The PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship is set to return to Galway, Ireland in January 2009 and to support the televised event, which was a huge success earlier this year, the PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship Tour gets underway this evening.
The Eglinton Card Room and Casino in Galway has had a busy week with punters pouring in after the races which dominate the last week in July each year and tonight sees the first €320 + 30 buy-in event which will qualify players for the main event, the Irish Poker Championship 2009.
PartyPoker.com has added €2,000 to each of the eight events on the tour as well as €4,000 to the league table which will run for the duration of the tour.
Tonight’s event will also see the winner pick up a seat worth €2,000 to the Irish Poker Championship in the new year courtesy of PartyPoker.com. Three seats will be awarded at the second leg of the tour in Waterford and the top five players at all subsequent events will receive a seat.
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said, “ The 2008 Irish Poker Championship was seen as a big success and still attracted 298 runners, despite the fact that Ireland was engulfed in a snowstorm at the time that limited the options of many to get to Galway. The introduction of the Irish Poker Championship Tour this year shows just how much this tournament is on the up-and-up. There are stops all over the Emerald Isle and online qualifiers will be introduced on PartyPoker.com later in the year that will give players from all over the world the chance to witness the famous Galway hospitality.”
“Professionals regarded the 2008 PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship as one of the best craics of the year on the circuit and there is nobody from last year who isn’t keen to return. The one thing that will not happen in 2009 is an attempt by the hotel to close the bar during the final table as we don’t want a mutiny.”
The full PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship Tour schedule is:
Galway – Eglinton Card Room & Casino: Aug. 1 and 2
Fri 1 €320 + 30 €2,000 added
Sat 2 €200 + 20
Waterford – Tower Hotel: Aug. 30 and 31
Sat 30 €320 + 30 €2000 added
Sun 31 €200 + 20
Dublin – Fitzwilliam Card Club: Sep. 6 and 7
Sat 6 €320 + 30 €2000 added
Sun 7 €200 + 20
Cork – Macau Casino: Oct. 17 and 18
Fri 17 €320 + 30 €2000 added
Sat 18 €200 + 20
Dublin – City West: Nov. 8 and 9
Sat 8 €320 + 30 €2000 added
Sun 9 €200 + 20
Mayo – Park Hotel, Kiltimagh: Nov. 14 and 15
Fri 14 €320 + 30 €2000 added
Sat 15 €200 + 20
Athlone – Springs Hotel: Nov. 28 and 29
Fri 28 €320 + 30 €2000 added
Sat 29 €200 + 20
Letterkenny – Gold Club Casino: Dec. 12 and 13
Fri 12 €320 + 30 €2000 added
Sat 13 €200 + 20
Details of the PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship 2009 will be published over the coming weeks but already confirmed for the event are Scott Gray, Padraig Parkinson, Len Collin, Nicky Power, Ivan Donaghy, Rory Liffey, Mick McCloskey, Paul Lecky, 2008 IPC champion Jude Ainsworth and Keith McFadden.
