Dominik Nitsche

Dominik Nitsche was born in 1990 (some sources cite 1991) in Minden, Germany, near Hannover. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a professional footballer but realized his strength lay in mathematics. At age 16, he downloaded poker software and began playing online under his mother's name. Nitsche quickly amassed over $3 million in online winnings, playing as "Bounatirou" on PokerStars and "JustLuck1337" on Full Tilt. On those accounts, he accumulated more than $7 million in online MTT cashes. In May 2020, he won a SCOOP (Spring Championship of Online Poker) title on PokerStars. He was also a former 888poker Ambassador.

Nitsche's first live tournament cash came in April 2009 at the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) in Mar del Plata, Argentina. He defeated a 290-player field to win the title and over $380,000, launching his live career. This victory marked his first major live title and put him on the map as a rising star.

Nitsche has won four WSOP bracelets:

• 2012: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em (field of 4,620) – $654,797. This was his first bracelet, won during his first summer in Las Vegas.
• 2014: $10,000 WSOP National Championship – $352,800. This was his second bracelet.
• 2014: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em – $335,659. With this win, at age 23, he became the youngest player to win three WSOP bracelets, surpassing Phil Ivey's record (Ivey was 26).
• 2017 (WSOPE): €111,111 High Roller for One Drop – €3,487,463 ($4,064,026). This was his fourth bracelet and his largest career cash to date.

Additionally, Nitsche finished third in the 2013 WSOP Europe €10,450 Main Event for €400,000 ($540,664). He also cashed in the 2018 WSOPE €100,000 King's Super High Roller (5th, €574,466) and the 2019 WSOP $100,000 High Roller (6th, $457,772). As of 2025, his WSOP totals include 4 bracelets, 18 final tables, and 80 cashes, with WSOP-only earnings exceeding $8.9 million.

In October 2012, Nitsche won the World Poker Tour Johannesburg $3,300 Main Event for just over $200,000, adding a WPT title to his resume. He also made two other WPT final tables, bringing his total to 3 final tables and 6 cashes in WPT events.

Nitsche's largest career cash remains the €3.5 million from the 2017 WSOPE One Drop. He has consistently performed in high-stakes events. In 2025, he continued to show strong form: he finished 4th in the APT Championship Main Event in Taiwan (NT$12,518,200, approximately $400,000) and 5th in the WPT NagaWorld Championship ($107,000). In 2024, he placed 26th in the APT Main Event in Taipei (NT$384,000) and cashed in EPT Monte Carlo and EPT Cyprus events. He also made deep runs in the 2023 WSOP Main Event (808th, $25,000) and multiple high rollers. Earlier in his career, he back-to-back Super Tuesday final tables on Full Tilt and a first-place finish in a Full Tilt $200 re-buy for $42,000.

Nitsche is known for a tight-aggressive style rooted in a strong mathematical foundation. He is calm under pressure and has been described as one of Germany's finest poker players. His live tournament earnings exceed $21.6 million, placing him among the top 55 all-time money leaders. He resides in Edinburgh, Scotland, and continues to compete at the highest levels both live and online. Nitsche's ability to consistently perform across multiple disciplines and his record-setting bracelet wins have solidified his reputation as a modern poker icon.

Despite his numerous bracelet wins, Nitsche's deepest run in the WSOP Main Event came in 2017, when he finished 195th out of 7,221 entrants, earning $27,053. He also cashed in the 2023 Main Event, finishing 808th for $25,000. These results demonstrate his ability to navigate large fields, though the Main Event title has so far eluded him.

Nitsche has made six cashes on the European Poker Tour (EPT), though he has not yet reached a final table or won an EPT title. His best EPT result came in EPT Monte Carlo, where he cashed multiple times. He also cashed in EPT Cyprus in 2023. Despite the lack of a marquee victory, his consistent presence in EPT events underscores his versatility across different tour stops.

After winning the World Poker Tour Johannesburg Main Event in 2012, Nitsche returned the following year and made the final table again, ultimately finishing 4th for a five-figure score. This back-to-back final table appearance highlighted his dominance on the South African poker scene during that period.