The unofficial final table is set in the Irish Poker Open €1,150 Main Event with 2016 WSOP November Niner Griffin Benger in the lead. The record-breaking 1,129 entries for this year’s event generated a total prize pool of €1,128,295 – more than double its guarantee. Here are the counts as we go in to the final day at 2pm.
1 Chris Dowling - 1,945,000
2 Michael Conaty - 2,090,000
3 Mihail Mazilu - 1,855,000
4 Griffin Benger - 8,010,000
5 Antony Wickert - 7,630,000
6 Sameer Singh - 1,100,000
7 Michael Fletcher - 1,100,000
8 Vamshi Vandanapu - 2,420,000
9 Fintan Hand 6,895,000
With a super late finish of 5:15am this morning, the final nine decided to return at 2pm to decide who takes home the €200k first prize.
All 113 players returning yesterday were guaranteed at least €2,000 in prize money; among those who took an earlier-than-desired trip to the cash desk were Benger’s arch rival Will Kassouf, Jude Ainsworth and Ireland’s most successful tournament players Marty Smyth and Andy Black (the latter 15th for €11,250).
Chip leader Benger has experienced the pressure of a WSOP Main Event final table and will be in his element on today’s live stream (broadcast with half an hour delay). He finished seventh last November for $ 1,250,190. The cards will start being shown face-up as soon as the event loses one more player.
Last year Irish player Dan Wilson took down the Main Event for €150,000 after beating a field of 802 players generating a €801,500 prize pool.
A €500,000 guarantee and legendary atmosphere – including Beer Pong and Shuffleboard – make the Irish Open one of the world’s most prestigious, lively and unmissable poker festivals in the world.