The stage is set for the semi finals of the €350 Irish Open Heads-Up Championship here at the 2025 Irish Open and only four players remain out of a field of 128 entries. They are all battling for the biggest slice of the €38,688 at Royal Dublin Society and have locked up €3,400 for their efforts.
What everyone is hoping for is the Irish Open Side Event trophy and the €10,000 top prize, but another two heads-up victories are required to get there. One round was played earlier on and it brought the following results:
- Isaac Barker defeated Jonas Witdoek
- Alexandru Ersen-Baciu defeated Tomas Flanagan
- Cameron Dhaliwal defeated Sachin Joshi
- Eriks Krumins defeated Steinn Thanh Du Karlsson
Barker made quick work of Witdoek in under 25 minutes while Ersen-Baciu rushed out to an early lead against Flanagan. The duel wasn’t as straight forward but Flanagan was ultimately defeated.
Dhaliwal lost a huge pot early on when he four-bet ace-king and then barreled off. Joshi called with deuces and turned a set to take a commanding lead. However, fortune was on Dhaliwal’s side as he came from behind three times to double and take the lead. The Brit then turned an unbeatable straight to claim victory.
Last but not least, the Scandinavian duel between Krumins and Karlsson went the longest for nearly two and a half hours. Numerous double-ups had both on the verge of victory before Krumins prevailed.
They start with 800,000 in chips at blinds of 5,000-10,000 and the levels last 20 minutes each, the duels for the semi finals are as follows:
Heads-Up Championship Semifinals:
- Alexandru Ersen-Baciu vs. Cameron Dhaliwal
- Eriks Krumins vs. Isaac Barker
Remaining Payouts:
- 1st – €10,000
- 2nd – €5,888
- 3rd-4th – €3,400
