2024 Irish Open

€1,150 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2024 Irish Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
qj
Prize
€292,685
Event Info
Buy-in
€1,150
Prize Pool
€3,152,175
Entries
3,233
Level Info
Level
42
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
2,000,000
Players Info - Day 1b
Entries
833
Players Left
167

Glenn Keogh Makes Ireland Proud, Bags Chip Lead on Day 1b of Irish Open Main Event

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Glenn Keogh
Glenn Keogh

To say it was a busy day at the Royal Dublin Society on Day 1b of the 2024 €1,150 Irish Open Main Event would be an understatement. The second of four starting days blew all the records out of the water, ending up with 833 entries on the clock at the end of the late registration period. Meanwhile, the €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool was also shattered to bits, as €1,355,250 has been collected thus far.

At the end of the day, 169 players were left standing, and they all secured a bag for Day 2, which takes place on Saturday, March 30. Leading them is hometown hero Glenn Keogh, who ended up with a stack of 393,000 chips, good for 98 big blinds at the start of Day 2. Keogh is no stranger to success in Dublin, with two of his three largest recorded live cashes having taken place in the Irish capital.

Also bagging big were James Wickens from the United Kingdom and Dutchman Firat Baltaci, who sit in second and third place with 384,000 and 370,000 chips respectively. Meanwhile, Jakob Linden from Sweden (355,000) and Alexander D'Souza from Australia (353,000) round out the international top five, while Austria, the United States, and Finland also have a representative in the top ten.

End of Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip CountDay 2 Big Blinds
1Glenn KeoghIreland393,00098
2James WickensUnited Kingdom384,00096
3Firat BaltaciNetherlands370,00093
4Jakob LindenSweden355,00089
5Alexander D'SouzaAustralia353,00088
6Samuel KlockerAustria341,50085
7Brian MooreUnited States340,00085
8Aidan QuinlanIreland328,50082
9Ka Wing PunUnited Kingdom321,50080
10Luka SorainenFinland308,50077

Other players who managed to make it through on Day 1b include former PokerStars employee turned crusher Ankit Ahuja (280,000), old-school legends Ilari Sahamies (209,500) and Luca Pagano (172,500), and triple crown winner Niall Farrell (142,500).

Niall Farrell
Niall Farrell

Those who showed up on Day 1b but will have to make another attempt tomorrow in Day 1c or Day 1d include defending champion David Docherty, Irish all-time money leader Andy Black, PokerStars Ambassador Felix Schneiders, EPT Prague winner Padraig O'Neill, and runner-up in the same tournament Jon Kyte.

They can try again tomorrow, Friday, March 29 from noon onwards as that is when Day 1c of the Main Event kicks off. The penultimate day is expected to be the busiest of them all, and for those who get unlucky in it there is a turbo flight Day 1d planned at 8 p.m. on the same day,

Tune back in then to PokerNews to see how the final starting flights of the Irish Open Main Event play out, and witness if the attendance record gets broken for the third consecutive year.

Tags: Alexander D'SouzaAnkit AhujaBrian MooreDavid DochertyFelix SchneidersFirat BaltaciGlen KeoghIlari SahamiesJakob LindenJames WickensJon KyteKa Wing PunLuca PaganoLuka SorainenNiall FarrellPadraig O'NeillSamuel KlockerSilas Meyer

Kehoe Gets Tricky

Level 13 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Stephen Kehoe had raised preflop from the hijack before Christopher Heidelbacher made a three-bet to 17,000 from the button. Kehoe put in the extra chips for a call and a flop of 2J4 was dealt.

Kehoe checked to Heidelbacher, who put out a bet of 20,000. Kehoe then made a small raise to 45,000, after which Heidelbacher tanked a bit and shoved all in for 110,000.

A quick fold followed from Kehoe, surrendering some chips to Heidelbacher.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Christopher Heidelbacher ro
Christopher Heidelbacher
195,000
Profile photo of Stephen Kehoe ie
Stephen Kehoe
170,000
-30,000
-30,000

Tags: Christopher HeidelbacherStephen Kehoe

Ryan Wins Classic Race

Level 12 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Stephen Ryan raised to 5,000 from middle position and Nikolai Mamut three-bet to 13,500 from the hijack. The action folded back to Ryan, who jammed all in for 55,000, and Mamut stuck in a call to put his neighbor at risk.

Stephen Ryan: AK All in
Nikolai Mamut: QQ

The 5K4 flop paired Ryan's king, and Mamut could not hit back on the 93 runout, seeing Ryan double up to an above-average stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Stephen Ryan ie
Stephen Ryan
115,000
60,000
60,000
Profile photo of Nikolai Mamut ru
Nikolai Mamut
18,500
-61,500
-61,500

Tags: Nikolai MamutStephen Ryan

Final Numbers for Day 1b

Level 11 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Registration
Registration

Day 1b of the Irish Open Main Event saw 835 entries being made, a significant increase from the 644 that were made in 2023. The total prize pool has breached the guarantee and stands at €1,275,300.

