Irish Open regular Darren Harbinson has won the biggest standalone Hendon Mob Championship Main Event ever held for £26,750.
Harbinson defeated a giant field of 943 entries in the tournament to win one of the largest cashes of his live poker career. As well as the cash prize and coveted THMC trophy, Harbinson also won a €2,500 package to compete in the THMC South Africa Millions in Johannesburg as well as a seat in September’s UKPC Masters.
Harbinson’s stunning win was his first recorded victory outside Ireland and the third-largest live poker cash of his career.
The 32-year-old from Northern Ireland started the final day in Nottingham as chip leader but a string of brutal bad beats left him short-stacked and a massive underdog. He then tripled up with pocket Queens against Ace-King and pocket Jacks to launch an incredible comeback.
Right before the final table, he told Dusk till Dawn that he “just felt numb” after experiencing so many wild swings.
He defeated recreational player Gerhard Brimmers after an incredibly drawn-out heads-up battle that went deep into the early morning hours and ended with the average stack below 10 big blinds.
Harbinson has competed at the Irish Open every year for the last five years and cashed three times this April – in the Main Event, Mini and Luxon Mystery Bounty. His best result at the Dublin festival was a deep run in 2023 when he finished 30th in the Main Event for €7,900.
Karlen wins first-ever trophy
The Hendon Mob Championship festival ran July 7 to 12 at the Dusk Till Dawn – and Harbinson wasn’t the only Irish Open regular to do well there. Irish Open blogger Christoffer Karlen took down the Hendon Mob Invitational Sit n Go for his first-ever trophy.
En route to victory he pulled one of the most unusual mystery bounties ever: an actual pack of eight Bounty bars. His prize for taking down the tournament included a SiGMA Poker Tour package, a separate THMC South Africa package and a ticket for the ongoing THMC Main Event at Dusk Till Dawn – plus a drinks voucher!
