Meet Khayal Abbasov, a poker prodigy from Azerbaijan, who has not only carved out a remarkable path for himself but also put his country on the global poker map. One of just a few players from his country making waves internationally, Abbasov took up the game professionally in late in 2022 and began his journey with a bang, winning his debut tournament – $200 NLH Freezeout at APPT Cambodia in 2023 and signaling his arrival in style.
Since then, Khayal Abbasov has never looked back! Within a little over two years of his journey, this Azerbaijani prodigy has built an impressive resume with over $255k in live earnings and three major poker titles.
Khayal Abbasov’s Live Poker Career Highlights
Following his smashing debut in 2023, Khayal Abbasov returned to Cambodia in 2024 and racked up over $11,517 at the WPT Cambodia Championship. He continued his momentum with a strong showing at Poker Dream 9 in Malaysia. However, his biggest score of the year came for his runner-up finish in the VPL Kick-Off Event #1 at the 2024 Vietnam Poker League Summer Series where he earned $19,698. He followed that up with a Won Poker Cup II Mini Main Event victory for $13,400.
2025 is turning out to be a breakout year for Khayal Abbasov with several final table finishes and notable scores already to his name. Most recently, he made headlines for winning the record-breaking Won Poker Cup III Main Event where he bested a field of 415 entries, claiming a career-high $116k and his second Won Poker Cup trophy.
PokerProNews’ Exclusive Interview With Khayal Abbasov
Currently ranked 11th on the Azerbaijan All Time Money List, Khayal Abbasov is the only player to have won both Won Poker Cup Mini Main and Main Event titles. Khursheed Ahmad from PokerProNews recently caught up with the champion to delve into his inspiring poker journey, his milestone moments from live poker, recent Won Poker Cup III victory, his future plans and more. Here are the excerpts:
PokerProNews: To begin with, can you walk us through how your poker journey began and when you decided to take the leap into playing it professionally?
Abbasov: I started playing poker about 10 years ago. At first, I was playing it for fun, starting with freerolls and with no intention of making it my future profession. But the more I learned, the more captivating the game became for me. I began to absorb any information I could find online to make my game better. Finally, in late 2022, I decided to make it my profession and quit my daily job as a financial specialist.
PokerProNews: What was your country’s poker scene like when you started and what is it like now?
Abbasov: Actually, it hasn’t changed much. Poker wasn’t a famous game in our country as it was considered a casino game, hence gambling. And all kinds of gambling are prohibited in Azerbaijan. The situation remains the same right now. As for players, there were several well-known players from Azerbaijan back in the day, but now it seems that most of them have retired. However, there are new ones playing pretty high stakes, and I’m planning to play with them at the same tables in coming years 🙂
PokerProNews: What challenges did you face while transitioning into international poker?
Abbasov: The main challenges were in developing my own game and strategy. At some point, I realized that I had been playing the same low stakes for too long. That is when I started to analyze my game, found new information, new knowledge, and finally managed to move ahead.
PokerProNews: You won your very first live event in Cambodia. How did that early success shape your confidence and outlook on the game?
Abbasov: Yes, my very first live event win was in Cambodia, Phnom Penh. I took down a small tournament during the APPT series and got a Pokerstars Spade trophy. At that time, it was something unbelievable as I had been dreaming about this trophy since the times I was playing freerolls 😀.And of course, it boosted my confidence; I even finished as the runner-up in another small tournament later in the same series. What can I say, it’s perfect to start a live tournament career with the 1st place 😀.
PokerProNews: Later, you’ve had quite a journey—deep runs at WPT Cambodia, a solid showing at Poker Dream 9, a runner-up finish at the VPL Kick-Off Event, and then your Won Poker Cup II mini main win. How pivotal were those runs in preparing you for the high-pressure moments in major events?
Abbasov: I believe that all those deep runs, second places, bubbles and failures were meant to make me stronger. They have moulded me into a more patient, cold-blooded and fearless player.
PokerProNews: How important is studying the game and reviewing hands in your routine?
Abbasov: Studying and reviewing hands that I note during the game is THE MOST important aspect of my routine – even more important than the game process itself. Ideally, I try not to make the same mistakes twice. Continuous progress is the key to success!
PokerProNews: Your recent victory in the Won Poker Cup III Main Event was your biggest yet. How did you prepare for such a large field, and was there a key hand or turning point that shifted the momentum in your favor?
Abbasov: Actually, nothing special. I did my daily routine, revised basic things before the game, prepared to make as few mistakes as possible, ideally none (though it happens rarely😀). Before the final table, I watched some final table review videos. Actually, this is how I go to sleep almost every day – watching poker videos in search of some new knowledge.
The key hand, I guess, happened on the 2nd day when I was sitting at the same table with chip leader Tomas Dedinas. At the time, I had a lot of chips and didn’t want to engage in a big hand with him, but it happened anyway. We clashed in a 3-bet pot where I caught a set and he bluffed into me on all 3 streets. After that hand, I got around 2.5 million chips, which was 20% of all chips in play.
PokerProNews: Having played and won two titles at the Won Poker Cup, what have been your biggest personal or professional takeaways from the series?
Abbasov: Officially, the WON Poker Cup is my favourite series now! 😀 But seriously, the organization at WPC has been the best I have ever experienced. I said the same even at WPC II, when I attended the series for the first time. And I wasn’t the only player saying that. We can truly feel it when organizers try their best for the comfort of players. I sincerely appreciate this dedication and hope the WPC becomes a huge international series in the coming years. Their professionalism and dedication must be recognized!
PokerProNews: You’re one of just a few players from your nation making waves internationally. How do you feel carrying your country’s flag on the global stage?
Abbasov: Of course, I feel proud! I hope someday poker will be recognized in our country as an intellectual game, like chess. And I want to believe that right now. I’m making small steps towards it.
PokerProNews: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the rest of 2025? Do you plan to compete in the WSOP 2025?
Abbasov: I think right now it is late for me to fly to play WSOP as I don’t have a US visa and have never been to the US. I have no idea about life and expenses there. I need a proper planning beforehand, so I will be making it there probably next year. Nothing really changed in my plans for 2025. I’ll travel around Asia attending poker series and trying to make as many final tables as I can.
PokerProNews: What advice would you offer to aspiring poker players, particularly those coming from regions like yours?
Abbasov: The only advice I usually give is: If you believe in something – do it! Don’t listen to anyone trying to talk you out of it.
Maybe you’re doing wrong, maybe you’ll fail, and realise that those people were right, but you have to EXPERIENCE it. You have to fail and fail again in order to reach perfection in whatever you do. So, if you believe in something – keep doing it, keep trying, keep failing as you will get better every time!
Keep following PokerProNews‘ Interview Page for more such inspiring and insightful stories and interviews from the world of poker.
