It was awarded to 34-year-old biochemist Benjamin Valiauga from Alytus, living in Vilnius. He won not only a cash prize of 15,000 euros but also praise from the game hosts, according to an LRT report.
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“It was something incredible. The highest level of play. We will add Benjamin to the golden list of debtors who must return to our game. Marius and Linas had the chance to score points, but they were completely dominated by Benjamin,” stated Arūnas Valinskas.
“There has never been such a final and statistically there probably won’t be one in the future. You certainly did not expect this, dear viewers, but I think you are sitting there stunned now,” expressed Andrius Tapinas in amazement.
The final stage of the game required only 13 questions. Benjamin Valiauga answered almost all of them, scoring 10 points, leading the opponents throughout the game and leaving them with 0 points on the scoreboard.
For the first time in history, the prize fund distribution system had to be changed. In the final, 43-year-old financier from Visaginas Marius Kaminskas and 46-year-old forester from Akademija, Kaunas district, Linas Juozaitis shared second and third places and the sum of 5,000 euros equally.
The top six participants of the season also included 45-year-old cheese maker from Pasvalys Andrius Brantas, 58-year-old truck technician from Šiauliai Gediminas Krasnickas, and 49-year-old lawyer from Vilnius Jovaldas Černiauskas.
“The most nerve-wracking moment is probably just before the game – when you stand behind the console, the whole world simply disappears. But I really trust my many years of experience – paraphrasing folk wisdom, I know that on a good day ‘neither a warrior nor a steward is an obstacle for Benas’,” joked B. Valiauga after the victory.
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The winner demonstrated not only a calm, skillful playing style but also subtle humor throughout the entire “Golden Brain” superfinal. He was pleased that this time he managed to go all the way: “This was my fourth time. This year I finally didn’t mess up in crucial moments and also got some much-needed luck in some places.”
The new “Golden Brain” champion holds a PhD in biochemistry, works in his specialty, and in his free time creates quiz questions for various projects, which he admits definitely helps him in playing himself.
“I think the most useful thing is that I have very few topics that are completely unfavorable to me, and in such general knowledge games, having the broadest possible knowledge base is important. Of course, that still doesn’t mean you remember everything on time. For example, in the second round, when Faraday and ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ completely slipped my mind, I just had to stand like a post waiting for someone else to answer,” recalled B. Valiauga about the superfinal moments.
He outlines his plan for how he will use the substantial winnings in his characteristic style, sprinkled with humor: “It turned out that I gave myself a pretty good birthday present – I celebrated this occasion on May 27. Recently, I have been trying to get myself ready for a potato grater machine so I can make potato pancakes, so I think this prize will be the last motivational step towards that. Still, probably the bigger part of the winnings will go to a really distant trip, home renovation, and some lovely little things.”
Having finished the traditional season, “Golden Brain” does not say goodbye to LRT TV viewers. A. Valinskas and A. Tapinas will traditionally invite viewers on Fridays at 9 PM to watch the exciting “Golden Brain” summer league.
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