Road to The Kingdom – Killarney 2026 Preview
Two stops, one runaway Leaderboard and thirty-three days until Killarney 2026.
The children are back at school, the evenings are closing in and the good people of Kerry are quietly moving the furniture out of the Gleneagle Arena again. The Killarney Poker Festival runs from Tuesday October 13th to Sunday October 18th and, for once, the hype is justified by the arithmetic. Last year 3,100 entries walked through the doors and €1,122,010 walked back out in prize money. This year the Festival guarantee stands at €750,000+ and the whole thing has shifted three weeks later into October, which means slightly worse weather, slightly cheaper flights and exactly the same amount of sleep, which is none.
First, Two Detours
Nobody gets to Killarney without passing through the Midlands and the North West.
The Tullamore €30K In A Day is on September 18th and 19th at the Midlands Card Club, a new stop on the Tour and, not by coincidence, the home club of Ray and Robbie Bryant. Playing the Bryants in Tullamore is roughly the equivalent of playing Kerry in Killarney. It can be done. Bring a big stack and a thick skin.
A week later the Donegal Poker Festival takes over the Radisson in Letterkenny from September 25th to 27th, with a €300 Main Event and €90,000+ guaranteed across the weekend. The last chance to pick up Leaderboard points before the Festival, and a fine excuse to see the top of the country before the clocks change.
The Leaderboard, Such As It Is
Robbie Bryant sits on 7,900 points after Limerick and there is a growing suspicion that the only thing capable of catching him is a puncture on the N52. Killian Farrell is second and still fighting, picking up €2,210 and another 500 points for the Saturday NLH in Limerick. Darren Harbinson is third having played a fraction of the events, which is either very efficient or very annoying depending on who you ask. Ray Bryant is fourth on 3,845 and Charlie Porter, newly crowned Limerick champion after finishing second in Sligo, second in Athlone and finally getting the better of Robbie in a heads-up deal worth €12,245, is fifth on 3,830. Fifteen points between them. One Omaha side event would sort it.
Below the top five is where it gets interesting. The top 16 after Portlaoise in December go through to the Playoff Freeroll with €30,000++ on the table, and Killarney is the one week of the year where a player can move from twentieth to tenth without doing anything particularly clever. Eighteen trophies in six days. Points everywhere you look.
What You Are Playing For
All prices below are what you hand over at the desk. No small print.
The Festival Opener kicks off at 4pm on Tuesday, €200 for a €15,000 guarantee that was beaten by eight thousand last year. Wednesday belongs to the Mystery Bounty, €500 with two flights at 2pm and 7pm, €60,000 guaranteed, and a Thursday evening final where the envelopes do the talking. Thursday also brings the Omaha Championship, €1,650 for €40,000 guaranteed, plus the first outing of the TORSE at €300. The HORSE in Dublin this summer went down well enough that mixed games were promised for Killarney, and here they are. Limit poker at four in the afternoon. Bring patience and a calculator.
Friday is the busiest card of the week. The €1K One Dayer at 1pm for €40,000 guaranteed, the Women’s Championship at 2pm for €250 and €10,000 guaranteed, the Omaha Progressive Bounty at 5pm for €250, and the nightly €20K NLH at €200, which also runs Wednesday and Thursday for anyone who wants a trophy shot without committing a weekend to it.
Saturday has the Killarney 300, €300 for €60,000 guaranteed, one of the best-value tournaments on the entire Irish calendar and last year’s home of one of the great underdog stories. PLO Masters at €300 and a €200 Turbo Freezeout fill the evening. Sunday closes with the Killarney Poker Cup at €400 for €40,000 guaranteed, a €200 Monsterstack with 75,000 chips, €200 Omaha 5 Card / Hi-Lo and a €150 Last Chance Turbo at 8pm for anyone who has decided they are not driving home empty-handed.
The Main Event
€700, 40,000 chips, 40-minute levels, two re-entries, €400,000 guaranteed.
