Nationality
Latvian citizen
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Born (date and place of birth)
September 12, 1991, Riga, Latvia
Residence (current location)
Riga, Latvia
Year started playing poker
2010 (started online poker at age 18)
Age when started playing
Started serious poker at age 18
Year turned professional
Transitioned to professional poker before 2021, with significant live results from 2022 onward
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
August 2021, $7,777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s High Roller online at GGPoker for $432,491
First important tournament
First documented live tournament cash in May 2011
First sponsor/backing
Does not have an online poker sponsorship as of 2025
Total live tournament winnings
Over $30,000,000 in live and online poker tournament earnings combined
Number of tournament wins
Multiple first-place finishes including 2 WSOP bracelets
Number of final tables
At least 7 WSOP final tables and numerous other high roller final tables
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
$2,540,000 for 4th place at $262,500 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series London in August 2023
WSOP bracelets (number)
2 (First bracelet in August 2021 online at GGPoker, second in 2022 WSOP $100,000 High Roller live event)
WSOP cashes (number)
47 cashes
WSOP final tables
7 final tables
Best WSOP Main Event result
33rd place in 2013 WSOP Main Event
Super high roller results ($100K+)
Multiple top finishes in $100K+ buy-in Super High Roller events including Triton series
High roller wins ($25K-$100K)
Wins in $25K-$100K range including 2023 RRPO $25,500 High Roller for $682,238
Online tournament winnings
Over $6 million in online tournament cashes including $4.5 million in GGPoker Super MILLION$ events
Major online titles
Multiple major online tournament titles including $1,050 PokerStars Thursday Thrill PKO and large GGPoker events
Poker team
Not currently affiliated with any major poker sponsorship team
Highest stakes played
Regularly plays $100,000+ buy-in high roller and super high roller tournaments
Country ranking
Number one on Latvian All-Time Money List for poker
All Time Money List position
Among top Latvian tournament earners, over $30 million lifetime earnings combined
Average tournament win
Career average cashes generally high given multiple multi-hundred-thousand and million-dollar prizes
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Notable peaks in 2022 and 2023 with seven-figure cashes and consistent high roller success
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
No-Limit Hold'em specialist, focuses primarily on tournament play and high roller events
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Primarily live high roller and super high roller tournaments; significant online tournament activity
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Mostly 6-max and 8-max tournament formats in high roller events
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
No-Limit Hold'em primarily; also competes in Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments
Specialization limits
Focus on high stakes $25K to $500K buy-ins in tournaments
Online rooms where plays
Plays on PokerStars as "APonakov" and on GGPoker under own name; also active on other major online platforms
Favorite casinos/locations
Frequently plays at Triton Poker Series venues, Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, EPT Barcelona, WSOP venues
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Aggressive and focused tournament player with strong endgame skills in high roller fields
Known for bluffs/traps
Known for selective and well-timed bluffing balanced with strong value betting
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Intuitive with emotional intelligence focus; does not rely heavily on solvers but uses deep game understanding
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable to different opponents and changing game dynamics at high stakes
Playing strengths
Tournament stamina, emotional control, high roller tournament strategy, heads-up play
GTO strategy usage
Limited reliance on solvers; prefers exploiting opponents beyond strict GTO lines
Poker software usage
Uses poker training tools and review software but focuses on psychological and intuitive game adjustments
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
Has appeared in poker media interviews and featured in tournament coverage, no major recurring TV show roles
High Stakes Poker participation (seasons/episodes)
No recorded High Stakes Poker show participation
Poker After Dark appearances (episodes/dates)
