Alex Kulev is a name that has become popular in recent times. Kulev, the 30-year-old poker star, began his poker journey in his early 20s, from online cash games, later transitioning to live poker, giving tough competition to the game’s elites. Kulev has two European Poker Tour, a gold bracelet, and a Triton Title, enough to prove his prowess in the poker world.
In this report on Rising Poker Superstars, we will delve into Bulgarian Poker pro Alex Kulev’s poker journey, who has established himself to be a formidable force at the poker table.
Alex Kulev’s Early Life and Introduction to Poker
Born and raised in Bulgaria, Alex Kulev spent his adolescence in South Africa, before moving to Dublin for higher studies. When studying, Kulev began playing live cash games around the city, which was a way for him to support himself while pursuing higher education.
That’s when the COVID-19 pandemic began, forcing live poker rooms to shut down. Kulev eventually found online poker and started playing online cash games. He played under the screen name ‘FutureofMe’ on PokerStars. Online cash games bored him, as he can’t do much while playing cash games, compared to Tournament players who frequently play in different situations, making it interesting compared to cash games.
Alex Kulev began his tournament journey and since then he has never looked back. The young gun now has over $14 million in live poker earnings from 116 cashes and is currently the leader of Bulgaria’s all-time money list.
Alex Kulev Poker Milestones
Kulev’s first six-figure score came after a year of starting his tournament poker journey. In November 2021, he came close to his first maiden bracelet in the 52nd WSOP $1,500 NLH Closer Event but unfortunately had to settle for the runner-up place, pocketing $232,920.
In 2021, he also won the WCOOP title at PokerStars, establishing himself as a force in both live and online poker.
In 2022, Kulev scored two final table finishes at the WSOP Online Millionaire Maker, and DeepStack Championship, finishing 7th and 3rd respectively, collecting over $300k. The same year, he took a $5k High Roller in WCOOP, adding $113,572 and his second WCOOP Title.
2023 turned out to be a milestone year for the Online superstar at the live event. Kulev began 2023 by winning his first major live poker title, winning the EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller for a seven-figure score of $1.14 million. He followed it up with two seven-figure scores at the 54th WSOP, where he also captured his maiden gold bracelet. First, he finished 4th in the $250k NLH Super High Roller Shot Clock for an impressive $1,632,005 and then followed it up by winning his first gold bracelet in the $50k NLH High Roller 8-Handed for $2 million payday.
It was his career-best score until last year, when he took down his first Triton Title winning the Triton Poker SHRS Montenegro $100k NLH 8-Handed for a career-best $2,566,000.
Recent Milestones
Alex Kulev is not just known for his consistent results but also his growing impact in the poker community. He has been recognized by elites in the game for his talent, impact and his rapide rise in the game. The last 12 months have been quite impressive in his journey. In April 2024, Kulev won his second EPT title by shipping the Warm Up event at EPT Monte Carlo for $678,905 and followed it up with a victory in Event #8 at Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro, claiming a career-best $ 2,566,000. He followed that victory with several other prominent cashes in 2024. Most recently, he scored his first cash of 2025 came at the recent Triton Poker Jeju, where he earned $45k for his money finish in the $25k NLH 8-Handed.
Conclusion
Alex Kulev’s rise in the poker world has been nothing short of extraordinary. His transition from cash games to tournaments, and ultimately to becoming one of his generation’s most successful poker players speaks volumes about his dedication, adaptability, and skill. With over $14 million in live poker earnings and multiple prestigious titles coupled by recent milestones, Kulev is for sure the next big star of the poker world.
Keep following PokerProNews for more such inspiring stories of rising forces in the world of poker.
