Nihat Bektas

Nihat Bektas is a French professional poker player who has made a name for himself primarily in the Winamax Poker Tour circuit. While not a household name on the international stage, he has shown consistent ability to compete at high levels, evidenced by his deep run in the 2026 Winamax Poker Tour Grande Finale. Off the felt, Bektas is also a successful entrepreneur, serving as the owner of MDM Facades, a construction company based in Aix-en-Provence, France.

Bektas's most notable recent achievement came in the 2026 Winamax Poker Tour Grande Finale, held at the Pasino Grand Partouche Aix-en-Provence. The event drew a record-breaking 3,610 entries, generating a prize pool of €1,524,864. After seven starting flights, Bektas emerged as one of the chip leaders, crossing the million-chip mark with a stack of 1,000,400. He entered Day 2 in fourth place overall, trailing only Valentin Pallix, Ruben Bellaiche, and Thibaut Garcia. At the time, he was among only four players to have surpassed one million chips, highlighting his strong performance in the tournament. All 601 remaining players were already in the money, guaranteeing a minimum €1,000 cash prize, but Bektas was positioned well to make a deep run toward the €180,000 first-place prize.

Beyond the 2026 Grande Finale, Bektas has been a regular participant in the Winamax Poker Tour, though specific results from other editions are not publicly detailed. His ability to accumulate chips in a large field tournament suggests a solid understanding of tournament strategy and pressure handling. Bektas also appears to have a background in online poker, playing under the alias "NihatB" on platforms like PokerStars, although verified results from online events are scarce in public records.

Bektas resides in Aix-en-Provence, France, where he manages MDM Facades, a company specializing in masonry and general construction work. According to public business records, he has held leadership roles in multiple construction-related firms since at least 2019, including serving as president of MDM Facades. His entrepreneurial background reflects a discipline and risk-management mindset that likely translates to his poker game. Despite his poker pursuits, Bektas remains active in the business world, balancing both careers.

While detailed analysis of Bektas's playing style is limited due to the scarcity of public hand histories, tournament reports from the 2026 Grande Finale indicate that he is an aggressive player, particularly in accumulating chips during the early stages. His ability to build a large stack in a massive field suggests he is comfortable with high-variance spots and can adapt to different table dynamics. Like many successful French tournament grinders, he likely emphasizes positional play and selective aggression.

Nihat Bektas may not yet be a widely recognized name in global poker, but his performance in the 2026 Winamax Poker Tour Grande Finale has put him on the radar. If he continues to perform well in the Winamax circuit, he could become a more prominent figure in French poker. His dual identity as a poker player and business owner also makes him a unique character in the community, proving that success can be found both at the tables and in the boardroom.