Of those, 335 are still battling on the felt and they will need to survive four more levels before the remaining players bag and tag for Day 2.

Reconstructed Flop Leads to Double-Up

Level 10 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

When the action was caught, Antoine Savaria and Pablo Villena each had 6,000 in chips in front of them, along with 7,500 in the pot. However, apparently, the dealer thought that the hand had finished and mucked the flop.

The floor was called over and thanks to the help of some players on the table, the 1098 flop was eventually reconstructed. The deck was then reshuffled and play went on as normal.

On the subsequent 6 turn, Savaria bet out for 15,000, after which Villena jammed all in for 32,300. A quick call followed from Savaria and the cards were tabled.

Pablo Villena: J7 All in
Antoine Savaria: A7

Both players had a straight, but Villena had the higher one. The 5 river did not bring a chop and the unconventional pot was shipped to Villena, leaving Savaria with less than ten big blinds.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Pablo Villena es
Pablo Villena
84,100
Profile photo of Antoine Savaria ca
Antoine Savaria
10,000
-62,000
-62,000

Tags: Antoine SavariaPablo Villena

Boyce Hits Draw in Monster Pot

Level 9 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

A modest amount of 12,000 chips was in the middle in a pot between Miguel Goncalo in the cutoff and Oliver Boyce in the small blind. However, after the action had concluded on the 7QA flop, all the chips went into the middle, with Goncalo's 48,000 chips at risk.

Miguel Goncalo: AQ All in
Oliver Boyce: J8

Goncalo faded a heart on the 5 turn, and he asked for a non-heart three on the river. However, the 10 appeared instead, much to the frustration of Goncalo, who let out some expletives before leaving the tournament area.

Meanwhile, Boyce chipped up to a six-figure stack to be among the leaders in the room.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Oliver Boyce ie
Oliver Boyce
112,000
Profile photo of Miguel Goncalo ca
Miguel Goncalo
Busted

Tags: Miguel GoncaloOliver Boyce

Three-Way All-In Triples L'Huillier, Busts Romanovs

Level 8 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

On a flop of 6J5, with 16,000 chips in the middle, Raitis Romanovs made a bet from the big blind. Thomas Garment called in middle position before Jean L'Huillier jammed all in for 22,000 in the hijack.

Romanovs then rejammed for 43,500, and Garment made the call to put them both at risk.

Jean L'Huillier: A10 All in
Raitis Romanovs: QQ All in
Thomas Garment: 66

Garment's set remained ahead when the turn fell the 10, but the 4 river gave L'Huillier a flush to triple up. Meanwhile, Romanovs lost the side pot and was eliminated by Garment as a consequence.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jean L'Huillier fr
Jean L'Huillier
82,000
Profile photo of Thomas Garment gb
Thomas Garment
75,000
Profile photo of Raitis Romanovs lv
Raitis Romanovs
Busted

Tags: Jean L'HuillierThomas GarmentRaitis Romanovs

Gustafsson Scores Another Knock-Out

Level 7 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Ulf Gustafsson
Ulf Gustafsson

Jay O'Toole jammed all in for 7,600 from middle position and was looked up by Ulf Gustafsson in the cutoff.

Jay O'Toole: AJ All in
Ulf Gustafsson: AA

Gustafsson's aces faced no trouble on the Q4667 runout and they eliminated O'Toole from Day 1b.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ulf Gustafsson se
Ulf Gustafsson
88,000
8,000
8,000
Profile photo of Jay O'Toole ie
Jay O'Toole
Busted

Drake Finds Nuts on River

Level 6 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Ian Drake pushed all in for 14,800 on a completed board of KJ3410. With 19,000 already in the pot prior to that, Ravi Sheth was sent into the tank.

Eventually, he slammed in a call and Drake tabled AQ for Broadway. Sheth was forced to show his KQ for top pair as he frustratedly forfeited his chips to his opponent.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ravi Sheth gb
Ravi Sheth
62,000
Profile photo of Ian Drake im
Ian Drake
48,600
24,100
24,100

Tags: Ian DrakeRavi Sheth

Day 1b Record Broken; Prize Pool Reaches Seven Figures

Level 5 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante
Tournament Room
Tournament Room

Day 1b of the €1,150 Irish Open Main Event has reached 666 entries, with late registration still open for six more levels. The 644 entries that were made on Day 1b have already been bested and the number is only set to grow larger.

Meanwhile, including the entries on Day 1c and Day 1d, the guarantee has been met as the prize pool has reached €1,059,825. Time will only tell how much money will be divided among the in-the-money players.