27/04/2011, Poker Tournaments

The online qualifier Nial Smyth took down the 2011 Irish Open main event, this week at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin. He outlasted a field of 615 players at the €3,200 + €300 buy in event, taking down the €550,000 first prize, from an impressive prize pool of €1,968,000.

Nial Smyth played amongst some of the top names in poker such as: Roberto Romanello, Sam Trickett, Jake Cody, Dave “Devilfish” Ulliot or Andy Black.
The player qualified for the 2011 Irish Open after winning a Grand National bet at paddypower.com, transferring the winnings to his poker account and winning a satellite.

“Unbelievable. I just can't believe it. It started when I put €10 each way on the winner of the English Grand National, I won €200 euro and now I have €650,000. Surinder is such a great player, my support has been fantastic, and here I am,” the young Irishman said.

Here are the final table payouts:
1. Niall Smyth (Ireland) – €550,000;
2. Surinder Sunar (England) – €290,000;
3. Martin Petri (Denmark) – €180,000;
4. Seamus Cahill (Ireland) – €145,000;
5. Aleksi Savela (Finand) – €115,000;
6. Karl Rudwall (Sweden) – €85,000;
7. Rob Taylor (Ireland) – €63,000;
8. John Eames (UK) – €45,000;
9. Niall McCann (Ireland) – €30,000.

The Irish Open is Europe's oldest poker event, which has been running since the early 1980s.