Nazar Buhaiov: Career, Poker Results and Major Tournament Accomplishments

Nazar Buhaiov is a Ukrainian tournament poker player whose rise through the international circuit has included deep runs at the World Series of Poker, a European Poker Tour final table and multiple live tournament victories.

Although Buhaiov has not yet won a WSOP bracelet or World Poker Tour title, his results place him among Ukraine’s most successful active tournament players. His résumé is led by a fifth-place finish in the 2026 EPT Paris Main Event, a 28th-place run in the 2025 WSOP Main Event and victories at Wynn Las Vegas and Merit Poker festivals.

Public information about Buhaiov’s life away from poker remains limited. His tournament record, however, shows a player who has become increasingly competitive in large-field no-limit hold’em events at major stops in Europe, Montenegro and Las Vegas.

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Nazar Buhaiov Poker Profile

Full name: Nazar Buhaiov
Nationality: Ukrainian
Primary game: No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournaments
WSOP bracelets: 0
WSOP Circuit rings: 0
WPT titles: 0
EPT titles: 0
Notable live victory: 2024 Wynn Summer Classic $3,000 Six-Max
Best recorded live cash: Approximately $357,500
Major championship result: Fifth place in the 2026 EPT Paris Main Event

Tournament earnings databases do not always use the same methodology. The Hendon Mob, which primarily tracks live results, listed Buhaiov with approximately $2.46 million in live earnings in July 2026. Card Player listed more than $3 million in recorded earnings but noted that its total also included online events played under confirmed real names. Because tournament databases are updated continually, both figures should be treated as snapshots rather than permanent totals.

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Building an International Tournament Résumé

Buhaiov’s results show a concentration in no-limit hold’em, particularly in large-field tournaments and events with buy-ins ranging from the mid-stakes level to $10,000 championships.

One of his earlier documented titles came during a 2022 Merit Poker festival in Montenegro, where he won the €777 Opening Event. That result began a successful relationship with Merit Poker events in the country and preceded a second title there four years later.

His profile grew considerably during the 2023 WSOP Paradise series. Buhaiov finished second in the $1,500 Millionaire Maker competition, earning a recorded $593,500. Card Player classifies that result among his confirmed real-name earnings, although it is not treated as a standard live cash by every tournament database.

That distinction explains why some sources identify the WSOP Paradise result as his largest recorded tournament score, while live-only databases list his later EPT Paris payday as his career-best live result.

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Breakthrough Victory at the 2024 Wynn Summer Classic

Buhaiov earned one of the most significant outright victories of his career at the 2024 Wynn Summer Classic in Las Vegas.

He won the $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max event for $159,287. Six-handed tournaments generally create more frequent blind pressure and require players to contest a wider range of pots than they would at a full table. Winning in that format gave Buhaiov a notable title at one of the busiest tournament destinations on the Las Vegas calendar.

The result also demonstrated that his success was not confined to European festivals. By winning at Wynn, Buhaiov established himself as a player capable of competing successfully against international fields on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Deep Run in the 2025 WSOP Main Event

Buhaiov reached a wider poker audience during the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event.

The $10,000 world championship attracted 9,735 entries and generated a $90,535,500 prize pool, making it the third-largest Main Event field in WSOP history at the time. Buhaiov emerged from the opening stages with one of the larger stacks and began Day 3 ranked inside the top ten.

His run continued deep into the tournament. Buhaiov eventually finished 28th for $300,000, outlasting more than 9,700 entries and stopping just short of the final three tables.

A top-30 result in the WSOP Main Event carries significance beyond the payout. Players must navigate several long days, changing table conditions and a field containing professionals, recreational qualifiers and previous champions. Buhaiov’s performance supplied one of the clearest indications that he could sustain a high level of tournament play over an extended championship structure.

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EPT Paris Final Table Produces Career-Best Live Cash

Buhaiov recorded his largest conventional live tournament cash at the 2026 PokerStars European Poker Tour Paris Main Event.

The €5,300 tournament drew 1,474 entries and built a prize pool of €7,075,200. During Day 4, Buhaiov began with only 23 big blinds but climbed to the overall chip lead with 16 players remaining. He finished the session with 7,375,000 chips, nearly 150 big blinds and a substantial advantage over his nearest opponent.

Buhaiov advanced to the seven-player final table and ultimately placed fifth. His €303,150 payout converted to approximately $357,500 at the time, becoming his largest recorded live score.

The result represented more than a personal-best payday. EPT Main Events are among the most established open tournaments in international poker, and reaching a final table in a field of nearly 1,500 entries placed Buhaiov alongside accomplished professionals from across Europe and beyond.

