Come to Dublin to Play in the Irish Open: The Longest Running Tournament in Europe

The first cards in what would become Europe’s longest running poker tournament were dealt in the early 1980s after Terry Rogers organized the tournament at the Eccentric Club.
Having befriended Las Vegas legends Benny Binion, Johnny Moss, and Doyle Brunson, Rogers took an interest in Texas hold’em, which at the time was virtually unheard of outside the United States. Today, the three-plus decades old tournament has long been credited as being an instrumental force behind the spread and popularity of no-limit hold’em throughout Europe.
The longest running tournament in Europe and the second longest running tournament in the world, behind only the World Series of Poker, the Irish Open will crown yet another champion April 21st after four days of play and months of satellite action.
The four-day €2,250 ($3,077) no-limit hold’em tournament is expected to amass a prize pool of more than €1 million, just as it did last year when winner Ian Simpson picked up a €265,000 ($339,604) payday.
Paddy Power Poker began offering online packages for the event in January and will continue to do so until April 17, the day before the tournament begins. Two main event packages including flights, accommodations, spending money, and entry fees will be awarded every Sunday, while ticket only satellites will run every Wednesday and Thursday. Paddy Power Poker promises a huge number of online qualifiers and the guarantees are increasing all the time.
Live satellites will also be offered in casinos and card rooms throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America with more to be added in coming weeks.
The tournament will officially begin April 18, after a massive €150 with €100 rebuy live supersatellite being held April 17. The 2014 winner will be named April 21, taking his or her place in Irish Open history and joining the ranks of past winners such as three-time champion Noel Furlong, Kevin Vandermissen, Neil Channing, Joe Beevers and two-time champion Liam Flood.
One lucky player will also take home an additional €50,000 in cash through Paddy Power Poker’s Sole Survivor promotion. All players who qualify for the tournament on Paddy Power Poker will be entered into the promotion and the player who outlasts all other qualifiers will receive the money. The second-through-sixth place Sole Survivors will be awarded entry into the 2015 Irish Open. In order to be eligible, players must qualify on Poker.PaddyPower.com or purchase their Irish Open seat with Paddy Points in the VIP shop.
The much anticipated tournament will be held at the Double Tree by Hilton, better known by its former moniker — the Burlington Hotel, on Burlington Road in Dublin. Just minutes from the city center, the five-star hotel is newly refurbished boasting luxurious accommodations and modern facilities.
While taking a break from the poker action, players can walk a few minutes to Aviva Stadium to catch a game of rugby, experience Dublin’s legendary nightlife in the Temple Bar area, shop along Grafton Street, or take in a comedy show or concert at the Bord Gais Energy Theater.

Live Satellite Locations
Side Pot Cavan – Cavan, Ireland
Diamond Casino Monaghan – Ireland
Celtic Poker Tour – Ireland
Macau Sporting Club Cork – Cork, Ireland
Cue Club Killarney – Kerry, Ireland
Sporting Emporium – Dublin, Ireland
Clonmel – Tipperary, Ireland
Gold Rush Card Club – Cork, Ireland
Eglington Card Club – Galway, Ireland
Park Hotel Dungarvan – Waterford, Ireland
The Royal Yacht Poker Club – Ghana
Playground Casino Montreal – Canada
Aviation Club – Paris, France
Dusk Til Dawn – Nottingham, England

VENUE
The 2014 Irish Open will be held in the four-star environs of the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel (formerly called the Burlington Hotel), in the heart of Dublin City centre. Just a short stroll from Grafton Street, the RDS and Lansdowne Road/Aviva Stadium – the 02 Arena and Croke Park venues are within quick access by car, bus or taxi.
The Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Dublin continues to shine as Dublin’s largest conference venue and premier leisure and corporate destination. The grand-scale of this Dublin Hotel’s famous ballroom is unrivalled anywhere in Ireland. The Hotel’s bars and restaurants are a buzzing hive of activity by night – the new B Bar adding a hint of panache to an evening where guests can sip a cocktail in a low-lit ambience, amidst the busy chatter of local clientele.
RESERVATIONS

The Irish Open’s legendary party atmosphere lasts deep into the night and the best way to experience the buzz and excitement of it all is to stay at the venue itself.
Take advantage of a special Bed and Breakfast rate of €89 (single room) or €99 (twin/ double room) negotiated by paddypowerpoker.com, please quote promotional code “Irish Open 2014” when booking your tournament accommodation.
Accommodation at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel can be booked via:

