Meet the Team Behind Russian Poker Tour: The Great Seven of RPT

Russian Poker Tour (RPT) is the first major poker series in the CIS. The tournaments have long held a firm place in the calendar of Russian players. It's time to introduce the team that has ensured the success of these series and continues to work for the development of offline poker.

Eric Shahbazyan is the founder, organizer, and ideological inspirer of the RPT poker series. He is known for solving any questions and problems for players, managers, and everyone around. During his studies at Moscow State University, he began publishing magazines 'Casino Style,' which later became 'Poker Style' and 'Private Banking.' He produced the first poker show on Russian television, 'Poker Club,' organized 'Sobranie Poker Open,' and launched the largest tournament series in the CIS, Russian Poker Tour.

Oleg Udenko is the head of the team of managers and dealers at all stages of the Russian Poker Tour. He graduated from the Kharkiv University of Radio Electronics. Before starting his career as a poker manager, he was the director and one of the founders of investment companies 'Bestbroke,' 'Izobit-service,' and 'Forex Ukraine.' He first encountered poker in 2005 at the Kharkiv club 'Royal Poker Club,' where he was infected with the poker virus. Since then, he has been an active carrier and spreader of the virus, participating in numerous tournaments with small and medium buy-ins. He is the owner of the youth Cup of Ukraine, of which he is very proud. In 2008, he took the position of tournament director at the Kyiv club 'Platon,' after which he was invited to permanent work in the Poker Federation of Ukraine as the head of the analytical department. He possesses encyclopedic knowledge of various poker rules, which he uses to 'put in place' players and colleagues.