Aleksejs Ponakovs

Aleksejs Ponakovs, originally from Riga, Latvia, began his poker career primarily in the online sphere at age 18. Known online as “APonakov” on PokerStars, he accumulated over $1.8 million in cashes through various victories, including the $1,050 Thursday Thrill PKO for $43,153 and the Big $215 for $24,855. His online success extended to GGPoker, where he has earned over $4.5 million, profiting $1.8 million from its Super MILLION$ tournament alone. Ponakovs’ transition to live poker gained momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a rapid ascent in high-stakes events. It is noted that Ponakovs may have played Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) professionally in his earlier years.

Ponakovs’ live tournament presence grew significantly, marked by his first documented cash in May 2011. A pivotal moment occurred in August 2021 when he earned his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet by winning the $7,777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7s High Roller online at GGPoker, securing $432,491. His live Super High Roller debut in May 2022 at the €100,000 Triton Poker Series Madrid saw him finish fourth, earning €888,000. Just a month later in June 2022, Ponakovs captured his second WSOP bracelet by winning the $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller 8-Handed event at the 2022 WSOP, where he earned his first seven-figure haul of $1,897,363, notably preventing Phil Ivey from securing his 11th career bracelet.

His achievements continued at EPT Barcelona, with two final table appearances in €25,000 and €50,000 buy-in high rollers, contributing €830,340 to his earnings. In September 2022, he received another seven-figure prize of $1,350,000 for a sixth-place finish in a $200,000 buy-in event at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series in northern Cyprus. The year 2023 further solidified his standing with 13 cashes exceeding $100,000, including a career-best $2,540,000 for fourth place in a $262,500 buy-in event at Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London. Recent accomplishments include a third-place finish at the PokerStars EPT Paris Main Event in February 2024 for €574,850, and in May 2024, he won $2,200,000 for third place in a $125,000 event at the Triton Super High Roller Series in Montenegro. In December 2024, Ponakovs finished seventh in the $500,000 Triton Million bracelet event at the WSOP Paradise, earning $2,140,000.