 |
After finishing his studies in economy and social sciences at 21, David Kitai ran several companies and evolved in the poker world at the same time.
|
|
|
BARCELONA (EJP)---A 28-year-old Belgian Jew took 3rd at the European Poker tour 4-day tournament in Barcelona earlier this month.
David Kitai, of Brussels, earned 455,000 euros (around 663,000 dollars) playing against German champion Sebastian Ruthenberg at the 1st place and Irish player Fintan Gavin at 2nd place.
In June, Kitai became the first Belgian 'bracelet winner' in World Series of Poker history at a tournament in Las Vegas.
He placed 11th in the European Poker Tour in 2007.
Kitai told EJP that he started playing poker in Brussels when he was 18 years old. Since then he has progressed by playing live parts online in his specialty, the Texas Hold'em.
He used to play on 5 online tables simultaneously. In this way players get better offers and promotional bonuses and maximise their chances of winning.
After finishing his studies in economy and social sciences at 21, he ran several companies and evolved in the poker world at the same time.
Kitai attained high level poker playing in 2003 when he was supposed to be learning English in Los Angeles. Instead, he returned to Belgium to play poker.
He joined worldwide poker stars by travelling around the world to perform in various tournaments in the Bahamas, Las Vegas, Paris, and Madrid. He is currently part of Winamax, an elite group of poker players.
Many techniques, tactics, and thorough knowledge of the game are required to achieve a high level in poker, but it remains a hazard-oriented game.
“The most difficult thing high-level players face is doubt,” he told EJP. “This game can both save the player and lead him to his loss. During periods of repetitive losses, high-level players have to face a period of doubt as they don't know how far the loss will lead them while keeping the hope of an important future coming gain.”
Poker is becoming more and more popular in Europe. It is extremely trendy and it has become a social phenomenon.
In 2003, a player called Chris Moneymaker, who was unknown in the world of poker, took part for the first time at a major poker tournament in Las Vegas, qualified himself for a small sum of 39 dollars (around 27 euros), and finally won the colossal sum of 2.5 million dollars (1.7 million euros). This event is part of the history of poker and greatly enhanced its current popularity.
In Europe, every day new young players attend tournaments not only to increase social contacts but also for the competition, the dream, the techniques and the prestige linked to poker.