Seven flights. Thursday at noon and 6pm, Friday at noon, 4pm and 8pm, Saturday at 10.30am, and a Saturday 2.30pm Hyper with 15-minute levels for the late arrivals, the recently busted and the optimists. Day 2 starts at 5pm on Saturday. The Final plays from 1pm on Sunday in front of the loudest rail in Irish poker.
Last year 899 entries produced a €535,085 prize pool. Ninety were paid, Gerard “Sugar” Ward burst the bubble in 91st with ace-king against a flopped straight and Finland’s Samuel Saariaho beat Tommy O’Rourke heads-up for €100,000. Tommy, as he was reminded afterwards by one of the Tour’s Lithuanian regulars, should have kept the money at home. Killarney has a way of adopting people.
Get Somebody Else to Pay for It
The best way to play Killarney is on a package, in the Gleneagle, for as close to nothing as you can manage.
On land: Doyle’s in Limerick runs a €700 seat satellite every Thursday at 7.30pm on September 10th, 17th and October 1st. The Eglinton in Galway has five packages guaranteed on Wednesday September 16th at 7pm. Once the Festival opens, seat satellites for the Main Event, the Omaha Championship and the €1K One Dayer run daily in the arena, and the usual €20 Last Longers in the big events pay out every cent taken in. The house keeps nothing.
Online: Paddy Power Poker and the iPoker network are running the full ladder to the €1,800 package, which covers the Main Event seat, four nights for two in the Gleneagle and travel expenses on top. €100 Day 1s run every night at 7.30pm, 9.45pm and 11pm into a Sunday final at 8.30pm with two packages guaranteed. €50 seat-only satellites run Tuesday and Friday nights. Step satellites start at €0.50, and on Sundays at 8.30pm there is Doke’s €10 satellite with a €700 seat guaranteed. Full details in the usual place at irishpokertour.com/qualify-online.
For everyone who prefers to pay their own way, Susie has the best hotel rates on the Muckross Road and is on WhatsApp at 087 262 5430. She will not have them in October.
Elsewhere in Irish Poker
Dublin’s Michael Dwyer, a retired businessman who describes himself as an amateur, finished fifth in the €5,300 EPT Barcelona Main Event for €362,500. He called tournament poker “a thing of absolute beauty”, which is easy to say with that number in your pocket but hard to disagree with. Meanwhile the Irish Open is in Sydney for the first time in its long history, with an A$1 million guaranteed Main Event at Club Marconi and Chris Dowling flying the flag after qualifying in Dublin back in April. Long way to go for a game of cards. Killarney is closer.
The Important Bit
Killarney Poker Festival 2026. Tuesday October 13th to Sunday October 18th. The Gleneagle Arena, Killarney, Co. Kerry. €750,000+ guaranteed.
Book the room, win the seat, tell the boss you have a funeral. See you all there.
Live updates, chip counts and the Live Clock on LPU all week.
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Limerick Shakes Up the IPT Leaderboard
Limerick’s €30K in a Day was the focus this weekend, and once again the numbers came pouring in. The guarantee was smashed early, with 386 entries eventually taking their shot at the Main Event.
There were characters everywhere. Pat Fitz had the room in stitches while David “Panda” Fitzpatrick was flying the Limerick flag as usual. Both were actually sitting at my first-ever IPT table, alongside others from Doyle’s Poker Club in Limerick. I remember it being tough enough concentrating on the poker while everyone within earshot tried to hide their laughter behind their cards.
Paul “Hangman” Roper bagged a monster 763,000 from 1A, but when the final table was set, attention turned towards the IPT leaderboard. Robbie Bryant went in as chip leader, brother Ray Bryant was third in chips, with Charlie Porter sitting right between them.
And Charlie finally got his moment.
Second in Sligo to Robbie in July. Second again in Athlone. Then Limerick came around and, fittingly, it was Robbie standing between him and the trophy once again.
A heads-up deal saw Robbie collect €10,000, while Charlie took €12,245 and the trophy. Crossbar specialist no more.