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Second Merit Poker Title in Montenegro

Only weeks before his EPT Paris run, Buhaiov returned to the winner’s circle at the 2026 Merit Poker Montenegro Championship.

He defeated a 128-entry field in the €2,750 High Roller at the Merit Royal Splendid Casino in Budva, earning €75,000. The victory was his second Merit Poker title following his 2022 Opening Event win.

Buhaiov entered the final table third in chips before increasing his aggression as the field became shorter. He took the lead after eliminating Nemanja Tatar in fifth place and began heads-up play against Andrey Golubev with an advantage of more than two to one.

The match lasted five hands. Buhaiov completed the victory after turning the nut straight with queen-ten and calling Golubev’s overbet shove.

Afterward, Buhaiov said that every victory remained meaningful because he did not have many trophies. His comments offered a rare public glimpse into how he viewed his growing tournament résumé: not simply as a collection of cashes, but as a pursuit of championship results.

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Continued Success at the 2026 WSOP

Buhaiov carried his momentum into the 2026 World Series of Poker.

His strongest bracelet-event result of the summer came in the $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty, where he finished fifth for $136,737. He added another six-figure result with an eighth-place finish in a $3,500 Wynn Summer Classic event for $115,410.

The WSOP result gave Buhaiov another final-table appearance against a high-buy-in field, although his first bracelet remained out of reach. Official WSOP records listed him with no bracelets or Circuit rings through July 2026.

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What Is Nazar Buhaiov’s Playing Style?

There is not enough reliable public analysis to assign Buhaiov a definitive label such as loose-aggressive, mathematical or exploitative.

Available tournament reporting does reveal some recurring strengths. His comeback from a short stack at EPT Paris showed patience and adaptability, while his Merit Poker High Roller victory featured increased opening and three-betting frequency once the final table shortened. He has also produced major results in six-max, turbo and large-field championship structures.

Those performances suggest versatility, but individual tournament reports should not be mistaken for a complete strategic profile. Describing Buhaiov’s overall style more precisely would require a larger collection of televised hands, player interviews or detailed analysis.

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Why Nazar Buhaiov Matters

Buhaiov’s importance comes from the trajectory of his results.

He progressed from regional and mid-stakes victories to a deep WSOP Main Event run, an EPT final table and repeated six-figure finishes. His résumé includes success in Europe and the United States, as well as results in conventional freezeouts, six-max tournaments, bounty events and high rollers.

He had not captured one of poker’s major championship trophies as of July 2026, but his results showed that he was regularly placing himself in contention. The combination of a top-30 WSOP Main Event finish, a fifth-place EPT Main Event result and multiple tournament victories made him one of the most accomplished Ukrainian players active on the international circuit.

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Nazar Buhaiov’s Current Poker Status

Buhaiov remained active in major live tournaments through the summer of 2026. His recent schedule included the WSOP, Wynn Summer Classic, EPT and Merit Poker events.

His next major career milestone could come in the form of a first WSOP bracelet, EPT title or another international high-roller victory. That possibility is analysis rather than prediction, but his recent results demonstrate that he has repeatedly reached the stages of tournaments where such opportunities become realistic.

For now, Buhaiov’s career is best defined by steady progression. He has moved beyond being an occasional tournament winner and developed into a consistent contender in some of poker’s largest and most competitive no-limit hold’em events.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Nazar Buhaiov?

Nazar Buhaiov is a Ukrainian tournament poker player known for deep runs in major international events, including the WSOP Main Event and the European Poker Tour.

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How much has Nazar Buhaiov won in poker?

The Hendon Mob listed Buhaiov with approximately $2.46 million in live tournament earnings in July 2026. Card Player listed more than $3 million in recorded earnings because its total also included confirmed real-name online results.

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What is Nazar Buhaiov’s largest live poker cash?

His largest recorded live cash was approximately $357,500 for finishing fifth in the 2026 EPT Paris Main Event.

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How did Nazar Buhaiov finish in the 2025 WSOP Main Event?

Buhaiov finished 28th from a field of 9,735 entries and earned $300,000.

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Has Nazar Buhaiov won a WSOP bracelet?

No. Official WSOP records listed Buhaiov with zero bracelets through July 2026.

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Has Nazar Buhaiov won an EPT title?

No. His best documented EPT Main Event result was fifth place at EPT Paris in 2026.

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What tournaments has Nazar Buhaiov won?

His documented victories include the 2024 Wynn Summer Classic $3,000 Six-Max event and Merit Poker titles in Montenegro in 2022 and 2026.

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Sources

• World Series of Poker

• The Hendon Mob Poker Database

• PokerNews

• Card Player

• Merit Poker