“Protecting Players Is Top Priority”: Dominik Nitsche On TLPT Jeju And WSOP

Somuchpoker caught up with mutli-WSOP bracelet winner and high stakes regular Dominik Nitsche at the inaugural TLPT Jeju where he shared his thoughts on the new series, poker’s evolving rules, and why he is skipping the WSOP this summer.

Hi Dominik, thanks for sitting down with us! Let’s dive right in. How did you find out about The Lord Poker Tournament, and what are your thoughts on the series so far?

Yeah, it’s actually interesting. I heard about this quite early on. At first, we weren’t too sure if it was a real tournament. But after doing a bit of research, we found out they’ve organized other events in the past. I knew a few of the people involved — I’ve known Ivan for a while, and I’ve played with Quan Zhou a lot over the years.

Initially, I wasn’t planning on coming — Jeju is quite far, and I wasn’t feeling like making the trip. But I was in Taipei and everyone there told me it would be amazing, especially the high rollers. So I decided to head to Shanghai for a bit, and after that, I came here to play the big stuff. I’m really glad I did — even though the results weren’t great, the experience was amazing.

For a first-time event, they did a fantastic job. The 25Ks, 20Ks, and the Main Event all ran as planned. The stream setup and production were high quality. Honestly, it was stress-free, which is rare in poker events. I’ve been to tournaments before that were complete chaos — this was the opposite. Everything ran smoothly.

How did you get into poker? For our Asian audience who may be new to your story.

Like a lot of players, I got into poker when I was underage. I saw it on TV, started playing home games with friends, and eventually signed up online under my mum’s name. I made a bunch of money, turned 18, and then started playing live poker in casinos. Fast forward 17 years, and here I am in Jeju. That’s the short version of my poker journey.

Dominik Nitsche On WSOP

Are you planning to play at the WSOP this year?

No, I’m not going to the WSOP. I’ve been to Vegas more than ten times and feel like I’ve already achieved my goals in poker. I’m based in Bangkok now, so Vegas is just too far. I’ll be traveling and having some fun this summer instead. Maybe one of my pieces will win something, but I won’t be there myself.

What’s your take on the new rule prohibiting recording at the table without media credentials, especially with the rise of poker influencers?

I think it’s a good move. We need stricter rules in poker, especially to protect the players who actually pay the buy-ins. That should always be the priority.

Personally, I don’t like having a camera shoved in my face while I’m playing. It slows down the game and makes it feel like the guy with the camera thinks the whole tournament revolves around him.

There’s also a serious concern about game integrity — with how small cameras have become, people worry about cheating. So yeah, protecting the game comes first. Growing the game is important, but not at the cost of fairness. You can’t grow a game if players are worried about getting cheated.

There’s also a new rule banning electronic devices at the last three tables. That’s different from your coaching style last year, where you helped between hands. What’s your take?

I just did what I was hired to do — I was brought in as a coach and tried to help with the play. Funny enough, I don’t think much of what we prepared actually worked. We got lucky in the end. It might look like I did a lot, but honestly, I don’t think anything I said even helped. In hindsight, it’s a bit overblown. That said, I welcome the rule change. Protecting the players is the top priority, and this rule helps do that.