Londoner claims Irish victory

Paddy Power Poker Irish Open sees 708 players battle it out for first place cash prize of €600,000. Londoner James Mitchell emerges victorious to scoop both title and cash

The PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Open 2010 exploded into life over the Easter Weekend as players from around the world took to the felts in what turned out to be a fiercely competitive event. 708 players descended on the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, beating last year’s record figure of 700 and the big names in attendance included last year’s winner Christer Johannson, Neil Channing, Brian Townsend and Dean Harrington.

But it was the name of James Mitchell that was on everyone’s lips as the 20 year old Londoner did battle against Paul Carr, as the Irishman did his utmost to keep the PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Poker Open crown on home soil. It was Mitchell who triumphed however, after an Ace on the river saved his game and proved to be the turning point in the heads-up battle as Mitchell built up an unstoppable momentum that saw him eventually catch out Carr’s bluff. Mitchell, a protégé of former Irish Champion Neil Channing, scooped the title and the first place prize of €600,000. Second place Carr claimed €312,000 in winnings.
Fourth place Rob Sherwood collected €163,000 for his final position on the table, but added an incredible €100,000 extra bonus to his winnings after becoming Paddy Power Poker’s Sole Survivor – the last standing on-line poker qualifier. Veteran cash player Ben Roberts finished in fifth place earning €130,000 and Edmund Sweeney in sixth with €100,000 in winnings. Declan Connolly, who netted €75,000, Peter Murphy €56,300 and Yann Dion €37,700 made up the final nine highest finishers.

Sponsored by PaddyPowerPoker.com the Irish Poker Open is the longest running no-limit Texas Hold’em tournament in Europe and the second longest in the world after World Series of Poker (WSOP). It was first organised by Terry Rogers in 1980 and has grown to be Europe’s largest tournament. It is said that it was Roger’s annual trips to Las Vegas that led him to set up the Irish Poker Open after witnessing the then new and exciting Texas Hold’em variant of the game. Since PaddyPowerPoker.com’s sponsorship of the tournament its success has grown rapidly with attendance figures doubling from 339 players in 2006 to 700 players in 2009.