Irish Poker Open 2010

The Irish Poker Open came to a close on Monday, the 5th April, with James Mitchell as the lucky winner of the first prize amounting to €600,000. A total of 72 players were paid out in the event which reached a prize-pool of around €2.2 million. Mitchell, sponsored by Blackbelt Poker has taken the Trophy back to the United Kingdom as did Neil Channing two years ago in 2008.

Mitchell won the title in a heads up against Paul Carr.  Mitchell, holding A8h tested the waters by raising to 160,000.  Paul Carr called Mitchell’s raise and the flop was dealt which revealed JJ8.  Another raise by Mitchell who was now holding two pairs was re-raised all-in by Carr [bluff].  Mitchell called Carr who was now waiting for a Q to save him, yet when the turn and river showed a 4 and an 8, this sent Carr out in 2nd place [€312,600], giving Mitchell a full house with 8’s full of Jacks.

The Irish Poker Open, 4 day main event buy-in was set at €3,200 + €300. The event, sponsored by Paddypower.com was hosted at the Burlington hotel, Dublin, and attracted 708 players from all over the world.

The Irish Poker Open has been running since 1981 and is Europe’s longest running poker tournament. Currently, it is only second in the world to the World Series of Poker which is hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Irish Poker Open event has more than doubled its participant rate since 2006 when 339 players registered for the event compared to 708 poker players, this year.