Eugene Katchalov Poker Player Bio
Born in Kiev, Eugene Katchalov is a Ukrainian poker pro who spent his formative years in Brooklyn, having moved to the States with his family when he was 10. He earned a bachelor’s degree at the Stern School of Business at NYU, majoring in Finance and International Business, before moving on to become a stock market trader. He’d been a casual poker player since graduation, and turned poker pro in 2003.
Eugene’s live tournament record is one of the most impressive of any player in recent years, with huge cash finishes at most of the world’s biggest tournaments, in particular at PokerStars events. He’s cashed on the European Poker Tour (EPT) several times, including a 3rd place finish in the High Roller tournament at the London leg in Season 6 for $307,247, and another 3rd place at Barcelona in Season 8 for $453,812. He also scored a huge win at the first-ever $100,000 Super High Roller event at the 2011 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), beating Daniel Negreanu heads-up for prize money of $1,500,000. Amazingly, Eugene also cashed twice more at the same festival, including a 2nd place in the $10,000 6-Max tournament for another $131,920.
Eugene has a World Series of Poker* bracelet, won in 2011 when he took down a $1,500 Seven Card Stud event, good for $122,909, and he also has a number of further final table appearances and a top 40 finish in the 2009 Main Event. His biggest cash was a 3rd place finish in the $10,000 HORSE event in 2010 for $248,831. He’s also performed well on the World Poker Tour (WPT), with a consistent run of cash finishes since 2004. Highlights include a massive win at the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic in 2007, where Eugene bested the 664-strong player field to take the title and $2,482,605, one of the biggest payouts in WPT history, and the biggest prize of his career so far. There have also been deep runs and victories at various other events around the US and beyond, bringing Eugene’s total live earnings to more than $7,000,000, and his success in 2011 on the live tournament scene saw him voted Bluff Player of the Year. Eugene has also won big online, with two World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) titles to his name. The first came when he took down a Heads-Up event in 2009 for $170,000, followed by another victory in 2012, this time in a Stud Hi/Lo event for $24,588.
Already one of the most successful live poker players of all time, and a legend of the game in his native Ukraine, Eugene looks destined for more success in the years to come, and will keep hitting the tournament scene hard while playing for the world’s largest poker site. He resides in Kiev, Ukraine, and is a member of Team PokerStars Pro. You can find him playing online with the screen name ‘E. Katchalov’ on the PokerStars global site, and as ‘KatchalovFR’ on the French license site.
Check out Eugene’s official website here.
Career Highlights
| Event | Date | Position | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellagio Cup III $5,000 No Limit Hold’em | June 2007 | 1st | $118,785 |
| WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic | December 2007 | 1st | $2,482,605 |
| 2008 WSOP* $10,000 Championship Omaha Hi/Lo | June 2008 | 6th | $110,450 |
| WPT $25,000 Championship Main Event | April 2009 | 9th | $130,735 |
| 2009 WSOP* $10,000 Championship Main Event | July 2009 | 39th | $178,857 |
| PokerStars WCOOP No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up | September 2009 | 1st | $170,000 |
| EPT London £20,000 High Roller | October 2009 | 3rd | $307,247 |
| 2010 WSOP* $10,000 HORSE Championship | June 2010 | 3rd | $248,831 |
| 2010 WSOP* $25,000 No Limit Hold’em Six Handed | July 2010 | 6th | $194,559 |
| PCA $100,000 Super High Roller | January 2011 | 1st | $1,500,000 |
| PCA $10,000 High Roller - 6 Max | January 2011 | 2nd | $131,920 |
| 2011 WSOP* $1,500 Seven Card Stud | June 2011 | 1st | $122,090 |
| EPT Barcelona €5,300 No Limit Hold'em Main Event | September 2011 | 3rd | $453,812 |
| PokerStars WCOOP $10,300 8-Game | September 2011 | 2nd | $140,000 |
| PokerStars WCOOP $215 Limit Stud Hi/Lo | September 2012 | 1st | $24,588 |
| 2013 WSOP $5,000 Pot Limit Hold’em | June 2013 | 5th | $58,912 |
*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Caesars License Company, LLC ("Caesars"). Caesars does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with PokerStars or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.
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