Marty Smyth Wins PartyPoker World Open

Marty Smyth from Belfast, Northern Ireland, has won the PartyPoker.com World Open VI for $250,000, beating a field of 72 in the $8,000 buy-in event at the weekend.

Smyth, who last year won the Irish Open and made the final of the Poker Millions, beat the in-form current Irish Open champion Neil Channing heads up. “I’m delighted and very proud,” said the Ulsterman. “With the way Neil is running at the moment he, was the last person I wanted to take on heads up. I hope this sparks a run for me as good as his! I’m so happy to win the trophy, and the money will come in handy for Vegas.”

His opponent was as confident as ever going into the final table. “I thought it was my day,” said Channing. “I believed during the final table that if I didn’t win this I would be disappointed, and I am. That said, it would have been a bit ridiculous if I managed to take down this title, as well!”

Channing had just over a 2:1 chiplead when he and Smyth went toe to toe. Smyth fought his way back to level before taking the lead, and in the final hand, Channing flat-called with 9 9 in the small blind before Smyth came over the top with Q Q. Channing pushed, and Smyth called. The board brought no help, and Smyth was crowned champion.

The final table payouts were:

1. Marty Smyth — $250,000
2. Neil Channing — $100,000
3. Marc Goodwin — $60,000
4. Andy Ward — $30,000
5. Dixie Dean — $25,000
6. Ryan Fronda — $20,000

A spokesman for the sponsor, PartyPoker, said, “It would be fair to say that Marty was an extremely popular winner. He’s done European poker a favour by derailing the Channing bandwagon, but make no mistake, he is one of the finest players on the circuit at the moment.”

Eddie Hearn, director of Matchroom Sport, which organized the tournament, said, “This was without doubt the strongest field we have seen at the PartyPoker.com World Open, and the players certainly didn't disappoint. The standard of play was simply stunning throughout, and Marty was a deserved winner. The PartyPoker.com World Open is now firmly established as one of poker’s major titles.”

The event will be broadcast in the UK and across Europe later this year.

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