• Phone at + 353 (0) 1 618 5600
• Email at reservations@burlingtonhotel.ie

Card Player Poker Tour: Catching Up with Ian Simpson
Simpson Says the Irish Open Set Him Up For Life

Card Player had the chance to speak with 2013 champion Ian Simpson who has quite the history at the tournament. Simpson won the 2012 Sole Survivor promotion and then finished fourth overall. In 2013 Simpson not only became the latest in the long list of champions, he made further headlines when he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend Emma seconds after his win.
DC: First off, will we be seeing you at the Irish Open this April?
IS: Absolutely. And every year for the next 50 years if I have my way.
DC: Next, the proposal. It has been about one year now. Did you and Emma tie the knot?
IS: The big day is August 16th and plans are well underway! The venue is sorted, DJ booked, etc. We both can’t wait. While we’re planning the wedding we’re moving into our new house together which is where a chunk of my winnings have been spent. Emma is having a lot of fun designing the ideal home for us to raise a family in. And I’m tolerating being dragged around every furniture shop in the northeast.
DC: You finished second in October in the UKIPT main event for what looks like the second largest live cash of your career. Any other major results or cashes?
IS: That was an amazing tournament, the final table was very tough and the eventual winner, Robbie Bull, is a player I’ve got a lot of respect for. My fourth place at the Irish Open 2012 was actually a bigger score if you take into account the value of the Sole Survivor package too. I’ve had some other nice pay days as well. I came close to a final table in a $3,000 event at the WSOP this year which got me $26,807 and I won a €2,500 high roller event at Unibet Open: Latvia. It only had 11 runners but it still bagged me around €13,000 which is pretty sweet.
DC: You have had so much success in the Irish Open, from being the Sole Survivor winner to finishing fourth and then winning it. How do you think other players in the field will look at you this year given your history?
IS: Everyone reacts differently. Some people will take it as a challenge and come after me while others will show more respect and avoid big pots with me. Away from the table though the Irish Open is a really welcoming place for me and Emma. The regulars at that tournament always greet us with smiles, handshakes and hugs. It’s really touching.
DC: Again, this is a tournament where you have seen wild success, what does the Irish Open mean to you?
IS: It’s hard to put into words. Coming fourth in 2012 and winning the Sole Survivor promotion ended up setting me up for life. It gave me the chance I needed to develop as a player, gain so much live experience and become the player I am now. Thanks largely to that experience I was able to come back and win it in 2013. More importantly of course, no matter what, it will always be the place I asked Emma to marry me. To say the Irish Open is special to me is an understatement.
DC: When you sit down at the table this April will we see a different game from you? Have you changed your play at all over the past year?
IS: Definitely. I’m still pretty loose aggressive, but if you don’t progress your game as poker evolves you fall behind. New strategies and tendencies are emerging all the time, if you don’t adapt to the changes you’ll get eaten up. I’m constantly on the lookout for new books and training videos to get ideas from different players with different experiences to mine so that I can add new plays into my game.
DC: We have been told the atmosphere at the Irish Open is different compared to other tournaments. How would you describe this?
IS: It’s amazing. You have to be there to fully appreciate it. Sometimes at a tournament I’ve sat down with eight other players and they barely say a word. The table chatter at the Irish Open makes for a really sociable game. It’s kinda like a home game that way. Except there’s a huge prizepool to play for! The after party is always brilliant too (granted I did have good reason to be celebrating the past two years). Everyone is in good cheer and there’s always plenty Guinness being drunk.
DC: If players were considering a trip to the Irish Open but have not made a final decision as to whether to come or not, what would you say to them?
IS: Easy decision, book your flights and get yourself to Dublin. ♠