Not documented
Documentary films featuring (titles and links)
Not documented
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Several major poker interviews including PokerNews and PokerGO podcasts discussing his strategic approach
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Guest on PokerGO podcast with Jonathan Jaffe discussing emotional intelligence and GTO deviations
YouTube channel (name, subscriber count, link)
Does not publish content publicly on YouTube
Posting frequency in social media
Very low social media and public posting frequency
Type of content in social media
Mostly poker results and occasional tournament photos shared by third parties
Current sponsors (company names, deal details if public)
No current sponsorship deals despite high profile and earnings
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
Provides occasional private coaching focused on poker mindset but no public coaching business
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Featured in articles on PokerNews, CardPlayer, and PokerGO covering tournament results and strategies
Poker community criticism (specific criticisms, responses)
Some critique over low social media presence but praised for poker skill and consistency
Response to criticism (statements, actions taken)
Emphasizes dedication to game and preference for privacy over media attention
Peer recognition (specific recognitions, award details)
Highly respected among professional high roller tournament players
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Two WSOP bracelets; top Latvian tournament poker career earnings leader; multiple seven-figure tournament cashes
Records associated with name (record descriptions, verification)
Holds top spot on Latvian all-time money list; remarkable success in Triton Poker Super High Roller series
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Prominent figure in popularizing Latvian presence in elite poker super high roller events
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Emerging as one of Latvia’s greatest poker players with significant impact on high roller tournament scene
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Seen as a model of combining online and live success at super high stakes tournament level
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
2024 | USA | WSOP | Las Vegas | $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller | 100000 | 1 | 1897363 | 62 | 450 | |||| 2021 | Online | WSOP.com | Online | $7,777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s High Roller | 7777 | 1 | 432491 | | | |||| 2024 | USA | WSOP Paradise | Bahamas | $500,000 Triton Million Event | 500000 | 7 | 2140000 | | | |||| 2013 | USA | WSOP | Las Vegas | Main Event | 10000 | 33 | | | |
EPT (European Poker Tour) - all seasons
2024 | France | EPT | Paris | Main Event | 5300 | 3 | 574850 | | | |||| 2016 | Czech Republic | EPT | Prague | Main Event | | 48 | 17200 | |
WSOP Paradise
2024 | Bahamas | WSOP Paradise | Bahamas | $500,000 Triton Million | 500000 | 7 | 2140000 | | |
WSOP Online events
2021 | Online | WSOP.com | Online | $7,777 No-Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s High Roller | 7777 | 1 | 432491 | |
Triton Poker Series
2025 | Korea | Triton Poker | Jeju | $150,000 No-Limit Hold'em Eight Max | 150000 | 2 | 3139000 | 158 | | |||| 2024 | Montenegro | Triton Poker Super High Roller Series | Montenegro | $125,000 No-Limit Hold'em | 125000 | 3 | 2200000 | | | |||| 2023 | London | Triton Poker Super High Roller Series | London | $262,500 No-Limit Hold'em Invitational | 262500 | 4 | 2540000 | 91 | | |||| 2022 | Spain | Triton Poker Series | Madrid | €100,000 No-Limit Hold’em | 100000 | 4 | 888000 | | |
Aria High Roller Series
2024 | USA | Aria Resort & Casino | Las Vegas | $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller | 10100 | 2 | 104920 | | | |||| 2023 | USA | Aria Resort & Casino | Las Vegas | $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller | 10100 | 4 | 67000 | | |
Wynn Classic
2025 | USA | Wynn Casino | Summer Classic | $25,800 No-Limit Hold'em Eight Max | 25800 | 1 | 297150 | 93 | |
Aria tournaments
2023 | USA | Aria Resort & Casino | High Roller Event | $10,100 NLH | 10100 | 1 | 171000 | 93 | |
PokerStars tournaments
2021 | Online | PokerStars | Online | $1,050 Thursday Thrill PKO | 1050 | 1 | 43153 | | |
GGPoker events
2025 | Online | GGPoker | GGMillion$ High Rollers | 10300 | 1 | 321152 | 158 | | |||| 2021 | Online | GGPoker | Super MILLION$ | | | $4.5 million+ total winnings |
Has provided commentary and analysis for high roller events on streaming platforms occasionally