I attended the Irish Open for the first time this year and, after reading my former colleague Jim Murray’s excellent article, it inspired me to share some of my experiences – and also give you a whole load of reasons why you should come to the next iteration in 2026 (March 26 – April 6).
The RDS is a Special Venue
When I first walked into the Royal Dublin Society, it gave me a tingly feeling that I had only felt when walking into the old Wembley Stadium for the first time. Entering the vast main hall, you could immediately tell it was geared for the comfort of the players.
The first thing I noticed was the beautiful green felt on the dozens of tables in the room, but they were spaced out so well that there was never the awkward squeezing through the tight gap between seats, which happens all too frequently in a poker room.
The next to catch the eye was the ten huge LED screens that provided the tournament clocks, which were clear to see for even the poorest of eyes. When the screens weren’t needed for tourney info, they showed live sports (including the incredible game between Manchester United and Lyon in the Europa League).
There were plenty of catering options with the Bagel and Toastie trucks being a mainstay in the main room and cash game room, but outside was a rotating roster of food vans, including Pizza, Thai, Indian, and Chinese cuisine.
Yes, there are some issues at the RDS, which is not surprising for such a historic building. Finding a lockable toilet in the gents was akin to a game of Takeshi’s Castle! However, I am reliably informed that the RDS has been given serious grief on the issue and plans to upgrade the toilets in time for the 2026 festival. In any case, toilets aside, the RDS is a truly grand setting for such a historic tournament series.
The Irish Open Has Become the Biggest Mixed Games Festival in Europe
As a mixed-game aficionado, I was delighted to see so many mixed games announced on the 2025 schedule. I had the privilege to cover the Big O (5-card, pot limit Omaha Hi-Lo), 8-game Mix, and H.O.R.S.E.
After spending several hours researching and looking at previous results, I am confident that every mixed game held at the Irish Open attracted the biggest number of entries in Europe, with the 8-Game Championship gaining an incredible 169 runners. During the event, the TD told me that they’d only set up for around 70 players and were gobsmacked by the numbers.
That tournament was eventually won by mixed game cash grinder Bill Mawer, who plays regularly on the London circuit. Mawer, who claimed he likes to play anything with more than two cards, was delighted to have the opportunity to play at the Irish Open: “This is my first time here and it is well organised, and the dealers knew what they were doing. You just don’t get the opportunity to play something like this in the UK.”
As well as the monster 8-game field, every mixed game held at the Irish Open attracted over 100 runners, including 2-7 Triple Draw and Open Face Chinese, both of which are very rarely played on this side of the Atlantic.
Great Structures and Organisation
One of the biggest bugbears of being a live tournament reporter is witnessing someone win a tournament in the early hours of the morning and the only other people around are a handful of dealers and the cleaners. It was a real bonus for everyone (sleepy reporters included!) that the vast majority of Irish Open events finished between 4pm and 8 pm. This encouraged strong rails and a great atmosphere.
For my part, this was nowhere more apparent than with The Hendon Mob Championship, which attracted 888 runners, making it the biggest THMC ever held in Europe. The final table was held near the main entrance which ensured plenty of interested onlookers during the epic heads-up battle between Charlie Waters and eventual champion Michal Havavka (who also took down the America’s Cup in 2024).
Throughout the whole schedule, not a single tournament was cancelled, and only a handful of tournaments were delayed due to capacity issues. This is unheard of at festivals this size and it’s to the immense credit of Paul O’Reilly, JP McCann, Laura Carroll and the rest of the Irish Open team that, thanks to their meticulous planning, that they were able to handle the record-breaking fields.
The Craic is Real
This was my first ever trip to Ireland, and I had heard about the legendary “craic”. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I discovered was an extraordinary camaraderie between players, dealers and floor staff, to a level that I’ve never seen at a poker festival before.
The Craic Den is a perfect area for players to let off some steam and to mentally reset before going back to battle. Of course, there is plenty of Guinness (and other tipples) available at the bar, but it’s the games, promos and competitive spirit which really create the buzz here.
There was table football, a pool table, a dart board, two shuffleboards, game consoles and the unforgettable entertainment happening on the stage.
One thing that I definitely wasn’t expecting was to belt out a tune on karaoke night but despite destroying This Charming Man by The Smiths, I received compliments for giving it a go rather than getting the dog abuse that I was expecting. By the end of the night, I was playing the bongos on the top of two guys’ heads.
What I really found is that the “craic” is not only a thing, but it is the essence of the Irish Open. I have never been in such a tipsy setting and not seen a single drop of trouble or vitriol apart from good-natured jibes between mates.
The beauty of the Irish Open is that you are playing poker among 2,000 friends – they’re just friends you haven’t met yet.
