Andrea Dato Defeats Sam Trickett and Wins WPT Venice

@Andrea Dato has long been considered one of the top Italian pros of all time, particularly in six-handed Hold’em cash games. He is a passionate gamer, with a background in Magic:The Gathering and chess, and started playing poker about 2004, making it his full-time occupation 4 years later.

Andrea Dato was born in 1979 in Italy and games have always been an important part of his life - 'games are the seasoning of life', he has said. His parents are reputed bridge players but, with a brief spell of chess, the passion that marked Andrea throughout his teenage years, was Magic: The Gathering. He did the Magic tournament circuit and travelled all over Europe, as well as U.S. and even Japan.

Andrea has been a professional poker player since 2008, when he decided to abandon the profession of engineer and devote himself full-time to poker. While he is a highly successful cash game player, it is a long-lasting dream - and perfectly feasible ambition - of Dato’s to one day win a WSOP bracelet (he came closest in 2011, finishing 3rd in event 12 - Triple Chance Hold’em) and of course he has been a regular at WPT events in Europe and his native Italy.

WPT Venice has been a crucial stop along the circuit for Dato , with final tables in both 2011 (finished 4th) and 2012 (finished 3rd), and a title in 2014. The third time proved lucky and he won in a dramatic heads-up with the most successful European live tournament player - @Sam Trickett. In fact, all eyes were on Sam, as this was his first event after the announcement of his sponsorship deal with Everest Poker. Moreover, this would have been the first WPT title for Trickett, as well, so both were under enormous pressure.

This is how the final hand went (check WorldPokerTour.com Live Updates for detailed coverage of all 5 days):

Sam Trickett K♣ 7♣ moves all-in and Andrea Dato 10♠ 2♥ makes the call.

Flop: 5♥ 4♠ 2♣

Turn: 9♠

River: 5♣