Alexander Kostritsyn

Childhood

Alexander Kostritsyn was born in 1986 in Volzhskiy, Russia, a town of about 300,000 people. Known for his exceptional intelligence, he excelled in school and easily entered a local technical university. Before poker, Kostritsyn was active in the Russian eSports scene, particularly in StarCraft and Quake 3, under the nickname "joiso".

Career

Kostritsyn discovered poker at age 19 after reading about it on a gaming forum in 2005. He began with small online deposits, initially losing, but soon developed his skills through practice and self-study, not relying on books or forums. His breakthrough came in 2008 when he won the Aussie Millions Main Event, defeating Erik Seidel and earning $1,450,396.

He is renowned for his prowess in high-stakes online cash games, playing as "joiso" on PokerStars and "PostflopAction" on Full Tilt Poker. Notable achievements include:

• Over $3 million in live tournament winnings as of 2015
• 4 WSOP final tables and 19 money finishes (best Main Event finish: 52nd in 2010)
• WCOOP champion (2010, $269,284)
• Over $4.5 million in online earnings since 2007
• Prefers mixed games and 2-7 triple dra
  

Personal life

Kostritsyn is married and has stated that family commitments have made it harder to travel for live events in recent years.

Revenue

His live tournament winnings exceed $3 million. In 2013, he described winning $2.7 million online as "not a big winning streak" for his stakes. Unofficial sources estimate he earned over $3.3 million in a single year.

Interesting facts

• Entered poker from an eSports background, a rare path at the time.
• Learned poker purely through playing, not from books or coaching.
• Known for playing against the most formidable opponents to improve his game
  

Legacy

Kostritsyn is considered one of the best online cash game players in the world and ranks 11th on the Russian all-time money list. His adaptability across formats and consistent high-stakes success have influenced a generation of Russian poker players.