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Satellites Begin at PokerStars for Irish Poker Open; Players Can Win A Seat, Tournament Packages

Poker players now have the chance to secure a seat or travel package for the Irish Poker Open via PokerStars with qualifiers now underway.

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.

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 3Event 1: Championship Event – €350 NLH 6-Max
April 3Event 2: €150 NLH
April 3Event 3: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 3Event 4: €530 Satellite to €5,000 High Roller Satellite
April 4Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Heads-Up (64 CAP) Round 1
April 4Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Heads-Up (64 CAP) Round 2
April 4Event 6: €530 Satellite to €5,000 High Roller Satellite
April 4Event 7: €250 “THMC” The Hendon Mob Championship
April 4Event 8: €150 PLO Deepstack
April 4Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Round 3
April 4Event 9: Irish Open €115 Main Event Satellite – 10 Seats Guaranteed
April 4Event 10: Championship Event €5,000 High Roller Day 1
April 5Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) 1/4 FINAL
April 5Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1A
April 5Event 12: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 5Event 10: Championship Event €5,000 High Roller Final Day
April 5Event 13: Championship Event €350 America’s Cup
April 5Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Semi FINAL
April 5Event 14: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 5Event 5: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) FINAL
April 5Event 15: €150 NLH Deepstack
April 5Event 16: €115 Main Event Satellite – 20 Seats Guaranteed
April 6Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1B
April 6Event 17: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 6Event 18: Championship Event €250 Irish Open Ladies
April 6Event 19: Championship Event €250 Irish Open Shortdeck
April 6Event 20: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 6Event 21: €150 PLO Deepstack
April 6Event 22: €115 Main Event Satellite – 20 Seats Guaranteed
April 7Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1C
April 7Event 23: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 7Event 24: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 7Event 25: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 7Event 26: €150 NLH Deepstack
April 7Event 11: Irish Open €1 Million Guaranteed MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1C
April 8Event 11: Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 2
April 8Event 27 Championship Event – JP Poker Masters Day 1
April 8Event 28 NLH (€25 Scalps) Bounty
April 8Event 29: Championship Event Irish Open PLO 6-Max Day 1
April 9Event 30: Championship Event Irish Open €2,000 High Roller 8-Max Day 1
April 9Event 11: Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 3
April 9Event 27 Championship Event – JP Poker Masters Final Day
April 9Event 29: Championship Event Irish Open PLO 6-Max Final Day
April 9Event 30: Championship Event Irish Open €2,000 High Roller 8-Max Final Day
April 9Event 31: Championship Event Mini Irish Open Day 1
April 9Event 32: €1,100 NLH Mystery Bounty 8-Max Day 1
April 9Event 33: Championship Event Liam Flood Memorial Turbo
April 9Event 34: NLH Deepstack Turbo
April 10Event 31: Championship Event Mini Irish Open Final Day
April 10Event 35: Championship Event – Irish Open Seniors (50 Years Young)
April 10Event 11: Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Final Day
April 10Event 32: €1,100 NLH Mystery Bounty 8-Max Final Day
April 10Event 36: NLH 6-Max Turbo
April 10Event 37: €1,100 PLO 8-Max
April 10Event 38: NLH 6-Max Deepstack Turbo
April 10Event 39: NLH Deepstack Turbo

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Irish Poker Open Joins Forces With PokerStars, Paddy Power for 2023 Series; Online Events Planned

Irish Poker Open organizers announced a new deal with PokerStars and Paddy Power on Monday for the upcoming series.

The Irish Poker Open has a new online poker operator for 2023. Festival organizers announced a new deal with PokerStars and Paddy Power on Monday for the upcoming series.

Both brands are part of Flutter Entertainment and the new official sponsors for the series. The Irish Open is set for April 3-10 in the RDS Ballsbridge in Dublin.

Plans call for both brands promoting the event and offering online satellites on PokerStars and Paddy Power. The live events will also be streamed as part of the partnership.

“We are very proud to announce PokerStars and Paddy Power as the official sponsors of the Irish Poker Open and we are looking forward to bringing our players another epic festival, while welcoming new players from around the globe!” festival CEOs Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann said in a news release.