FULL EVENT SCHEDULE

The Irish Open 2014 will be a weekend packed full of poker action, with a side event schedule that has as much to offer as the main event itself.
Irish Open ‘Mini’ with a buy in of €225, was one of the best supported side events last year, and it’s shaping up to be even bigger this year. It’s an affordable buy-in tournament for you to come down to the Double Tree by Hilton and experience the unique atmosphere at Europe’s oldest & greatest poker festival.
You can qualify online now for the main event. Satellites for the Irish Open ‘Mini’ are coming soon.
Event Buy In + Reg Fee / Game Type Date Time Structure
Super Satellite for Irish Open Main Event €150 + €20 Reg with €100 Re-buys / NLH F/O Thursday 17th April 19:00 20 Minute levels
3,000 Start Stack
4,000 Re-buy
5,000 Add-on
Re-buy up to end of Level 6
Ongoing Sit & Go Satellites for Main Event €225 + €15 Reg / NLH F/O Friday 18th April 10:00 2,000 Start Stack
10 Minute Levels
Irish Open Main Event
(4 Day Event) €2000 + €250 Reg (Dinner Included) / NLH F/O Friday 18th April 13:00 60 Minute Levels
30,000 Starting Stack
Super Satellite for €800 NLH Event €80 + €10 Reg with €50 Re-buys / NLH F/O Friday 18th April 21:00 15 Minute Levels
4,000 Starting Stack
5,000 Re-buy
7,000 Add-on
€90 F/O Turbo SNG Satellites for “€800 F/O” €80 + €10 Reg / NLH F/O Saturday 19th April 11:00 12 Minute Levels
2,000 Starting Stack
Main Event Day 2 N/A Saturday 19th April 13:00 60 Minute Levels
€800 NLH Freezeout
(2 Day Event) €720 + €80 (Dinner Included) / NLH F/O Saturday 19th April 14:00 60 Minute Levels
15,000 Starting Stack
€115 Turbo Deepstack
(1 Day Event) €100 + €15 Reg / NLH F/O Saturday 19th April 20:00 10 Minute Levels
15,000 Starting Stack
Main Event Day 3 N/A Sunday 20th April 13:00 60 Minute Levels
Irish Open ‘Mini’
(2 Day Event) €200 + €25 Reg / NLH F/O Sunday 20th April 13:00 30 Minute Levels
10,000 Starting Stack
€800 NLH Freezeout Day 2 N/A Sunday 20th April 14:00 60 Minute Levels,
30 Minutes when heads up
€700 Pot Limit Omaha Championship [w/ dinner voucher] €630 + €70 Reg / PLO F/O Sunday 20th April 15:00 45 Minute Levels
10,000 Starting Stack
€10,000 Irish Open High Roller Event (2 Day Event) €9,700 + €300 Reg (Dinner Included X2) / NLH F/O Dbl Chance Sunday 20th April 16:00 60 Minute Levels
15,000 Starting Stack
15,000 Double Chance
Main Event Day 4
[Final Table] N/A Monday 21st April 13:00 60 Minute Levels,
30 Minutes when heads up
Irish Open ‘Mini’ Day 2 N/A Monday 21st April 14:00 30 Minute Levels
NLH ‘Scalps’
(1 Day Event) €125 + €25 Scalp + €20 Reg / NLH F/O Monday 21st April 14:30 30 Minute Levels
10,000 Starting Stack
€10,000 Irish Open High Roller Event Day 2 N/A Monday 21st April 15:30 60 Minute Levels,
30 Minutes when heads up

• All Irish Open event registration fees are inclusive of a 23% VAT charge.
• We reserve the right to cancel, change, amend or alter any portion of the above schedule
• All tournaments may have a day added or removed at Tournament Director discretion

QUALIFY ONLINE TODAY
Qualify for the Irish Open 2014 on Poker.PaddyPower.com!

There are a multitude of routes available to secure your qualification for the Irish Open on Poker.PaddyPower.com. You can play any of the daily feeder satellites with buy-ins from €1 to €30 or buy directly into a satellite final for up to €215.
What a story to tell your friends & family when you spend €1 to play for over €1 million in Europe’s longest running and most prestigious live poker tournament!

An Irish Open 2014 package is worth €3,200 and is made up of the following:
• €2,000 + €250 buy in to the Main Event.
• €495 for 5 nights’ accommodation and breakfast at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, 17th – 22nd April 2014.
• €30 for handling fees.
• €425 for flights and spending.

WEEKLY SATELLITE FINAL SCHEDULE:
Day Buy In Structure Prize

Sundays @ 20:00 €186 + €14 F/O NLH Freezeout
5,000 Start Chips
12 Minute Levels
Late Registration for 7 Levels 3 x €3,200 Irish Open
2014 Packages GTD!
Mondays @ 20:00 €27.30 +€2.70 R/A
NLH Re-buy
1,500 Start Chips, 2,000 Re-buy, 3,000 Add-on
10 Minute Levels
Late Registration for 7 Levels 1 X €2,250 Irish Open Seat GTD!

