Russian Poker Pro, Nikolay Evdakov, Passes Away at 47

The cause of Evdakov's death is, as of yet, unknown. His wife, Nataliya, reported the sobering news shortly after his passing on Monday via the Russian poker forum cgm.ru. Funeral services are set for Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the Troekurov Cemetery in Moscow, near Evdakov’s home.

Full Tilt Poker sponsored Evdakov after he made a name for himself in the poker world with a record setting 10 cashes in the 2008 World Series of Poker. The previous record was eight, and was co-held by Michael Binger, Chad Brown, Phil Hellmuth and Humberto Brenes. Following his sponsorship, he became a regular at mid- and high-stakes tournaments on the site.

The biggest cash of his career came during the 2011 WSOP $25,000 Heads Up Championship, where he placed seventh for $138,853. He followed that up with another six-figure score in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, finishing fourth, for $110,628. A gifted player, always a gentlemen, and an ambassador of the game, he will be missed by many.