PokerStars’ exciting Power Path satellite structure gives recreational players a chance to win their way into the Irish Open every single night. And with free tickets for the first step available daily, it means hundreds of players could be competing in Dublin this year without having to lay out a single cent.
The PokerStars Power Path is a four-step qualifying route beginning with a Step 1 $0.50 Spin & Go. Players can either buy into these directly or enter using a Step 1 ticket. Step 2 is either a $1 Sit & Go (with 16 players) or a $1.50 Multi-table Tournament (MTT). Step 3 is a $11 MTT and the final Step 4 is a $55 MTT.
This year the Power Path includes a special “Emerald Edition” Silver Pass with winners receiving a $2,750 prize bundle that includes an added value €250 entry into the €1 million guaranteed Mini Irish Open – courtesy of the Irish Open.
The bundle also includes a €1,150 Irish Open Main Event entry (€2.5m prize pool guarantee), a €350 Irish Open side event entry plus money towards expenses, limited edition merchandise, special live event liaison support and exclusive Irish Open activities
The Power Path Silver Pass is aimed at recreational players and offers a crucial benefit for amateurs as no one can buy in direct to the final Step 4 $55 MTT. This fences off the final Step and protects casual players from having to compete against a ton of multi-regging poker pros.
All real-money players on PokerStars will also receive a daily Rewards Chest containing a free ticket to the Step 1 $0.50 Spin & Go. Players are also welcome to buy in direct for Step 2 ($1/$1.50) or even the $11 Step 3. But Step 3 is the final stage at which players can buy in directly. To get into the final Step 4 – where the super-lush Silver Power Pass 2025 Live Event Passport is on offer – you have to win your ticket via Step 3.
You can check out all the details for the Irish Open on the PokerStars client under Power Path > Home > The Passes.
Added €250 Mini Irish Open ticket for Emerald Edition Silver Pass winners
Courtesy of the Irish Open, all players who win a $2,500 Emerald Edition Silver Pass will also get a free, €250 seat for the €1,000,000 guaranteed Mini Irish Open.
This year’s Irish Open festival runs April 10 to April 21 at the historic Royal Dublin Society. Last year’s Main Event was a record-breaker, with a staggering 3,233 entries creating a €3,152,175 prize pool.
PokerStars created the Power Path with the sole intention of getting more casual and recreational players into big events and making sure their route to a live event isn’t crowded with pros who can afford – and anticipate making – multiple entries for the final qualifiers.
Another key difference is that the final Step 4 qualifier is single re-entry. No unlimited re-entries; no slew of pros hopping in at the last minute.
Fair crack for amateurs and recreational players
Irish Open champion David Docherty, who won €365,000 in the 2023 Main Event after qualifying in a PokerStars satellite for just $109, said: “A lot of pros just late-reg the final step and fire off two or three bullets. It can be quite difficult to get through that if you’re a recreational player as you’re also up against players who can afford to enter that same $109 satellite two or three times.
“I’m sure there will be people who have never played a live tournament before winning their way into the Irish Open via PokerStars’ Power Path and going on to do well. Most pros won’t play the lower steps to get into the qualifier; they would rather just play the final step. With Power Path, they’re not allowed and I think that’s great for the poker ecology.”
