On the 29th of January the ‘’Classy'’ Sporting Emporium held a Qualifier for the ‘’Humongous'’ Irish Poker Open.

The event was a €150 + €15 Reg. Starting stack 3,500 chips with one rebuy or top up for €150 giving you 5000 chips.

30 Players were already registered for this event as the Sporting gave tickets to anyone who cashed in one of there recent tourneys! Nice guys indeed!

One ticket was guaranteed on the night!

Total runners for the tourney was 67, with four tickets on offer and a wee bit of cash! Great success!

Congratulations are in order for fellow boardsters Solksjear and The Rigger who managed to grab a ticket for the event! Well done lads!

No bad beat stories have come up yet but I’m sure I’ll hear something on my next visit to the Sporting!!

As we all know ( well hopefully you do! If not where the hell have you been!?) the Irish Open is kicking off on the 20th of March with Day One A of the Main Event €4200 + €300 in the luxurios City West Hotel!

Due to the huge demand there will be a second starting day on the 21st. With a capacity of 1000 players, will the Open get a Full House? After the outstanding result last year, I think its easy to say ‘’Yes!'’.

With a buy in of €4200 + €300 theres no messing about! Players who don’t want to pay it upright should have a go at qualifying online. Have a look at the tournament schedule!

A Bad Beat Memory from last year

As alot of poker players know, poker pro Juan Carlos ‘’The Matador'’ Mortensen went out first in the Irish Open last year. '’The Matador'’ got it all in after 11 minutes 15 second with his  against  , only to be destroyed by a 4 club flush on the board! Ouch!

Mortensen is the only player to win a WSOP Main Event and a WPT Championship. Hopefully we’ll see him back this year at the Irish Open, with better luck!

Nic’s right there! With the massive field in the €50 rebuy last night we didn’t stand a chance from the get go! I played consistent coming up to the break. But about two hands before the break I went lala! Picked up AQ off in Mid position. A nice X5 raise quickly called by the button Hmmmmmm? Blinds 100/200 I have the opponent covered by about 10 BB’sNo other callers so we see a flop.

K4J pops up 2 spades.

I have a ‘’Master Plan'’ in my head at this stage and decide to check knowing only that he’s sure to bet. A bet of half the pot comes my way. I think back to his previous bets and reckon he could have a K but more than likely a just a J .Me thinks for a moment and confidently calls the bet of half the pot. (Wait maybe I should have check raised I think!)

A 9 on the turn doesn’t help me, but ‘’My Master'’ plan now comes into action! So I push the turn knowing that it’s an all in for him to call. He thinks for a long long time while I chew my gum looking quietly confident.  I have this one I think to myself!!! He can’t call his stack off with middle pair knowing I’ve only shown monster hands since the start of the tourney.

As I talk away to John about the Sat Next Tuesday I hear the words echo ‘’ I call ‘’. Uh oh!

To my dismay he turns over AJ. A disappointed me misses my 7 outs for the river and I think to myself ‘’ whoops!'’  Pretty much card dead for the rest of the tourney.

5 players left I ship it for 6000 with 59off on the big blind after 2 limpers for 1200. Called from the button by A9 off! Not even live cards! Harsh! A nine hits the flop but no 4 on forth or Fifth Street seals the deal. Gonzo!4 hours of play for nothing! And only 4 hours sleep before I rise for work! Doh! 

As stupid as I felt about the AQ hand I knew Noel ‘’ My Hero ‘’ Hayes would be in the office tomorrow morning to offer his condolences.  
‘’Why didn’t ya check raise the flop you donkey!'’ says Hayes.  Thanks Noel, what a guy.