Pulse of Poker: Russia

18.09.2008, Lesen Sie hier den Bericht über «Pulse of Poker: Russia».

By Aaron Angerman Pokerpages.com

Lately, Russia has been in the news for unpleasant reasons. While the attention of the world was fixated on the Olympic Games in Beijing, the Democratic Republic of Georgia launched a military attack on the Russia's South Ossetia province. Georgia was looking to take back Ossetia after some 16 years of Russian control. When Russia met the former Soviet republic with force (i.e. tanks), NATO, the U.S. and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe not only ordered a cease-fire, but insisted the involved parties to work it out, peacefully.

Just a short time ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin's plate was filled with non- violent, gaming issues. More recently, Putin saw his new gambling bill countered by a landmark legal decision, instigated by a poker lobbyist. Thanks to that ruling, the game of poker is now classified as a sport in Russia.

In November of 2006, a proposed gaming zoning bill Putin was passed by a vote of 440-0. The bill was designed to control gambling by banishing it to four specific zones; two to be set in European Russia, one in Siberia and one in the Far East. Putin was fueled to make the move by his desire to sever the gaming industries ties with the Georgian mafia. While it's hard to argue that scaring off the mafia wasn't the right move, poker fans sat uneasy as the new legislation could make the average home game, or even an online poker session, punishable by law.

Fast-forward to April of 2007. Thanks to a convincing argument by Dmitry Lesnoy, president of the Sport Federation of Russia, on poker being an "intellectual game", and a decision by the Russian Federation's Federal Agency of Physical Culture and Sports, poker tournaments were now classified as official sport competitions in the nation of Russia, granting what appears to be a poker-green light to a nation just oozing with talent and potential.

In this, the global age of poker, Russia is just one of many poker playing nations represented at the toughest tables in the biggest games in the world. But over the last year, Russian players have been stealing the spotlight.

The most prominent face in the Russian game is probably Alexander Kravchenko. The Moscow- based businessman turned poker pro burst onto the scene in 2007, when he took down the $1,500 buy-in Omaha High-Low championship. He backed that up with an appearance at the Main Event final table, an experience that not only made Kravchenko a household name across the poker community, but earned him $1.8 million in 4th-place prize money. That cash was his sixth for the series. To date, his resume includes more than 60 cashes dating back to 2000 totaling about $2.5 million, which was enough to earn Kravchenko a spot on the Team PokerStars Pro roster.

Joining Kravchenko in the WSOP winners circle is Rafael Perivoskin. You may know him better as Ralph Perry. Perry moved to the U.S. from Russia in the early nineties and immediately picked up the game upon his arrival in New York. It wouldn't be long before he packed up for Las Vegas and quickly became one of the finest cash game players around. But this Russian product isn't a one trick pony. By the time he earned over half a million dollars for his third-place finish in the 2002 Main Event, Perry had ten considerable cashes under his belt. By 2006, Rafael had himself a gold bracelet, earned by outlasting a dangerous PLO field. While his cash game presence has limited Perry to about ½ the cashes Kravchenko enjoyed, Perry made his count just the same and is also hovering around the $2.5 million mark for tournament winnings.

While the name Nikolay Evdakov may receive the recognition as the names above, but, like Kravchenko, this Russian pro has parlayed recent success into an impressive sponsorship deal. Evdakov picked up his first cash just a couple years ago, back in 2006. It was good for a win, earning Evdakov $37,000. Within the next nine months, Evdakov would cash another four times, three of those good for wins as well. Then, at the 2008 WSOP, Evdakov became the definition of "serial casher". Evdakov would pick up his last cash of the series in Event #50, the PLO World Championship, giving him an even ten for the series, shattering the record of eight, held by the likes of Michael Binger, Humberto Brenes and Phil Hellmuth. It wouldn't be long before Full Tilt gobbled up the player who leapfrogged such an elite list, ensuring we'll see a lot more of this cashing machine.

But what about the up-and-coming talent? With the arrival of players like Alexander Kostritsyn and Svetlana Gromenkova, they have that covered to.

The poker world was shocked. Some kid from Russia had just carved up the 2008 Aussie Millions final table, including outlasting eight-time bracelet winner Erik Seidel in heads-up play, to earn the title and more than $1.25 million. Finally of age, Kostritsyn was able to put to rest any doubts of his game with his performance in the 2008 WSOP. The 21-year-old would cash six times during the series, including a final table appearance in the 7-Stud World Championship. Kostritsyn finished in 3rd-place in that event, two spots higher than Aussie opponent Seidel.

