Irish Open 2010

Easter time in Ireland is anticipated by many different people for many different reasons.
Take my niece for example. Her Doe-Eyed expectancy of the Easter bunny is palpable and to say that we share the same excitable mannerisms would not be an untrue statement.
My Eggcitement (Sic) lies not in the consumption of copious amounts of confectionary, but in the attendance of the PaddyPower.com Irish Poker Open.

The Irish Open is Europes oldest Poker tournament. Brainchild of the Late Terry Rogers it has attracted some of the best tournament and cash players for the best part of 30 years.

Poker-Pro Padraig Parkinson ponders:

“You either win the Irish Open before you die, or you die before you win it”

Reverting to its previous abode of the Burlington Hotel seemed a popular choice this year as players and organizers alike remarked on the calibre of commeradery evident at this years event.

“It reminds me of the Glastonbury festival with cards” commented one early morning reveller.

If he meant that drinks are overpriced, food is terrible and one finds oneself so drunk that locating ones accommodation is hopelessly impossible then yes, one may liken it to Glastonbury.
The Irish Open has naturally produced some legendary tales over the years involving some of the poker communities most notable characters.

There was once a guy who had exchanged 200% of himself only to bust out intentionally in a mediocre spot. Unperturbed he retired to the bar to cheer his horses on.

My favourite was a story involving one of Irelands greatest bridge players .
About 8 years ago I was in charge of administering the complimentary ‘bust out booze’ in the Merrion Club. The rules were simple. Only players who had been eliminated from the tournament were permitted to consume the strong stuff.

After about an hour into proceedings I was serving him several generous Vodka & Cokes while empathizing with a particularly nasty bad beat.

When I offered to put his name down for a cash game he politely declined, made his excuses and departed. He returned almost on-the-hour, every hour for similar refreshment and a sympathetic ear. It was late into the evening when an irate tournament director came looking for my blood. As none of the surrounding bars were open (archaic Irish licencing laws) the source of distraction was apparent. We cross checked the names of remaining players in the tournament and I would conservatively estimate that 25% of the field were drunk!

When said player eventually did bust he was encouraged to “Just take the damn bottle!”

That year there were 105 entries with €126,000 prizepool.
This year there were 708 entries, many of whom had qualified online or through live satellites with a staggering €2,265,200 prizepool.

So by Monday we were down to a final table of eight players.

Peter “The Multiplier” Murphy whos AK was no match for the Kh,Th of James Mitchell. 10 on the flop, no improvement and Murphy takes home €56,300 for eight place.

Declan Connolly was our next casualty with Ad-Kd Vs. Paul Carr Th-Ts.
No improvement so Declan walks with €75,000

In an interesting aside it's worth noting that Paul was just down to a few chips on Friday evening after misreading/folding his hand for most of his stack.

Edmund Sweeney is next to depart with Kh-4d Vs. the Ac-Td of vereran Edgeware Rd. pedestrian Ben Roberts. Neither improved sending Ed home with a respectable €100,800

Ben Roberts moves all-in preflop for 382K. Santeri Valikoski calls. AK for Santeri Valikoski and QJ for Ben Roberts. Flop: Td Ad 8s. Turn: 4d.Missed gutshot and we lose Ben Roberts who bags €130,600 for fifth.
Rob Sherwood then shoves with KQ and gets snap called by Paul Carr who is ahead with AT.
Flop: A-J-6.
Turn: 3d-
River: Ks.
Rob takes home €163,300 + €100,000 ‘sole survivor’ bounty bonus.
Santeri Valikoski Gets his chips in against James Mitchell pre flop. Santeri’s Ts-5s was behind to James Mitchell’s Kc-3h.
Jc-7h-5c flop puts pair of fives ahead. Mitchell picked up some more outs when the board paired on the turn with the Seven of clubs, leaving him needing a King or a Jack to send Valikoski home. The river: KING OF SPADES! Mitchell spikes a pair of Kings on the river to eliminate Santeri Valikoski, who takes home €205,200 after a gruelling four-day battle.
After a hyperaggressive final table domination by Limericks Paul Carr, James Mitchell raises to 160,000 from the button and Paul calls. Flop: Jc-Jd-8c. Paul checks and James sticks in 205,000. All-in from Paul, called by Mitchell!
Mitchell: Ah-8h
Carr: Qs-5d
Turn: 4s
Carr needs help, or it’s all over
River: 8s
IT’S OVER! After a grueling 4-days, James Mitchell emerges victorious as the 2010 Irish Poker Open Champion! Congratulations to James, and also to our runner-up, Limerick’s Paul Carr, who was a card away from winning this tournament at one point, but came up short in the end.
Camera shy Paul takes home €312,600 and makes good his getaway!

"I'm gonna buy a house that the *C.A.B. can't touch" declares Paul upon his exit

James receives €600,000 and the Terry Rogers memorial trophy.

There was much speculation regarding James' victory which quite frankly is his own/backers business.

However, I must admit that the most memorable moment of the weekend for me was the impromptu songwriting by degenerate troubadour Tom "The Nutpeddler" Kitt.

Upon entering the residents bar for a much deserved victory drink James found himself locked onto Toms mischievous radar.

Never missing the opportunity to humiliate, Tom encouraged the whold bar to join in to his newly penned melody which became the anthem of the weekend.

"Oh Jamsie Jamsie, Oh Jamsie Jamsie,
He looks like an elf, only had 25% of himself,
Walking in a Jamsie wonderland"

James immediately left the bar 'completely owned'.

Final Results:

1 James Mitchell €600,000
2 Paul Carr €312,600
3 Santeri Valikoski €205,200
4 Robert Sherwood €163,300
5 Ben Roberts €130,600
6 Edmund Sweeney €100,800
7 Declan Connolly €75,000
8 Peter Murphy €56,300