For some, poker is an escape. For others, a job.
And for people like pro player, streamer and content creator Denys Chufarin, it can be both.
In the latest episode of the eye-opening web series from GGPoker, Online Poker Millionaires, Chufarin shares his unique take on the professional poker lifestyle. Watch an exclusive clip from the new episode above.
It’s a job that he loves, and provides a comfortable living for himself and his family. But it’s also a way of life that enabled him to up sticks and move — taking his career with him — when his home country of Ukraine was invaded by Russia in 2022.
“In my mind I had thought, there is a chance that Russia will attack us,” he recalls. And, while at the time many considered it an impossibility, Chufarin felt it was more an improbability. And his poker-trained brain knew that the improbable happens all the time.
“As a poker player I thought, ‘What are the chances [Russia invades]?’ 5%, I would say. But 5%? It is a lot, bro! I’ve had so many times when I’ve lost with 95%.”
His instincts were correct. Chufarin and his family went to spend some time in Thailand, extending their travels while they watched the situation worsen from afar, eventually becoming a full-scale invasion. They came to terms with the fact they would not be returning any time soon.
With the war still raging they’ve since relocated to British Columbia in Canada, where they’re now based permanently. And where GGPoker ambassador Chufarin can continue to play on the site he represents.
A former cash game speciaist, Chufarin has more recently shifted his focus to tournaments.The journey from $65 to $4.7M in winnings
A new life in Canada hasn’t disrupted his flow at the online tables, and the episode follows him as he competes for the huge prizes available in the GG World Festival.
Spending around $50K on online buy-ins in a single day, he has come a long way from where he started.
His bankroll in 2009 was just $65. A year later, it was $30K. Now a glance at his online balance shows almost $200K in ready funds, waiting to be put into action — presumably just a fraction of his bankroll.
But for Chufarin, money is not an end in itself, nor a fix-all solution.
“People say, ‘If I had a million dollars, I would be happy’. I’ve met so many people with millions of dollars who are struggling, who are unhappy. And I know so many people who make $50-100K a year, and they are happy. You have to find your rhythm, and poker allows you to choose.
“What do you want from your life? In terms of the story, what do you need? Money, but for what?
“That’s what poker gives to us. Freedom of will, but also freedom of thinking… You can see the whole picture, wider.”
Poker is about risk and reward, navigating dangerous boards, situations and opponents.
But Chufarin sees something unexpected amid the danger: safety.
Watch the full episode below.
Watch the whole episode now above or at the GGPoker YouTube channel, where previous episodes on Kelvin Kerber and Alex Theologis are also available.
Additional image courtesy of WSOP.
