Paddy Power Poker sponsors Irish Poker Open since 2005. However, before 2005, Irish Poker Open is already running since late 1970s. It is actually the longest running No Limit Texas Hold’em poker tournament in all of Europe. It is the second longest in the world after World Series of Poker (WSOP). This is true because WSOP is the inspiration where the founder Terry Rogers of Irish Poker Open got the idea.
While it is stud and draw that is popular in Ireland, after several Irish Poker Open games using the 5-card draw variant, in 1982, the no limit Texas Hold’em variant was played in the games.
Terry Rogers went a little further by inviting US players in the field. The US professional poker players and WSOP players traveled from their homeland to play in Ireland in appreciation of the bookmaking activities of Terry Rogers. While bookmaking in the US, Rogers offered better odds as compared to what other bookies can offer.
Irish Poker Open used to be a tournament that was organized under the auspices of the charity fundraising organization. The games are usually held in the Eccentric Club. However, because of advertising stunts and bookmaking activities of Rogers spanning up to the United States soils, the games are known to even the superstars of poker.
In appreciation of the beneficial bookmaking activities of Rogers, US players cross the seas to play in the Irish Poker Open.
For his part, Rogers show his appreciation to the visitor in the form of exciting welcome activities such as Rolls Royce pickup or a horse pick up for the players where Slim Amarillo gladly rode in going to the venue from the airport.
The excitement and advertising hullaballoo as initiated by Rogers makes players enjoy their trips to the tournament.
The excitement and growth of Irish Poker Open did not stop when Terry Rogers died. The games continue to grow and up to now, it is the longest running no limit Texas Hold’em tournament in Europe. In fact, the sponsorship of Paddy Power Poker further grew the interest in this tournament moving up in playing field from 339 players in 2006 to the record wide playing field of 708 in 2007.
In 2008, Irish Poker Open continue to grow and now offer as much as €801,400 for the first prize which was bagged by an English poker pro Neil Channing. It is in this year that an additional side bet was introduced and that Neil Channing added £50,000 to his winning by betting on Paddy Power Poker 100/1. The betting was done at mid-point of the four-day tournament.
This midpoint betting on who will be the last man standing was the inspiration for the €100K Sole Survivor package which started to run in the 2009 Irish Poker Open.
With regard to the main tournament at the 2009 Irish Poker Open, Swedish poker professional Christer Johansson won the title and €600,000 in first place prize.
The €100K Sole Survivor package was however won by a German player by the name of Marcel Koch.
Paddy Power Poker will continue to award the €100K Sole Survivor package in the 2010 Irish Poker Open and the games will come back to Burlington Hotel in Dublin City because they expect a wider field of players.
Satellite games are now starting to be offered in the Paddy Power Poker website and thus, you may want to start joining these satellite games. These satellite games will provide you access to the games without having to shell out €3,500 (€3,200 + €300) buy-in for the games.
If you want to joint the 2010 Irish Poker Open, you may want to practice as much as possible because the prizes are huge and the €100K Sole Survivor packages may likewise be a neat reason to prepare well.
