Anton Yakubov: From Mathematics to Poker Pro

Anton Yakubov, a former mathematics student from Saint Petersburg, shares his journey into the world of poker. From his early interest in logical subjects to his first poker games, Yakubov's story is one of unexpected turns and dedication.

Yakubov was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His parents were trained as film projectionists, a profession that became nearly extinct. Yakubov's interest in mathematics began in elementary school, where he excelled in logical subjects. He even participated in and won several mathematics competitions during his school years.

Yakubov first learned about poker from friends who played the game for small stakes. He started playing poker on PartyPoker and later moved to Full Tilt Poker, where he participated in various freerolls and satellite tournaments. Yakubov's poker nickname, aJarov, was created randomly during registration on PartyPoker. The nickname is derived from the surname of a character in a fantasy story he once wrote.