Wednesdays @ 20:00 €138 + €12 F/O NLH Freezeout
5,000 Start Chips
12 Minute Levels
Late Registration for 7 Levels 2 X €2,250 Irish Open Seat GTD!

FEEDER SCHEDULE:

Daily feeder tournaments are running around the clock on Poker.PaddyPower.com.
Sunday’s “Package” Satellite Final
€186 + €14 NLH Freezeout
Structure “A” (Package Satellites) Wednesday’s “Seat Only” Satellite Final
€138 + €12 NLH Freezeout
Structure “B” (Seat Only Satellites)
Stage 2 Satellite
€2 Turbo R/A €1.82 + €0.18
Daily @ 13:45 & 18:45 Sunday @ 15:45
1 qualifier seat for every €33 collected Stage 2 Satellite
€1 R/A €0.91 + €0.09
Daily @ 14:45, 17:15 & 19:15
Sunday @ 12:45 & 15:15
1 qualifier seat for every €22 collected
Stage 2 Satellite
€4 Rocket Freezeout €3.64 + €0.36
Daily @ 13:45 & 17:45
Sunday @ 13:45 & 16:45
1 qualifier seat for every €33 collected Stage 2 Satellite
€1 R/A €0.91 + €0.09
Sunday @ 14:45
1 qualifier seat for every €11 collected
Stage 2 Satellite
€4 Turbo Freezeout €3.64 + €0.36
Daily @ 17:15 Sunday@ 16:15
1 qualifier seat for every €33 collected Stage 2 Satellite
€2 Rocket Freezeout €1.82 + €0.18
Sunday @ 15:15
1 qualifier seat for every €11 collected
Stage 1 Satellite
€10 R/A €9.10 + €0.90
Sunday@ 16:45
1 qualifier seat for every €215 collected Stage 2 Satellite
€3 Rocket Freezeout €2.73 + €0.27
Daily at 15:15, 18:15 & 20:15
Sunday @ 13:15 & 17:15
1 qualifier seat for every €22 collected
Stage 1 Satellite
€30 Freezeout €27.30 + €2.70
Daily @ 15:45, 18:45 & 20:45
Sun @ 11:45 & 14:45
1 seat in satellite final for every €215 collected Stage 2 Satellite
€3 Turbo Freezeout €2.73 + €0.27
Daily @ 17:45 & 19:45
Sunday @ 16:45
1 qualifier seat for every €22 collected
Stage 1 Satellite
€10 Turbo Freezeout €9.10 + €0.90
Daily @ 17:45 & 19:45
Sunday @ 16:15
1 seat in satellite final for every €150 collected
Stage 1 Satellite
€20 Turbo Freezeout €18.20 + €1.80
Daily @ 16:15, 19:15 & 21:15
Sunday @ 19:00
1 seat in satellite final for every €150 collected

CHEAP SEATS

To win an Irish Open seat all you have to do is play a Cheap Seat free-roll or €4.40 feeder before taking down a seat in the Final:
• Win a DAILY freeroll (with €0.20c Re-buys available) running @ 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 – 1 X €4.40 Token GTD!
• Win a DAILY €4 Cheap Seats Feeder running @ 15:30, 16:30, 17:30, 18:30, 19:30, 20:30 and 21:30 and you qualify for the Cheap Seats Grand Final – 1 X €160 Grand Final Token GTD!
• Win the Cheap Seats Grand Final and you win a €2,250 Irish Open Main Event Seat

A Cheap Seats Grand Final will take place every Thursday night @ 19:30 and a token system is in operation so you can choose when you want to register, after you’ve won your place in a Cheap Seats Final.

CHEAP SEATS SCHEDULE
Event Buy In Date Time Prize
Freeroll Free with €0.20c Re-buy and add-on available DAILY 15:00, 18:00 & 21:00 1 X €4.40 Cheap Seats Qualifier token for every €4.40 collected.
Qualifier €4.40 with €4 Re-buy and add-on available DAILY 15:30, 16:30, 17:30, 18:30, 19:30, 20:30 & 21:30 1 X €160 Cheap Seat Grand Final Token GTD! One additional token for every €160 in the prizepool.
Final All Players Must Qualify Thursday 19:30 1 X €2,250 Irish Open Main Event Seat GTD! One additional seat for every €2,250 in the prizepool.