Robbie remains miles clear at the top of the IPT leaderboard on 7,900 points, while Killian Farrell strengthened his second-place position by winning Saturday’s NLH for €2,210 and another 500 points.
Ray sits fourth on 3,845, with the newly crowned Limerick champion Charlie just 15 points behind him on 3,830.
And that brings us nicely to Killarney, now only three stops away.
The €30Ks offer one big opportunity to collect leaderboard points. Killarney is a completely different animal. A major festival, numerous tournaments and repeated opportunities to score points could see the leaderboard change considerably.
Robbie has built what is beginning to look like an uncatchable lead. Killian is chasing, Darren Harbinson remains third, while Ray and Charlie are separated by virtually nothing.
Before Killarney, the IPT heads to Tullamore €30K In A Day, September 18–19 at the Midlands Card Club, followed by the Donegal Poker Festival, September 25–27 at the Radisson Hotel, Letterkenny.
Then comes the big one.
The Killarney Poker Festival 2026.
And with that many tournaments, that many points and the leaderboard getting tighter everywhere behind Robbie, Killarney could be where this thing gets very interesting.
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Limerick €30K in a day recap
Be proud Limerick. Be proud.
In a similar vein to Athlone’s 30K in a day just a few short weeks ago, the numbers for this stop poured in. 150 by level 3 of the opening flight of the Main Event as I glanced at the Live clock while making my way to the Castletroy Hotel to cover this one. The first notable difference with this one in comparison to Athlone is the Guarantee was already smashed before we began our media coverage of Limericks 30K in a day. By level 4 it was in the bag and the sound of riffling chips was only topped by the local characters who added that layer of poker romance in what was sure to be a beautiful payday on the other end for someone.
The Byrants were in early and all leaderboard eyes would be on them. But they would have competition and a minefield to go through. This was never going to be easy. You had some local and hometown hero’s such as IPT pro Paul Carr and David Panda Fitzpatrick who were gung ho on having their say. And then you had Pat Fitzgerald (Pat Fitz as he likes to be known) who had the whole room in stitches as he let it be known to all with his colourful flair and table talk when the pot was his. This was limerick and it was better than ever.
Limerick €30k in a Day 1A: The “Hangman” Roper Bagged a Massive Chip Lead as 47 Advanced
Paul Roper stormed to the top of the counts in Day 1A of the Limerick €30k in a Day Main event when he surpassed the 100k chip mark . When Paul approached the media desk halfway through the opening flight requesting his image be taken as he was the chipleader he had a determined look in his eye. The look of a man who wanted more than to make up the numbers.
And from that point he never took a back step and ended by bagging a tournament-leading 763,000 chips after nearly eight hours of action. Tarka Roche (487,000) and Killian Farrell (421,000) rounded out the top three, while a host of familiar local names also advanced with healthy counts. Stephen Brookes (399,000), David “Panda” Fitzpatrick who was carrying the flag of Limerick proudly on his back as he always does, bagged 358,000. Other notables included Mark Barry (322,000), Tommy O’Loughlin (291,000), Tony Harte (286,000) and Ian Collins (273,000), with Matt Bell, Cyril Doherty, Pat Flanagan and Ray Bryant also progressing comfortably.
We were also joined by great friend of the Irish Poker Tour Mr Dara O’Kearney who was fresh off of live success at The PartyPoker Tour – Glasgow where he took down the 7-max high roller, but it was not to be for Doke in 1A as he failed to get a bag through.
1A Top stacks
Paul Roper – 763,000
Tarka Roche – 487,000
Killian Farrell – 421,000
Stephen Brookes – 399,000
David Fitzpatrick – 358,000
Mark Barry – 322,000
Tommy O’Loughlin – 291,000
Tony Harte – 286,000
Ian Collins – 273,000
Limerick €30k in a Day 1B: O’Grady Lead as 21 Advanced in a fast and furious flight
One last chance saloon for players to get their names on the ticket for the Main Event Final. It was the turn of Charlie Porter and Robbie Bryant who had faltered in 1A to get a stack through but both made it happen with solid bags. Robbie going through with 140,000 and Mr Porter with 180,000
Michael O’Grady topped the counts on the hyper 1B flight bagging 357,000 chips after just over two hours of play. It drew 85 entries and created a €13,872 prize pool. A total of 21 players found bags, with O’Grady well clear at the top of 1B.
