2010 PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Poker Open

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2010 PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Poker Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a8
Prize
€600,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€3,200
Entries
708
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
4,000

Level: 19

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 500

Paul Squared

It feels like we're seeing more all-ins than flops at the moment, as the dude on the microphone summons the cameras over for yet another showdown.

This time, the man with his tournament life on the line was Paul Lefestey, the popular Irishman short-stacked, but with two live cards in {K-Hearts}{J-Clubs} versus the {A-Clubs}{10-Hearts}.

The {2-Clubs}{K-Clubs}{Q-Hearts} flop improved his chances of survival dramatically, but after a {9-Hearts} turn, a bullet ({A-Hearts}) hit the river to shoot down any dreams Lefestey had of lifting the trophy.

As a result, Carr climbs up to 275,000.

Tags: Paul CarrPaul Lefestey

The Turning of the Tide

It's incredible how the tide can turn in poker, but that's what Martin Hanitz has learned, riding the wave of chip monster before the currents pulled him down.

Having seen his stack decimated in the potentially life-changing pot with James Mitchell, Hanitz was all in soon after, {8-Clubs}{8-Hearts} in bad shape against {9-Hearts}{9-Spades}. A nine-less {4-Clubs}{Q-Diamonds}{Q-Clubs}{3-Spades}{2-Diamonds} board later, and Hanitz's turbulent, but entertaining journey had come to an end.

Tags: Martin Hanitz

Sofia Lov-gone

I'm not quite sure how she became so short stacked, but nevertheless, Sofia Lovgren had just 12,500 when she moved all in, receiving two callers behind: Richard Robinson (middle position) and the big blind.

The {6-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}{3-Spades}{Q-Clubs} board inevitably went check-check - in that 'let's check it down, but not actually say that's what we're doing' kinda way, Robinson ultimately picking up both the pot and the scalp with {2-Diamonds}{2-Spades} versus {A-Spades}{9-Hearts} and the {A-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} of Lovgren.

Lovgren received a nice ripple of applause as she departed, predominantly from the male contingent of the rail.

Tags: Declan ConnollySofia Lovgren

Mitchell Takes Chip Lead In Biggest Pot Of Tournament

Happy Bunny.
Happy Bunny.
James Mitchell is running so good at the moment that trying to stop him would be like taking on a herd of elephants with a peashooter.

In a 3-bet pot, Mitchell lead out for 70,000 into a pot of 120,000 with the board of {3-Spades} {8-Clubs} {6-Spades}. Martin Hanitz, the other big stack reraised all-in for almost 500,000 and Mitchell called.

Mitchell: {Q-Spades} {Q-Diamonds}
Hanitz: {A-Spades} {J-Spades}

The turn was the {4-Hearts} and Mitchell had dodged several bullets, and then dodged the rest on the {10-Clubs} river. Mitchell now has 850,000 and is the new chip leader.

Chip Sons

At the other end of the spectrum, there are several players struggling with less than 100,000 in chips.

Maurice Whelan -- 55,000
Paul Lenferty -- 65,000
Sofia Lovgren -- 85,000
Marty Wilson -- 90,000
Tom Harlon -- 95,000

Chip Daddies

Apart from the feature table which I'm unable to access, all the current chip leaders appear to be on one foreboding table where even the smallest stack, Peter Murphy, has 175,000.

The dominant forces on the Table of Doom are:

James Mitchell - 375,000
Sean van Slujis -- 500,000
Martin Hanitz -- 570,000

A Cooler For Frost

Lars Frost has been eliminated pushing {K-Spades} {Q-Spades} on a {Q-Clubs} {9-Clubs} {8-Clubs} but James Mitchell was able to club him to death holding {10-Clubs} {6-Clubs} for a flopped flush that held on a {A-Hearts} turn and {2-Clubs} river.