Seat 3: Andrei Nikonov, Russia – 1,280,000 | bwin WPT Merit Cyprus Classic

Andrei Nikonov is a 23 year old from St Petersburg who has been a professional poker player for the past four years. This is his second WPT cash after finishing place at WPT Prague last season in 56th place and he has $319,357 in live tournament earnings. Nikonov came to prominence when he became the only man to win any pot of note from Alexey Rybin late on Day Three. Day Four was a tough day for Nikonov, as he became the whipping boy for the short stacks. The youngster doubling up both Jerfi Firatli and Kifr Yamin as he struggled to make up the ground between himself and Rybin. Nikonov’s biggest live cash to date came in 2012 when he took $182,710 after winning the Russian Poker Tour in Kiev.

Bio and photo courtesy of the WPT