the WSOP Online Super Circuit Main Event ($53,462). These results underscore his consistent ability to compete at the highest level.

Kuznetsov is known for his technical precision and fearless approach, representing a new generation of Russian pros who combine deep mathematical study with aggressive, balanced play. He excels in deep-stack situations, leveraging position and range advantage. Despite his success, he maintains a low public profile, rarely granting interviews. His online screen names have garnered attention, and he is respected by peers for his adaptability across formats.

Kuznetsov has over $5.1 million in live tournament earnings from 173 recorded cashes. Combined with online results, his total exceeds $6.1 million. He has 5 WSOP final tables but no bracelet, ranking 14th among Russian all-time money winners. His best live cash is $528,000 (2nd in WSOP Heads-Up 2026), and his best online cash is $1.43 million (3rd in WSOP Online Main Event). His versatility in both online and live settings positions him as one of Russia's premier poker talents.

Nikita Kuznetsov has been featured on the GPI/THM Poker Podcast Network, discussing his career and strategies. He has also been nominated for or mentioned in the Global Poker Awards, reflecting his standing among the poker elite. His performances are regularly tracked by the Global Poker Index, where he holds a notable ranking.

Kuznetsov's results have earned him a spot on the Global Poker Index (GPI) Player of the Year leaderboard and the FlagHunter Leaderboard, which ranks players by number of cashes. He has also participated in The Hendon Mob Championship (THMC) events, further demonstrating his versatility across different tournament formats.