Gerard A. Fitzgerald (236,000) and Dinny Quinn (234,000) sit close behind in second and third, while Stephen Dwyer (223,000), Marcus McHale (202,000) and Joey Pyne (198,000) also advanced with strong stacks. Mossie Fitzgerald(73,000), Norbert Golebiowski(133,000) and Helen Goberville (52,000) rounded out the top end of the counts. Shout out to Patrice Goberville also who busted at the same time as his wife Helen in the Hyper flight only for both to return to their previous seats in opposite order!
It’s time. The Main Event Final
In the Smoke and the Silence of Limerick…
They came from every corner of the island and beyond. Three hundred and eighty-six entries, the players each carrying the same quiet hunger. Two grueling flights of war. Two flights of attrition. And when the final table lights finally cut through the haze on a Saturday night in September, only one name would be left standing.
Charlie Porter.
The man who walked into the Limerick €30k in a Day was not just another face in the crowd. Charlie had hit the crossbar more than once. Sligo and Athlone to name two “It was time I took one of those infamous trophies”
Robbie Bryant, the other half of the Bryant brothers’ charge, went deep and deeper still. Both him and Ray made their way onto the same table once we reached the final 16 redraw. “ If I take him out I take him out” was the phrase from Robbie. There wasn’t a player left that didn’t believe him. Including his brother Ray. And his brother was more than willing to go toe to toe.
The Final 9
Final Table Chip Counts
- Robbie Bryant – 2,390,000
- Charlie Porter – 2,295,000
- Ray Bryant – 1,650,000
- Michael O’Grady – 1,380,000
- Paul Roper – 1,355,000
- Matt Bell – 975,000
- Stephen Brookes – 595,000
- Bogdan Chetrariu – 485,000
- Kevin Shanks – 465,000
At the final table sat a who’s who of the weekend’s survivors, but one man carried a different kind of weight. Bogdan Chetrariu is the real deal , a quality player who doesn’t need theatrics or to make his presence felt. Cold, precise, and deeply dangerous, he moved through the late stages with the quiet confidence of someone who has been here before and expects to be here again. Chetrariu simply applied pressure and the Romanian picked his spots.
One of the pivotal moments of the final 9 came when Charlie Porter went all in against Ray Bryant.
Ray looked down at pocket Jacks and made his move.
He shoved.
Charlie Porter sat with A♠6♠… and made the call.
The money was in.
Ray was ahead and the flop came clean.
The turn stayed quiet. Then the river… an Ace.
Just like that. Charlie’s A6 had spiked the one card that mattered.
Ray’s Jacks, once so proud, now worthless on the felt.
Three times Ray had gone all-in ahead on the final table and three times the deck had answered with cruelty. This one, against the eventual champion, was perhaps the deepest cut of all. Then to Bogdan Chetrariu who shoved his 33 leaving Charlie Porter with a decision. He made the call with 66 and the board stayed clean leaving him with third place and €5,300 but the table knew the truth: this was no fluke. Bogdan Chetrariu belongs at the sharp end of any field he enters.
Once the battle reached heads up it was Robbie Bryant and Charlie. A short break and a discussion saw the 2 return to agree a heads up deal.
Robbie took €10,000 and the knowledge that he had been the last man between Porter and the crown. Charlie walked out with the title and €12,245 after the 2 players shook hands. The crossbar specialist no more. Charlie Porter is your €30K in a day Main Event Champion.
Some nights the cards just decide.
Some nights a man decides them.
This was one of those nights.
Charlie Porter, Main Event Champion.
