Popular poker presenter Laura Cornelius will be back in Dublin this April in her linchpin role as host for the Irish Poker Open.
The former PokerNews presenter plays a leading role at the festival – introducing the action as well as interviewing players, chatting to event winners, and reporting on all the fun and excitement at the tournament.
Click below to watch a video of Laura announcing record numbers in last year’s Irish Open Main Event
This year’s Irish Open is taking place from April 3 to 10 at a brand new location – the Royal Dublin Society in Ballsbridge. In addition to the flagship €1 million guaranteed Main Event, the Irish Open features a ton of other Championship tournaments.
Cornelius, who started her career with PokerNews back in 2011, has worked at tournaments all over the world and presented dozens of poker shows including the Unibet Open, the European Poker Tour, Battle of Malta and the Global Poker League.
She said: “I’ve been to the Irish Open so many times I’ve actually lost count! Obviously, the best thing about it is the “craic” – the atmosphere is really unbeatable. The Irish Open feels very down-to-earth and fun. Everyone talks to everyone and the Irish make everyone feel so welcome. It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues.”
One of the undoubted off-the-felt highlights for Laura is the Shuffleboard Tournament. She said: “It turns into a massive get-together for everyone – a really fun holiday camp vibe. I also loved the bingo last year – and of course the dance contest and karaoke! Watching Will Kassouf serenade everyone with his version of Robbie Williams’ Angels was truly unforgettable. We were all still dancing on the tables at 7am that night!”
Laura thinks players are also going enjoy the new location for this year’s Irish Open. She said: “CityWest is a fantastic venue but having the event at the RDS means people are really close to the city centre. I think people will be going out more in Dublin this year.”
