Maxim Lykov wins EPT Kiev

It was only a matter of time before a Russian player won a European Poker Tour event although this was always likely to happen with the latest EPT being in Kiev. Maxim Lykov took down the five thousand euro main event for a three hundred and thirty thousand euro first place prize.

It is rare for a player to lead from start to finish in any poker tournament but Lykov came very close to doing just that when he grabbed the lead early on in the second day and held onto it until the very end. This was the first event in what was the sixth season of the European Poker Tour. Despite its geographical location, it still attracted no fewer than 296 players from no less than 33 different countries.

With no less than nearly 1.4 million euros in the pot, this was always going to attract some very strong poker players. In fact Lykov finished third in a $5000 World Series of Poker event this year, his result in the no-limit hold ‘em shootout enabled him to pick up a cool $145,000.

These two results have combined to give the young 21 year old kid from Moscow career earnings of more than six hundred thousand euros in no time at all. Lykov doesn’t seem to be resting on his laurels and is already planning to play many more events this year having obviously got the bit between his teeth. He plans to play the EPT events in Barcelona and London later on this year and who would back against this baby faced assassin from adding another high profile title to his poker belt very quickly.

The Russians do seem to be the new force in European poker and the growing numbers of Russian players who are making final tables in high profile World Series of Poker events, World Poker Tour and European Poker Tour events is growing by the year. The bear is most definitely well and truly on the march when it comes to poker.