Killian Keeps the Pressure Up at the Top of the Leaderboard Race
Killian Farrell is keeping the pressure firmly on at the top of the leaderboard race, adding another strong result to his points tally at the Limerick €30K in a Day.
Farrell came out on top of Saturday night’s NLH, navigating a field of 56 entries to take down the €6,720 prize pool and collect €2,210 along with 500 IPT points.
Farrell had to overcome Kul Prasad Ghale heads-up, with Ghale taking €1,380 for second, while Marius Tersanszki finished third for €980.
With another 500 points now added to his tally, Farrell has once again underlined his consistency on the tour .The message is clear: Killian Farrell isn’t giving up his position at the top without a fight.
Another bumper event comes to a close and next up we have Tullamore’s €30K in a day, which has now been extended to include an extra Main Event Flight. It runs from Friday, September 18 to Saturday September 19th at the Midlands Card Club.
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Day 2 Wrap for The Summer in Dublin
The second day of the Summer in Dublin festival is well and truly underway. With a schedule packed from start to finish, the Green Isle was once again alive with the unmistakable sound of poker chips riffling across the tables.
The day began with Main Event Day 1B, which attracted 83 entries, adding further to the ever-growing Main Event prize pool. In total, nine players survived to secure their place in Sunday’s final. The biggest stack belonged to youngster Darach Rogan, who bagged an impressive 589,000.
Next up was Omaha 300 Day 1A, where 47 entries began their quest for the title later that evening. Eight players progressed to the final, with in-form Darren Harbinson leading the way on 426,000. Harbinson arrived in Dublin fresh from winning The Hendon Mob Championship in Nottingham for £26,750 and continued his fine run of form.
Later, Omaha 300 Hyper Day 1B drew a further 21 entries, with another three players advancing to join the finalists. From the turbo-paced format, Namir Mohamed carried the chip lead into the final with 457,000.
A brand-new addition to the IPT schedule came in the form of the HORSE Championship. HORSE is the ultimate mixed-game test, with players rotating through Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo (Eight-or-Better), rewarding all-round poker skill rather than mastery of a single format.
The inaugural event attracted 35 entries. Frederico Hitner finished third for €1,000, Falissah De Alemida Finger claimed €1,400 as runner-up, while Jorrit Baars made history by capturing the first IPT HORSE Championship trophy along with the €2,060 first prize.
Summer in Dublin Main Event Day 1C attracted 149 entries, with 20 players progressing to Day 2. The biggest stack was accumulated by Jack Semple, who finished with 625,000.
Later in the evening, the Friday €5k NLH got underway and drew 93 entries, creating a prize pool of €11,160. As the tournament reached its conclusion, the final four players agreed to an ICM deal before continuing to play for the trophy and the remaining prize money. Ernestas Kriauciunas collected €1,900 in fourth, Sammy O’Brien also received €1,900 in third, while Sia Browne banked €1,900 for finishing second. Geoffrey McClay went on to lift the trophy and collect the winner’s prize of €2,310.
The final starting flight of the day, Summer in Dublin Main Event Day 1D, added another 72 entries to the Main Event. With three opening flights now complete, the prize pool has climbed to €106,580, with plenty more poker still to come. Eleven players advanced from the flight, led by Catalin Dinu, who bagged an impressive 782,000.
The Omaha 300 Final returned with eight players, with Darren Harbinson starting as chip leader. Fresh from his Main Event victory at The Hendon Mob Championship in Nottingham, Harbinson continued to show why he is one of the hottest players around. When play reached the final three, an ICM deal was agreed. Patrick Joseph Coulter collected €3,600 for third place, Namir Mohamed received €4,025 as runner-up, while Darren Harbinson claimed the trophy and €4,250. It continues a remarkable 2026 for Harbinson, who earlier this year also captured a Main Event title at the Green Isle.
Day two is in the books, and with the Main Event gathering momentum, the business end of the festival is beginning to take shape.
Be sure to stay tuned to Live Poker Updates for all the latest from the Green Isle.
