PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Poker Open Begins Friday

One of the largest European Poker Tournaments of the year begins today in Dublin, Ireland at the Citywest Hotel when cards get into the air at the 2009 PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Open. Many players are expected at this €3,500 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament, and the field is expected to top the 667 players that participated last year. Chief among those contenders will be Ciaran O’Leary, Brian Townsend, Phil Laak, Jamie Gold, and defending champion Neil Channing. All tournament days will begin at 4 p.m. IST. The tournament runs from today until the conclusion of the final table on Monday, Apr. 13. Check back for a full recap of the final table on CardPlayer.com shortly after the event concludes.

Here is a look at the schedule for the event:

Friday, Apr. 10: Day 1
Saturday, Apr. 11: Day 2
Sunday, Apr. 12: Day 3
Monday, Apr. 13: Final Table

The Irish Open started in 1980 and it is the longest running no-limit hold’em tournament in Europe. It is the second longest running in the world behind the World Series of Poker. Irish poker legend Noel Furlong has won the even a record three times. Last year Neil Channing defeated a field of 667 players to walk away with €801,400 in prize money.

2008 Irish Open

Buy-in: €4,500
Number of Entries: 667
Total Prize Pool: €3,001,400
First-Place Prize: €801,400
Places Paid: 72

Final-Table Results:

1: Neil Channing -- €801,400
2: Donal Norton -- €420,000
3: Thomas Dunwoodie -- €275,000
4: Tim Blake -- €220,00
5: Kai Danilo Paulsen -- €175,000
6: Edwin Tournier -- €135,000

Former Irish Open Champions

2008: Neil Channing
2007: Marty Smyth (pictured at right)
2006: Vincent Melinn
2005: John Falconer
2004: Ivan Donaghy
2003: Joe Beevers
2002: Nick Bernie
2001: Jenny Hegarty
2000: Alan Betson
1999: Liam Barker
1996: Liam Flood
1994: Mickey Finn
1993: Christie Smith
1992: Noel Furlong
1991: Colette Doherty
1989: Noel Furlong
1988: Jimmy Langan
1987: Noel Furlong
1986: Bryan McCarthy
1985: Irene Tier
1984: Tony Byrne
1983: Jimmy Langan
1982: Frank Conway
1981: Sean Kelly
1980: Colette Doherty

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