Nitsche becomes youngest three-time winner at WSOP
Dominik Nitsche of Germany became the youngest three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner late Tuesday as he won the $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold ’em tournament at the Rio Convention Center.
Nitsche, 23, passed Phil Ivey as the youngest three-time champion. Ivey was 24 when he won his third bracelet and has nine overall, which is tied for fourth all time.
“I have been playing poker for seven years,” Nitsche told WSOP.com. “At this rate, I really think I can catch (Phil) Hellmuth (who has 13 bracelets). Of course, he and Phil Ivey are great players, so to be talked in the same breath as them is really something for me. I will just say I am really proud to come to Las Vegas where I have enjoyed a lot of success over the years.”
Nitsche won the 2014 WSOP National Championship in Atlantic City on May 24, the same tournament that saw local pizzeria owner Tracy Doss finish fifth after qualifying online.
Nitsche outlasted 2,042 players and earned $335,659 for his victory on Tuesday, and he now has more bracelets than any other German player.
Nitsche also is now tied with Davidi Kitai of Belgium, who won $3,000 buy-in Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em tournament on Sunday, for most career bracelets by a European-born player. Five-time winner Jeffrey Lisandro was born in Australia and currently lives in Italy.
The victory pushed Nitsche past $2 million in career WSOP earnings, though he still has a long way to go to catch countryman Pius Heinz in that category. Heinz won the Main Event in 2011 and entered the WSOP with more than $8.8 million in career earnings as a result.
Nitsche survived four all-in bets with his tournament life at stake during his heads-up battle with Dave D’Alesandro, who took home $208,931 for second place. Bob Bounahra, who was seventh in the 2011 Main Event, finished third.