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Winner of the HORSE Championship -Jorrit Baars – €2,060
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Winner of the Friday €5k NLH after a 4-way deal – Geoffrey McClay – €2,310
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Winner of the Omaha Final after a 3-way ICM deal – Darren Harbinson – €4,250
A great year for Darren so far after picking up a Main Event trophy here at the Green Isle earlier in the year and only a couple of weeks ago Darren took down the Hendon Mob Championship Main Event over in Nottingham.
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Who is edging one step closer to taking home a trophy?
HORSE Championship
7 players remain in the running for to take home the IPT’s first HORSE trophy
Chip Stacks –
Jorrit Baars – 270,000
Vincent Clifford – 240,000
Kamil Maslowski – 193,500
Frederico Hitner – 172,500
Falissah De Alemida Finger – 158,500
Donal MacAonghusa – 56,000
James Dominic Donnelly – 27,500
Friday €5k NLH
13 players remaining, fighting over the €11,160 prize pool
10th place gets paid.
How the field is looking –
Aigars Kopstals – 230,000
Titanium (Sia Browne) – 200,000
Sammy O’Brien – 170,000
Neil Higgins – 145,000
Sammy Eydan – 140,000
Geoffrey McClay – 140,000
Robert Myhre – 120,000
Sean Birt – 110,000
Gerard McCullough – 107,000
Peter Halpenny – 90,000
John Burke – 85,000
Evan Reilly – 70,000
Ernestas Kriauciunas – 67,000
Omaha Final
Down to 5 players in the Omaha with 2 players holding a considerable share of the chips –
Namir Mohamed – 755,000
Darren Harbinson – 740,000
Aidan Hynes – 250,000
Thang Van Nguyen – 150,000
Patrick Joseph Coulter – 80,000
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Starting to get to the business end of the day
Summer in Dublin 1C
46 players remaining from 149
Currently at LVL 12
Average stack – 129,565
Top Stacks –
John Costello – 212,000
Michael P Reilly – 198,000
Ray Wheatley – 195,000
Jason Tompkins – 175,000
David O’Reilly Jr – 170,000
Friday €5k NLH
Entries: 35 remain from 93
Average Stack: 66,428
Level: 11
Top Stacks –
Titanium (Sia Browne) – 170,000
Evan Reilly – 169,000
Aigars Kopstals – 118,000
Sammy O’Brien – 95,000
Caroline Chambers – 90,000
Raj Shamkuwar – 89,000
Omaha Final
8 players left in the Omaha final
Payout Structure –
1 – €5,525 | 500 Points
2 – €3,750 | 400 Points
3 – €2,600 | 325 Points
4 – €1,950 | 275 Points
5 – €1,500 | 250 Points
6 – €1,250 | 225 Points
7 – €1,050 | 200 Points
Average Stack – 400,750
Top Stacks –
Darren Harbinson – 642,000
Namir Mohamed – 524,000
Aidan Hynes – 490,000
Thang Van Nguyen – 331,000
Patrick Joseph Coulter – 243,000
Joseph Mullen – 208,000
Kassin Eydan – 191,000
Brian O’Sullivan – 101,000
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Update on what’s going on at the Summer in Dublin
Friday €5k NLH
Buy-in: €150
Entries: 47 remaining
Prize Pool: €8,280
Level: 7
Average Stack: 36,702
Starting Stack: 25,000
Top Stacks –
Aigars Kopstals – 70,000
Stephen Malone – 62,000
Sia Browne (Titanium) – 58,000
Sammy O’Brien – 54,000
John Eccles – 52,000
Omaha 300 Final
Starts at 9.45pm
Flight 1B done and dusted –
With the biggest stack of the flights so far going to the youngster – Darach Rogan – 589,000
Other top stacks brought forward –
Michael Nolan – 503,000
Shella McSweeney – 499,000
Dara O’Kearney – 414,000
Ed Murphy – 411,000
Jarek Wolczyk – 255,000
Kenneth Matthews – 231,000
Diones Santos Silva – 160,000
Gerard Keenan – 118,000
Horse down to 14 players
With it being the first time this format has been introduced at the IPT there has been a decent turnout for those willing to give it a go.
