Beyond the Felt

Beyond the Felt – Irish and World Poker – Sport & Stories over the last few weeks….

Wednesday, August 5th, 1:13pm

With the start of August upon us and the grass finally getting watered, thoughts shift to what is on the horizon in the Poker World.

Players turning momentum into results has been the pattern of this year, with Irish players putting in shifts all across the globe. Can they continue to hone their skills on home soil, sharpening their skills for the international stage?

The Irish Poker Tour, has given players the opportunity to come together on a regular basis and compete in big fields for large amounts in an environment that is tough to describe but hard to forget. There showstopper at the Gleneagle Arena, Killarney is less than ten weeks away. Satellites are running for the big one – The Killarney Festival 2026

Satellite Schedule:

Packages

Day 1 Daily @ 7:30PM, 9:45PM & 11PM €100 Entry
Survivors advance to Day 2 Final on Sunday

Day 2 Final Sunday @ 8:30PM €100 Entry
2 x €1800 Packages GTD Day 2

Seat Only

Tuesday @ 8:30PM €50 Entry
2 x €700 Seats GTD

Friday @ 8:30PM €50 Entry
2 x €700 Seats GTD

Doke’s €10 Killarney Satellite (Paddy Power Poker Only)
Sunday @ 8:30PM €10 Entry
1 x €700 Seat GTD

Later this month…

The Irish Poker Tour is in the Eglinton Casino, Galway, 13^th –16^th August for the Galway Summer Festival. To get your accommodation specifically tailored to the players needs contact Suzie on WhatsApp – +353 87 262 5430.

One of the stand out features of the IPT is their focus on the player experience, making it smooth and easy so they can enjoy the cards. Suzie is on hand to help with and book accomodation for what ever your party needs.

Galway Summer Festival – €50,000 Guaranteed Main Event

Next stop in the centre of Ireland

Another stop has been added to the Irish Poker Tours schedule in September – The Midlands Card Club, Offaly for the Tullamore €30K In A Day

Top of the Irish Poker Tour’s leaderboard Robbie Bryant runs the MCC with his brother. He has had an incredible start to the year bagging The Monster Main Event at the Green Isle the same night his brother took down the Monsterstack tournament.

As well as three other live trophies this year. Players from the club are continually bagging trophies to proudly display in the ever expanding trophy cabinet. He sits in first place on the leaderboard with 6,560 points with Darren Harbinson behind on 3,900 points.

I asked Robbie what it meant for him and the guys at the MCC for an event to be coming to their local.

“Tullamore has never seen a GTD that big, and for us to be involved is brilliant.” “We have grown with the IPT, from them bringing us on as ambassadors, and now helping to run an event with them it really means a lot to us.”

The venue is right in the centre of town, making it easy for players to find food, accommodation and nightlife.

Players have plenty of dining options within a two-minute walk, including Chinese restaurants, chip shops, sandwich shops and McDonald’s.

WPT Global

WPT has shifted into top gear with WPT Asia Series: Overdrive, their 43-day online festival that is still running until the 30^th of August. Built around speed and volume, the series boasts ¥200 million in guaranteed prize money (almost $30 million).

Whether you’re chasing a coveted WPT Ring or grinding for leaderboard points, there’s meaningful action every day, making Overdrive one of the biggest online poker festivals of the summer.

World Poker

AI Reads Poker Tells… or Does It?

One of the biggest talking points from the 2026 WSOP wasn’t a hand—it was ESPN’s introduction of an AI-powered tell detector. The system analysed eye movement, posture, chip handling and other physical cues to estimate whether players were bluffing or holding strong hands. While it divided opinion among viewers, many professionals dismissed it, arguing that live poker tells are too nuanced and context-dependent for current AI to read reliably.

WSOP Takes Action Against Tanking

For the first time in Main Event history, WSOP organisers introduced a 20-second shot clock during the closing stages of the tournament after repeated complaints about excessive tanking. Players received six 30-second time extensions, with the move sparking plenty of debate over whether it improved the game or unfairly changed the conditions deep into poker’s biggest event.

Another Seven-Figure Champion Crowned

The WSOP Main Event once again attracted more than 9,200 entries, with the final nine players each locking up at least $1 million before returning to Las Vegas this week to battle for poker’s most prestigious title and the $10 million first prize.

Summer Grind Rolls On

The action didn’t stop after the World Series. The WSOP Circuit at Horseshoe Las Vegas immediately followed, where Matthew Blagg captured his first Circuit ring and a career-best $238,470, highlighting how the live poker calendar barely pauses after the summer festival ends.

Golf

Rory McIlroy is taking a short break following the end of the men’s major season before returning for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. The Masters champion has also continued to speak candidly about the state of professional golf and the ongoing PGA Tour–LIV Golf divide.

Scottie Scheffler remains the benchmark in men’s golf, while attention is beginning to shift towards the FedEx Cup Playoffs as the PGA Tour season reaches its climax.

The FedExCup Playoffs begin next week, immediately after the Wyndham Championship concludes the PGA Tour regular season.

Current Format

7–10 August – Wyndham Championship (last regular-season event)

13–16 August – FedEx St. Jude Championship (Top 70)

20–23 August – BMW Championship (Top 50)

26–30 August – TOUR Championship at East Lake, Atlanta (Top 30)

Current FedExCup Top 10

Scottie Scheffler
Rory McIlroy
Cameron Young
Wyndham Clark
Robert MacIntyre
Justin Thomas
Viktor Hovland
Tommy Fleetwood
Ludvig Åberg
Xander Schauffele

Darts

Luke Littler continues to dominate headlines after successfully defending the World Matchplay title. His run included a tournament average that broke Phil Taylor’s long-standing record, underlining why many already regard him as one of the sport’s generational talents.

Premier League Football

The transfer market is entering its busiest month before the 1 September deadline.

Some of the biggest confirmed deals include:

Morgan Rogers → Chelsea (£117m)

Elliot Anderson → Manchester City (£116m)

Sandro Tonali → Tottenham (£100m)

Mateus Fernandes → Tottenham (£85m)

Andrey Santos → Manchester United (£50m)

Irish interest:

Troy Parrott is attracting strong interest after an outstanding season with AZ Alkmaar, with clubs including Fulham, West Ham, Ajax and Real Betis linked.