PokerStars announced a deal to sponsor the Irish Poker Open in November and is now launching online qualifiers as well. The live poker series is sponsored by PokerStars and Paddy Power, and returns to Dublin April 3-10 at The Royal Dublin Society.
Online poker players now have the chance to secure a seat or a travel package with expense money at PokerStars. Online satellites are currently running on both the PokerStars and Paddy Power platforms.
PokerStars Irish Poker Open online qualifying
Stars and Paddy Power are part of Flutter Entertainment and serve as the new official sponsors for the Irish series. Players will find at least 23 entries to the event guaranteed weekly as the Open approaches.
Every week Stars is running four direct satellites with buy-ins of €55 and €109. Players advancing in those move on to the €1,150 Main Event, which features a €1 million guarantee.
Competitors can get in the action starting at an even lower buy-in. Feeder satellite buy-ins begin with freebuys, so players can potentially win a seat for nothing. Those successful in those events advance to €1.10, €5.50, €11, and €16.50 satellites.
A player who then finishes in the top spots in those events earns either a €55 or €109 direct satellite seat.
A look at the satellite schedule
Players hoping for a trip to the Emerald Isle have numerous opportunities to secure a seat in the coming months. Here’s a look at the weekly schedule of direct satellites:
- Monday – five seats guaranteed
- Wednesday – five seats and expense packages guaranteed
- Friday – five seats guaranteed
- Sunday – eight seats and expense packages guaranteed
Additionally, PokerStars is also running a mega satellite event on March 19. This event offers 20 seats along with travel expenses.
Check out the @PokerStars lobby for the mini-feeders running to tomorrow night’s #IO2023 satellite (Sun 8th Jan) which has a massive 5 x €1,500 PACKAGES GTD @ 7pm
You can qualify for this satellite from as little as €1.10 via the mini-feeders 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xQBCjfNM02
— Irish Open (@Irish_PokerOpen) January 7, 2023
About the Irish Poker Open & complete tournament schedule
Those heading to Ireland for the series will find one of Europe’s most-anticipated annual series. The festival features the longest-running No Limit Hold’em tournament outside Las Vegas, dating back more than 42 years.
In 1984, the tournament grew after a group of 25 American players played in the tournament at Killiney Castle. That included ‘84 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Tom McEvoy.
Others on the trip included Poker Hall of Fame members Stu Ungar, Chip Reese, and Doyle Brunson. The addition of these pros in the Main Event helped draw television and press coverage in Ireland, adding to the series’ recognition and prestige.
In 2022, poker pro Steve O’Dwyer took the title after besting a field of 2,040 entries for the title and €318,700. O’Dwyer has lived in Dublin for the last 10 years and was pleased to win in his hometown. The Main Event saw a €2 million prize pool, twice the €1 million guarantee.
“Ireland is the home of Flutter and we are truly delighted to partner with the already well-loved Open,” PokerStars chief commercial officer Kevin Harrington said in a news release, “and work with our colleagues at Paddy Power and the Irish Poker Open to make this a very special event for all our players, not only for those in Ireland but for players from around the world.”
Players heading to this year’s series will find plenty of interesting events beyond the Main Event. Here’s a look at the complete schedule.
2023 Irish Poker Open
April 3 Event 1: Championship Event – €350 NLH 6-Max
April 3 Event 2: €150 NLH
April 3 Event 3: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 3 Event 4: €530 Satellite to €5,000 High Roller Satellite
April 4 Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Heads-Up (64 CAP) Round 1
April 4 Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Heads-Up (64 CAP) Round 2
April 4 Event 6: €530 Satellite to €5,000 High Roller Satellite
April 4 Event 7: €250 “THMC” The Hendon Mob Championship
April 4 Event 8: €150 PLO Deepstack
April 4 Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Round 3
April 4 Event 9: Irish Open €115 Main Event Satellite – 10 Seats Guaranteed
April 4 Event 10: Championship Event €5,000 High Roller Day 1
April 5 Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) 1/4 FINAL
April 5 Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1A
April 5 Event 12: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 5 Event 10: Championship Event €5,000 High Roller Final Day
April 5 Event 13: Championship Event €350 America’s Cup
April 5 Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Semi FINAL
April 5 Event 14: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 5 Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) FINAL
April 5 Event 15: €150 NLH Deepstack
April 5 Event 16: €115 Main Event Satellite – 20 Seats Guaranteed
April 6 Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1B
April 6 Event 17: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 6 Event 18: Championship Event €250 Irish Open Ladies
April 6 Event 19: Championship Event €250 Irish Open Shortdeck
April 6 Event 20: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 6 Event 21: €150 PLO Deepstack
April 6 Event 22: €115 Main Event Satellite – 20 Seats Guaranteed
April 7 Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1C
April 7 Event 23: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 7 Event 24: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 7 Event 25: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 7 Event 26: €150 NLH Deepstack
April 7 Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1C
April 8 Event 11: Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 2
April 8 Event 27 Championship Event – JP Poker Masters Day 1
April 8 Event 28 NLH (€25 Scalps) Bounty
April 8 Event 29: Championship Event Irish Open PLO 6-Max Day 1
April 9 Event 30: Championship Event Irish Open €2,000 High Roller 8-Max Day 1
April 9 Event 11: Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 3
April 9 Event 27 Championship Event – JP Poker Masters Final Day
April 9 Event 29: Championship Event Irish Open PLO 6-Max Final Day
April 9 Event 30: Championship Event Irish Open €2,000 High Roller 8-Max Final Day
April 9 Event 31: Championship Event Mini Irish Open Day 1
April 9 Event 32: €1,100 NLH Mystery Bounty 8-Max Day 1
April 9 Event 33: Championship Event Liam Flood Memorial Turbo
April 9 Event 34: NLH Deepstack Turbo
April 10 Event 31: Championship Event Mini Irish Open Final Day
April 10 Event 35: Championship Event – Irish Open Seniors (50 Years Young)
April 10 Event 11: Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Final Day
April 10 Event 32: €1,100 NLH Mystery Bounty 8-Max Final Day
April 10 Event 36: NLH 6-Max Turbo
April 10 Event 37: €1,100 PLO 8-Max
April 10 Event 38: NLH 6-Max Deepstack Turbo
April 10 Event 39: NLH Deepstack Turbo