With only 14 players remaining lets take a look at how the stacks are shaping up –
Keith Rooney – 315,000
Jorrit Baars – 128,000
James Dominic Donnelly – 102,000
Kamil Maslowski – 85,500
Donal MacAonghusa – 75,000
Matteo Ferrari – 73,000
Padraic O’Luana – 72,500
Killian O’Brien – 68,000
Vincent Clifford – 67,000
Falissah De Alemida Finger – 65,500
Mick Graydon – 42,000
Frederico Hitner – 41,500
Mark B Kelly – 35,000
Conor Murphy – 19,000
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REG closed in the HORSE
35 entries decided to give the new format a go bringing the Prize pool to – €5,710
REG is now closed, who can take down the trophy?
Payouts –
1 – €2,260
2 – €1,500
3 – €1,100
4 – €850
Top Stacks –
Matteo Ferrari – 88,000
Kamil Maslowski – 83,000
Grzegorz Iskra – 68,000
Killian O’Brien – 60,000
Frederico Hitner – 57,000
Vincent Clifford – 54,000
Pat Treacy – 51,000
Robert Hogan – 47,000
Alan Trueick – 44,400
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WPT Global’s – Overdrive
The WPT Asia Series: Overdrive is set to deliver 43 days of non-stop online tournament action, with more than ¥200,000,000 guaranteed across the festival.
Players will battle for 13 official WPT® Rings, compete for a share of ¥2,000,000 in weekly leaderboard prizes, and take on ¥2,100,000 worth of Daily Missions.
What makes Overdrive stand out is that the action extends well beyond the tournament tables. Players can climb the leaderboards through Early Bird entries, Bubble finishes, and deep runs, meaning consistency is rewarded just as much as outright victories.
On top of that, Daily Missions provide another route to prizes by awarding seats into ¥50,000 guaranteed Daily Finals, giving everyone extra opportunities to turn a session into a big payday.
With multiple ways to win, official WPT® hardware on the line, and rewards available every single day, the WPT Asia Series: Overdrive offers a fresh twist on the traditional online poker festival.
Here is newly appointed Irish Poker Tour team pro – Paul Carr speaking about WPT Global event….
If you want to join Paul and play this series, sign up now!
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Summer in Dublin update on the floor
Summer in Dublin 1B
83 entries with 21 players remaining – REG CLOSED
Average stack: 217,409
Top Stacks –
Kenneth Matthews – 340,000
Diones Santos Silva – 300,000
James Devlin – 200,000
Gavin O’Rourke – 183,000
Darach Rogan – 180,000
Omaha 300 1A
36 entries (registration still open until Level 9)
22 players remaining
Average stack: 65,454
Top Stacks –
HORSE Championship
New tournament format off and running – games rotating between Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo
28 players remaining
€5,223 prize pool
Average stack: 34,285
Matteo Ferrari – 60,000
Killian O’Brien – 60,000
Pat Treacy – 51,000
Robert Hogan – 47,000
Summer in Dublin 1C
Currently at LVL 4
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Summer in Dublin 2026 – Day 1 Wrap
The Summer in Dublin Festival got underway in style on Thursday with packed tournament rooms, strong turnouts across the schedule, and the first trophies of the festival awarded as players battled deep into the night . It was the names of Baxter and Campbell that took the spoils on day 1 as the buzz continues to build for another cracking day of poker here in Dublin.
€10K Festival Opener Draws 129 Entries
The first champion of the festival was crowned in the €200 Festival Opener. Across two starting flights, the event attracted a total of 129 entries, creating a prize pool of €21,055.
Day 1A drew 81 entries, with 14 players advancing to the final. The in form Helio Netto finished as chip leader with 230,000 chips, followed by Emmet Davis (212,000) and Robert Nesbitt (170,000).