“We have exciting plans in place for the growth of the Irish Poker Open, Europe’s longest-running poker festival, and we believe, with PokerStars and Paddy Power as the new sponsors, this aligns perfectly with our vision for the growth over the coming years. This can only be a great thing for players.”

What to expect at the Irish Poker Open

Those heading to the Emerald Isle are again in store for some major poker action. The highlight is the €1 million guaranteed Main Event.

Organizers will release more event details in the coming weeks. Stars promises plenty of activities on and off the felt in Dublin.

The Irish Poker Open is one of the most-anticipated series each year on the European card-playing calendar. The festival is the longest-running No Limit Hold’em tournament outside Las Vegas. The series has a history going back more than 42 years.

The Open received some extra publicity in 1984 when a group of about 25 American players traveled to Ireland to play the tournament at Killiney Castle.

The group included then-reigning World Series of Poker champion Tom McEvoy. Poker Hall of Fame members Stu Ungar, Chip Reese, and Doyle Brunson also made the trip. The €1,000 Main Event attracted widespread television and press coverage in Ireland, putting the Irish Poker Open on the map.

Most recently, well-regarded poker pro Steve O’Dwyer topped a field of 2,040 entries earlier this year for the title and €318,700. O’Dwyer has lived in Dublin for the last 10 years and scored the title in his hometown.

The Main Event saw a €2 million prize pool, doubling the €1 million guarantee. The 2023 event features the same guarantee and organizers are hoping for similar results.

“Ireland is the home of Flutter and we are truly delighted to partner with the already well-loved Open 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,” PokerStars chief commercial officer Kevin Harrington said in a news release.

Online opportunities

As in previous series during the COVID pandemic, players will also find online options before and during the series. Online qualifiers should be part of the mix at PokerStars and Paddy Power.

Stars will also run an online Irish Poker Open series ahead of the event and with more details coming soon. Paddy Poker is expected to hold online events and promotions as well.

The new partnership pleased company executives, who are happy to be back in the fold as a sponsor of the series.

“Paddy Power has over a decade of heritage as former sponsors of the Irish Poker Open, so the opportunity to make a comeback bigger than Boris Johnson (former prime minister of the United Kingdom) by going all in with our colleagues in Flutter made us royally flush with excitement,” a Paddy Power spokesman said.

“By the very nature of its warm hospitality, Dublin – which bears a remarkable resemblance to Vegas if you crank up the central heating – always attracts a full house. And we’re at full tilt with plans to ensure the 2023 Irish Poker Open is the greatest poker tournament Europe has ever witnessed. On a more personal note, I’ve vowed to brush up on my poker puns before we return to the table.”

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GOING GREEN: Live Irish Poker Open Returns, Partypoker Qualifiers Get Underway

After a two-year hiatus, the Irish Poker Open returns to the live felt April 11-18 with qualifying opportunities available at partypoker.

After a two-year hiatus, the Irish Poker Open returns to the live felt April 11-18 at Citywest Hotel Dublin. Players will find  42 tournaments with buy-ins ranging from €100 to €5,000, including 14 championship events.

“We have always said how exciting it is to launch the Irish Poker Open each year, however, the launch of Irish Poker Open 2022 definitely feels a little extra special, given the particularly difficult times people have gone through over the last two years,” festival organizers Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann noted in a news release.

“We are really looking forward to welcoming all of our Irish and international players back to the Irish felt, whilst ensuring that player and staff safety remain at the forefront of our minds.

Partypoker will once again be offering online qualifying opportunities for those hoping to punch a ticket to Ireland. 

What to expect from the series

Europe’s longest-running poker festival ran online at partypoker over the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the action is once again live and continues the momentum the live game has garnered in recent months.

The Irish Open is one of the more popular European poker series. Players have some major action to look forward to. Plenty of Irish-themed entertainment is also on the menu for players heading to Dublin.

The €1,150 Main Event kicks off on April 13 with four starting flights before the championship event concludes on April 18. The last Main Event ran in 2019 with 1,807 players producing a €1.8 million prize pool.

Several other big events are also on tap rhis year including two championship events kicking off the series. The $350 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max and  €350 Eight-Game Mix are both set for April 11.

