Main Event Day 1 | 2010 PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Poker Open

04-02-2010 13:33 UTC

Welcome to the 2010 PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Poker Open!

[user76023]

The Irish Open is the oldest poker tournament in Europe with an expected 700 players filing into the Burlington Hotel here in Dublin, hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year's winner Christer Johansson.

Last night's super satellite saw over 400 players take part in the €200 rebuy producing over sixty seats as a result.

Players confirmed include former winners Neil Channing and Marty Smyth, EPT winners Sandra Naujoks, Julian Thew and Victoria Coren as well as numerous online qualifiers.

Unlike most big tournaments these days, here there is only one starting day with the tournament scheduled to finish on Easter Monday. Players will be starting with 10,000 chips and a hour clock, but from level 7 onwards this will increase to 75 minutes.

Today is Good Friday, but for whom?

The tournament will begin at 3.30pm local time.

04-02-2010 14:12 UTC

Another Popular Year

[user4144]

When Terry Rogers passed the baton onto Liam Flood, little did he know that the Irish Open would morph into the epic event it is now, but the former bookmaker can rest easy in his grave as the 2010 Irish Open looks set to echo the achievements of recent years.

I spoke to Liam earlier in the week, and although he was proud to have been at the centre of it all, he was quick to commend the tournament sponsors for the professionalism they've brought to the event, not to mention the mountains of added money. "We put on a lot of entertainment now," gleams Liam, "which gives people something else do, sing a song, drink maybe the occasional pint. It's popular because, possibly, and hopefully, it's run very well."

If the current number of 678 is anything to go by, 2010 looks to be yet another "popular" year, and, if we creep over the 708 mark... maybe even a record-breaking one.

Tags: Liam Flood

04-02-2010 14:28 UTC

Coiled Springs

[user4144]

Cards remain firmly 'out' of the air, but the players are pressing against the rail as if at a Take That concert, braced like coiled springs and waiting only for the starter's gun to sound so they can race to their respective tables.

As with the year prior, there's a TV table set aside, and this may be the reason for the delay as the announcer is cordially, but adamantly, and with a subdued anger in his voice, requesting the presence of the players on the feature table, three of which are Roberto Romanello, George McKeever and Joe Grech.

Players are itching at ringside, so if I were the aforementioned, I'd get moving pronto before there's a riot!

04-02-2010 14:43 UTC

A Plethora of Familiar Names

[user4144]

The sound of chips riffling, impatiently and with increasing speed, simmers through the room as player squirm in their chairs like three-legged ferrets. It's a testament to the tournament that players are so eager to start. But, to their dismay, we're still experiencing a delay as the dude on the microphone continues to coordinate various proceedings.

In the meantime, we have received the Holy Grail: a player list, which boasts a plethora of familiar names such as Juda Ainsworth, Praz Bansi, Barny Boatman, Jerome Bradpiece, Dave Callaghan, and Tony Cascarino - and that's only up to the C's!

04-02-2010 14:50 UTC

Shuffle Up And Deal!

[user76023]

With 697 players now sitting down at the table, the tournament director has announced, "Shuffle up and deal!"

Level: 1

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

04-02-2010 15:07 UTC

A Blogger's Nightmare

[user4144]

In some ways, the Irish Open is a blogger's nightmare as they pool everyone together in one starting day, meaning your intrepid, but perhaps not-as-physically-fit-as-they-should-be live update team have a sea of tables to slither and slide their way through.

This makes catching a big early exit rather tricky, and you end up picking up various specs of information that could perhaps be combined to form an actual hand. On my travels I saw Chris Moorman punch the air after raising the small blind to pick up his first hand of the day, Barny Boatman screaming, "I promise I won't slowplay pocket kings again," and Michael Greco picking up a small pot with continuation bet on the flop. Snippets, but no real stack versus stack hand. The search continues.

04-02-2010 15:13 UTC

Quietly Sneaking Out

[user4144]

According to the board, we've lost our first man. I didn't spot the departure (I imagine he snuck out quietly in order to avoid the joyful cheers of a relieved field), but it did remind me of the year Carlos Mortensen was the first man down.

He'd just had aces cruelly slapped silly by kings, only for the organisers to invite him on stage. It appeared as though he was going to get a booby prize of some kind, something to relieve the pain at least, but all he got was a public announcement that he was the first man eliminated, and a rather insincere round of applause from the 700-thick field. Talk about a rubdown! Still, he's just won another WPT, so I think he may have forgotten by now.

04-02-2010 15:16 UTC

Player Spotting

[user76023]

Amongst the incredibly crowded tables, it's actually surprisingly easy to spot the odd the celebrity getting involved in the mix.

Irish snooker player Ken Doherty is quietly in the corner, while former England international footballer Teddy Sheringham is no doubt hoping to have big score of another kind this weekend.

Dutchman Ruben Visser underscored his own alertness, quickly asking for a massage even before the event started. Bracelet winner Praz Bansi might be looking one of those soon too, he just came by the press area struggling to keep his eyes open stating, a little dizzily, "I've literally just got off the plane..."

Coffee for this man methinks.

04-02-2010 15:39 UTC

In High Spirirts

[user4144]

There's always a few home bankers when it comes to masseuses: Trevor Reardon, Roland De Wolfe, and Nik Persaud to name but a few. The latter of those three hasn't let us down today, immediately locking in the most voluptuous masseuse and luring her over like a snake-charmer with his undeniable charm.

In fact, after a fruitless 12 months, Persaud is in high spirits, keen to make the Irish Open the rain to his dry patch. As I approached, he raised it up and received one caller, the usual cheeky smile on his face as he continued to entertain the table.

On the {5-Spades}