Nine years ago, when Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann took over the running of the Irish Open, there was nary a High Roller to be seen. But times, they are a-changin’ – and this year’s schedule was awash with them!
What’s definitely true of High Rollers is that they always have a particularly jocular atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, the higher price tag means a higher number of pros so a lot of the players know each other really well. Kicking off the new Irish Open €10k Super High Roller were such luminaries as EPT founder John Duthie, 2022 Irish Open champion Steve O’Dwyer and WSOP bracelet winner Juha Helppi.
Nevertheless, it was a recreational player who took down the big one. Congrats to Irish businessman Robbie Toan who beat the pros and made headlines around the world after seizing his first live trophy in the first ever Irish Open €10k Super High Roller. The €163,800 first prize was more than four times Toan’s previous total live earnings. Romania’s Adrian Cazacu, who won his seat in a €1,100 satellite, snagged €108,300 for second place while Klemens Roiter came in third for €73,100. It was a good finish too for Ireland’s Simon Wilson who finished fifth for €42,800, setting himself up nicely for victory in the Main Event. There were 53 entries in all, creating a €503,831 prize pool.
Pokerstars Ambassador and 2016 WSOP finalist Kenny Hallaert added another major title to his resume in Dublin, taking down the €5k NLH High Roller 8-Max. Hallaert outlasted a 147-entry field packed with elite talent, securing €140,674 from the €680,793 prize pool and further cementing his status as one of Europe’s most respected tournament professionals.
In the €5k PLO High Roller, Finland’s Kai Leto emerged victorious for a massive first prize of €104,400. Leto is a PLO specialist and won the €1,110 PLO 8-Max here two years ago but he can turn his hand to anything, as shown when he became Main Event champion at Kings of Tallinn in 2023. Nevertheless, the Finn had a tussle on his hands to snatch victory from his heads-up opponent Klemens Roiter. There were 80 entries overall generating a €370,500 prize pool. Commiserations to runner-up Roiter who had near-misses in two further major events; he was runner-up in the €5k PLO High Roller Mystery Bounty and then third in the €10k NLH Super High Roller. Along with his Main Event cash, Roilter still managed to snag more than €185,0000 at this year’s Irish Open though.
Maximilian Sanders won the €3k High Roller for €140,450 after besting the 248-entry field. Luxon Mystery Bounty champ Nils Prudel came fifth for €37,100. The total prize pool was €664,950.
This year saw the Irish Open hosting its first ever Seniors High Roller. The €1,150 buy-in event attracted 150 entries with just 19 making it through a lengthy Day 1. Congrats to champion Simeon Sharr who doubled his previous total live tournament winnings with a €35,750 first prize and his first ever trophy. The third Seniors Championship kicked off at 11am on the final day of the festival.
A massive 434-entry field in the €250 buy-in event created a €90,975 prize pool with Ireland’s Geoff McClay snagging the title, trophy and €15,000 – his biggest ever cash.