The €250 Mini Irish Open also begins on April 17 for those seeking a main event championship at a bargain price. A $1,100 Mystery Bounty event begins on the same day and should bring some added fun to the series.

Qualifying online at partypoker

Partypoker played host to the Irish Open over the last two years. Brazil’s Pablo Silva won the 2020 online event with Pavel Veksler taking the title in 2021.

The series may be returning to the live felt, but party is once again offering players a chance to qualify online for a much lower price point. The first €109 Main Event satellite is set for Feb. 6 and guarantees at least 10 Main Event seats.

However players can earn a seat into the satellite in qualifiers starting at just €0.01. These events then feed into the €22 Phase 2 satellites, where players can win a €109 entry. Here’s a look at the complete Irish Poker Open schedule.

2022 Partypoker Live Irish Open

DateTournament
April 11Event 1: Championship Event – €350 NLH 6-Max
April 11Event 2: Championship Event – €350 Mixed 8 Game
April 11Event 3: €150 NLH
April 11Event 4: €150 PLO
April 11Event 5: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 11Event 6: €530 Satellite to €5,000 High Roller Satellite
April 12Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Round 1
April 12Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Round 2
April 12Event 8: €530 Satellite to €5,000 High Roller Satellite
April 12Event 9: €250 “THMC” The Hendon Mob Championship
April 12Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Round 3
April 12Event 10: €150 PLO Deepstack
April 12Event 11: Irish Open €115 Main Event Satellite – 10 Seats Guaranteed
April 12Event 12: Championship Event €5,000 High Roller Day 1
April 13Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) 1/4 FINAL
April 13Event 13 Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1A
April 13Event 14: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 13Event 12: Championship Event €5,000 High Roller Final Day
April 13Event 15: Championship Event €350 America’s Cup
April 13Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) Semi FINAL
April 13Event 16: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 13Event 7: Championship Event €350 NLH Head’s-Up (64 CAP) FINAL
April 13Event 17: €150 NLH Deepstack
April 13Event 18: €115 Main Event Satellite – 20 Seats Guaranteed
April 14Event 13 Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1B
April 14Event 19: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 14Event 20: Championship Event €250 Irish Open Ladies
April 14Event 21: Championship Event €250 Irish Open Shortdeck
April 14Event 22: €115 Main Event Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 14Event 23: €150 PLO Deepstack
April 14Event 24: €115 Main Event Satellite – 20 Seats Guaranteed
April 15Event 13 Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1C
April 15Event 25: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 15Event 26: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 15Event 27: €115 Main Event Turbo Satellite – 5 Seats Guaranteed
April 15Event 28: €150 NLH Deepstack
April 15Event 13 Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 1D Turbo
April 16Event 13 Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 2
April 16Event 29 Championship Event – JP Poker Masters Day 1
April 16Event 30 NLH (€25 Scalps) Bounty
April 16Event 31: Championship Event Irish Open PLO 6-Max Day 1
April 16Event 32: Irish Open €2,000 High Roller 8-Max Day 1
April 16Event 13 Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Day 3
April 17Event 29 JP Poker Masters Final Day
April 17Event 31: Irish Open PLO 6-Max Final Day
April 17Event 32: Irish Open €2,000 High Roller 8-Max Final Day
April 17Event 33: Championship Event Mini Irish Open Day 1
April 17Event 34: €1,100 NLH Mystery Bounty 8-Max Day 1
April 17Event 35: Championship Event Liam Flood Memorial Turbo
April 17Event 36: NLH Deepstack Turbo
April 18Event 33: Championship Event – Mini Irish Open Final Day
April 18Event 37: Championship Event – Irish Open Seniors (50 Years Young)
April 18Event 13 Irish Open MAIN EVENT €1,150 Final Day
April 18Event 34: €1,100 NLH Mystery Bounty 8-Max Final Day
April 18Event 38: PLO 6-Max Deepstack Turbo
April 18Event 39: Tag Team Event
April 18Event 40: €1,100 PLO 8-Max
April 18Event 41: NLH 6-Max Deepstack Turbo
April 18Event 42: NLH Deepstack Hyper Turbo

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