Perhaps the only player of Russian descent more deserving of praise after the 2008 WSOP is Svetlana Gromenkova. The female professional, better known as "Glum Girl" for her expressions at the table, was victorious in the annual Ladies Event. Over the last three years, Gromenkova, who now calls New York home, has amassed nearly $400,000 in winnings and helps to carry the hopes of not only the Russian poker community, but the hopes of all female players as well.

But the player who may carry the most hope for the Russian poker world actually only has one "real" cash on his resume. That player is young Ivan Demidov. A friend and backer helped Demidov, 27, buy his seat into the Main Event. With only two cashes on his resume (worth ~$42,000), Demidov defied the odds and became one of the Main Event final tablists, perhaps better known as the "November Nine". Upon returning to the Rio on November 9th, the Moscow native will trail only American Dennis Phillips in the chip counts. Who knows what a Main Event win would mean for the boom that appears to be just off in the distance.

But many questions still attempt to cloud the bright future of poker in Russia. Will the growing market attract major poker events? Will the abundance of poker talent be enough to carry on the Russian poker player buzz? How long will poker be defined as a sport? Is this all temporary?

Well, since the "sport" ruling, poker clubs have been showing up all over Moscow. Most of which come completely independent of other gaming, these are strictly poker. With events like August's Zavidovo Open and the Moscow Millions (won by native Lithuanian Tony G) taking place inside the borders, Russia has proven that it is able to handle large tournaments with ridiculous price tags. It seems like just a matter of time before the APPT adds a Russia stop. Maybe the EPT would consider it, seeing how they already have a Caribbean stop on their schedule.

There is no arguing the talent. Just being a part of the "November Nine" has put Demidov on the map, but a strong performance, or win, would catapult future Russian poker player stock to new heights. Just look what it did for Kravchenko. And if Evdakov inked a deal, the Kostritsyn signing now seems inevitable.

But is the "sport" ruling here to stay? Some residents feel that while the sprouting poker clubs and highly publicized legislation could possibly just be a flash in the pan, feeling that a change in heart, and law, could banish poker to the four gambling sectors, like a simple slot machine or Baccarat table. And while you sit and wonder how a country mired wire centuries of social issues and political problems could find an answer sooner than the U.S., you might want to listen to what some of our top gaming minds have to say.

After Macau ended the Ho family monopoly over the gaming industry, American gaming institutions, such as Harrah's, MGM and Las Vegas Sands jumped at the chance to construct billions of dollars worth of property in the Chinese territory. American's seem a little more cautious when it comes to testing the Russian waters.

According to Gambling Compliance Ltd., Sheldon Adelson, CEO of Las Vegas Sands, said that he "would not like to invest in the country where I will not be confident of tomorrow."

Last week, it was announced that a peace agreement had been reached between Russia and Georgia, perhaps a couple bombs and few-hundred casualties too late, but good news, none- the-less. The demand for poker in Russia is at an all -time high. A win by Demidov come November could increase that demand exponentially, paving the way for Russia's poker boom. More importantly, if this "poker as a sport" ruling holds up, Russia may be setting the bar in poker legislation, giving the game the title of "skill game", which we all know it deserves.

On July 1, 2009, gaming establishments operating outside the designated gaming zones are to be close. Many have already seen the writing on the wall and packed up shop. The new gaming zone bill still has some question marks and the location of the four designated areas are still in flux, but establishing the "poker as a sport" ruling in Russia could go down as one of the more important poker rulings in history.

Über Swiss Poker:

Casinos.ch ist die Gaming & Entertainment-Plattform der Schweiz und mit über 20 Informationsportalen und rund 100 Internetnamen (Domains) das grosse News- und Pressenetzwerk der Casino- und Glücksspielszene in Europa.

Aktuelle News, Interviews, Fotos und spannende Stories - direkt und live aus den Schweizer Casinos, der Spielbankenszene Deutschlands, über das monegassische Casino von Monte Carlo. Weitere Casinos aus ganz Europa und der ganzen Welt finden Sie auf www.casinos.ch. Und last but not least natürlich auch aus der Sin City 'Las Vegas'.

Die Informationen sind unterteilt in die Bereiche Casino-Informationen, aktuelle News, Events, Jackpot und Tournament-Informationen, Fotogalerien, Live- Berichte und Interviews sowie ein täglich wechselndes Glückshoroskop.

--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung Pulse of Poker: Russia ---


Weitere Informationen und Links:

		
 
Weitere Nachrichten der Gaming-Branche