Davidi Kitai wins European Poker Tour Berlin

4/22/2012 : BELGIAN VICTORY IN EUROPEAN POKER TOUR BERLIN
 
Kitai collects he winner's prize after an epic heads up against Chen
 
The new European Poker Tour Berlin champ is 32-year-old Davidi Kitai of Belgium, who collected the Euro 712,000 main prize – his biggest career win yet – along with the trophy, a seat at the season-ending Euro 100,000 free-roll Champions of Champions Event, and a Shamballa bracelet worth more than Euro 10,000.
 
The big win over the weekend takes the young Belgian's career earnings to almost $2 million and is a significant improvement on his previous best pay-day of Euro 455,000, won for coming third in the season five EPT Barcelona.
 
The star-studded, 745-strong entry field for the Berlin event was whittled down to an international final table that comprised Kitai and Andrew Chen (Canada), Andre Morath, Mario Puccini and Bahadir Kilickeser, all from Germany; César García (Spain); Marc Wright (Britain) and Pratyush Buddiga from the United States.
 
At the death it was Kitai vs. 24-year-old Canadian Andrew Chen in the heads up, with the duo agreeing a two-way chop that gave them Euro 632,000 and Euro 613,000 respectively, leaving Euro 80,000 in the kitty for the eventual winner.
 
Chen, who has placed at several important EPT, WSOP and other live tournament final tables and can boast of career earnings that are already in excess of $2 million, proved to be a strong opponent, turning the heads up into one of the most exciting displays of young poker talent for some time as the action swung between the players.
 
In the end it was Kitai who emerged the winner, leaving his opponent with a runner-up take-home of Euro 613,000 and plenty of respect. The cash bubble extended to 112 entrants.