The evening Day 1B flight added a further 48 entries, with another 13 players progressing. Samuel Baneham, John Burke, Joseph Carey and Martin Cassidy were among those securing seats in the final.
When the dust settled in the final, Niall K. Campbell emerged victorious after navigating a competitive field of qualifiers. Campbell collected €4,267 and 700 ranking points for the win, defeating Robert Nesbitt heads-up after a deal was made.. Emmet Davis completed the podium in third place.
Festival Opener Final Results
Niall K. Campbell – €4,267
Robert Nesbitt – €3,523
Emmet Davis – €3,376
Carl Cullen – €2,689
Vitalijs Polukejevs – €1,450
Dara O’Kearney – €1,200
Colin O’Sullivan – €1,000
Joseph Carey – €850
John James Ward – €700
Main Event Begins with Strong Day 1A Field
Attention then shifted to the centrepiece of the festival, the €300 Summer in Dublin Main Event featuring a €200,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Day 1A attracted an impressive 123 entries, generating a prize pool contribution of €30,701 and setting the stage for what promises to be a huge turnout across the remaining flights.
After nearly nine hours of play, just 20 players remained with bags for Day 2.
Lithuania’s Ernestas Kriauciunas finished atop the counts after building a stack of 464,000. Close behind was Eoin Berry on 426,000, while Philip Jacob rounded out the top three with 403,000.
Other notable survivors included Robert Myhre (317,000), Mark Doyle (302,000), Wiktor Weiner (302,000), James J. O’Brien (290,000), Jamie Murphy (246,000), Simon Keating (245,000) and Jonathan Clarke (241,000).
The full list of qualifiers provides a strong indication of the quality of the field, with many experienced Irish circuit regulars already safely through to Day 2.
Main Event Day 1A Top Stacks
Ernestas Kriauciunas – 464,000
Eoin Berry – 426,000
Philip Jacob – 403,000
Robert Myhre – 317,000
Mark Doyle – 302,000
Wiktor Weiner – 302,000
James J. O’Brien – 290,000
Jamie Murphy – 246,000
Simon Keating – 245,000
Jonathan Clarke – 241,000
Joel Baxter Captures Omaha Title
The Omaha €5K side event attracted 62 entries and generated a €10,120 prize pool.
After a long day’s play, Joel Baxter and Ivan Zbozil agreed a heads-up deal, each collecting €2,500, with Baxter officially taking the title and the winner’s ranking points. Well done to Joel who was over the moon to get his first IPT trophy.
Cormac Farrell completed the podium in third place for €1,500, while Duane McDonnell, Jorrit Baars and Michael Dowdall also made the money.
Omaha €5K Results
Joel Baxter – €2,500*
Ivan Zbozil – €2,500*
Cormac Farrell – €1,500
Duane McDonnell – €1,050
Jorrit Baars – €850
Michael Dowdall – €700
Anttii Tolpanniemi – €600
Killian Farrell – €420
*Heads-up deal
Freeroll Satellite Kicks Off the Action
Earlier in the day, players took advantage of the Freeroll Main Event Satellite. The event attracted 142 entries and awarded four Main Event seats.
Boris Sercken, Terry O’Doherty and Martin Cassidy each secured €300 packages, while William Taaffe collected €235 for fourth place.
Looking Ahead
With Day 1 complete, all eyes now turn to Friday’s schedule, which features Main Event Day 1B and a packed programme of side events. If Day 1’s numbers are any indication, the €200,000 Guaranteed Main Event is well on course for a huge turnout as players continue to arrive from across Ireland and abroad.
Stay tuned to LivePokerUpdates for live coverage, chip counts, photos and all the latest results from the Summer in Dublin Festival.
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Niall Campbell Opener Winner
1 | Niall K Campbell | €4,267 | 700 |
2 | Robert Nesbitt | €3,523 | 560 |
3 | Emmet Davis | €3,376 | 455 |Follow @LivePokerUpdates here on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
