I’ve just spent the weekend in Dublin at the Boylesports International Poker Open (IPO for short), a tournament organized by my previous guest and good friend Paul Spillane (Mr Irish Poker). It’s a unique tournament and one of the most enjoyable events I’ve been to for a long time, even though my result was disappointing!

The idea is to offer the experience of playing a major event, like the World Series, but for an affordable price, a $250 buy-in. The event was sold out weeks in advance with over 1,400 entries. First prize was a very respectable $77,000.

I barely won a pot in the four hours I played in the tournament but it was still fun. The field was a mixture of crazy beginners and small stakes grafters taking it VERY seriously, with the odd “Face” thrown in. As well as adding money to the prize pool, Boyles had placed a number of ‘bounty’ players in the event, who were identified by wearing Sunderland shirts (Boyles sponsor Sunderland and the biggest cheer of the day was when the Tournament Director announced that a Balloon had scored the winner for Sunderland vs Liverpool!). If you knock out a ‘bounty’ you win a prize, that sort of thing. As the proud wearer of such a shirt, I regret that I was less than gracious when I finally shovelled my last 2,000 chips (started with 10k) with A7 diamonds and was called in the Small Blind by….AA obviously. I must learn to get knocked out more graciously as it’s going to happen a lot .

There was a great buzz throughout the Regency Hotel all weekend. The bar was busy with the Irish, French and British deputations all mixing freely. It was great to catch up with some friendly faces: The Coach, Andy Ward, The Paperboy, Julian G, the effervescent Paul Parker.

I managed to nick a few Euros in the cash games and Final-tabled in the Omaha comp for a stunning €300, although I didn’t cover myself in glory when my A775 double suited couldn’t beat A234 clubs! I adjourned to the bar to spend my winnings to find Rory Liffey conducting a straw poll to discover if the assembled audience would rather give up sex or poker. Hmmm. If that were the choice poker would be wiped out within a generation.

A superb weekend was topped off with the Boyle Cup. An Ireland vs England two day golf match played at the K Club. There was a lot more money gambled on the golf than on the weekend’s poker! The Irish were chirping overnight with a 2-0 victory in the fourballs but The Brits came back by winning the first three singles the next day. It came down to my match vs Nicky Power. I was one down with one to play knowing that a half would secure a British victory. It was a par five and both of us were looking at our third shot, middle of the fairway, 100 yards to the pin, water all round the green and a 30mph wind blowing across the hole. I wish I could say I nailed it within 5 feet, but I put it in the water and the rest is history. The rematch is in March. Can’t wait!

And what a fantastic place the K Club is.

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