I thought that was pretty cool, and as I am competitive, love playing games, and there was money to be won, I thought, why not give it a go?”Īs a candidate for the most talented young mathematician in Russia he probably had a lot of support for his idea. “A friend won $7k playing online poker in a few months. How Kuznetsov Transformed into a World-Beater Growing up in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Kuznetsov was the eldest of three children and it was obvious earlier just how smart the young man was.Īt the age of 17 Kuznetsov relocated to Moscow to study mathematics and applied theory of probabilities at Moscow State University, with both parents in tow. Most people would think this is insane, but on closer examination it is easy to see the calibre of mind we are dealing with here. It says a lot about Kuznetsov when as a green 19-year-old he set a target of making more than $10 million within three years of taking up the game. The Russian superstar is thought to be the toughest NL cash game opponent around these days and his fellow elite players have no problem admitting that he is the man to beat.Ī person’s ambitions tell a lot about their character. Timofey “Trueteller” Kuznetsov gave an interview earlier this year detailing his rise to stardom from humble beginnings.
