Dublin Poker Festival Final Days – European Deepstack Championship
European Deepstack
The European Deepstack Championship brought in 475 entries, and smashed the guarantee with a prizepool of €285,665. The top prize was €55,065 and the championship belt to go with it.
Over 2 live flights plus an online flight, 143 players bagged a stack for day 2. The Top 3 stacks going into day 2 were:
- Kyle Rafferty 886K
- Declan Connolly 733K
- Panagiotis Kostopanagitis 701K
Other notable players include:
Mark Macdonnell 698K
Mark Johnston 573K
Derek Baker 503K
Simon Wilson 328K
Dara O’Kearney 291K
Mick Graydon 251K
Annette O’Carroll 157K
Jason Tompkins 128K
Representing WPT Global:
Lucas Robinson 516K
Fintan Hand 375K
Romulo Dorea 210K (all the way from Brazil)
Some notable players who bagged a stack in the online day 1
Padraig O’Neill (EPT Prague Champ, Representing WPT Global)
Aidan Quinlan (European Deepstack 2025 Champ)
Davide Raschella
Patrick Tardif (Representing WPT Global from Canada)
Shane Murphy (Representing WPT Global)
The bubble was reached after 5 hours of play. Patrick P Rooney went all in preflop for 165k and was called by John Farrell. It was pocket Jacks vs 89 off suit, 89 hit 2 pair by the river to knock Patrick P Rooney out on the bubble.
Defending champ Aidan Quinlan was out shortly after in 60th for €1,220
Shane Murphy came in 25th for his best ever live cash of €2,080, well done Shane!
After 12 hours and 15 levels of play, 18 players bagged for day 3. The chip leader was Gavin Melaugh Mcgrath with 5.98M chips. Some other notable stacks were:
Pablo Villena 4.67M
John Ward 4.2M
Mick Graydon 3.35M
Annette O’Carroll 2.8M
Krzysztof Grubka 1.08M
Day 3 started at 12PM on Sunday. €55,065 up top and the championship belt to play for.
Kenneth Crowley was the unfortunate man to burst the final table bubble, but cashed for €5,200.
Gavin Melaugh Mcgrath went into the final table with a massive chip lead of 21.12M. The next down was Audrius Daugvilavicius with 7.6M. Krzysztof Grubka was the last surviving WPT Global Golden ticket holder, who was still eligible for the €100K bonus for taking down the tournament. He went in 7th in chips with 2.25M. Irish legend Annette O’Carroll was still in the mix with 2.27M chips.
However Gavin’s chip lead was enough to overcome the field and he had a resounding victory, winning the €55,065 top prize and the prestigious Championship Belt.
The Top 8 were:
1: Gavin Melaugh Mcgrath – €55,065
2: Krzysztof Grubka – €34,860
3: Michal Havavka – €25,000
4: Audrius Daugvilavicius – €19,860
5: John Ward – €15,560
6: Adam Green – €12,200
7: Annette O’Carroll – €9,160
8: Marcus Mchale – €6,520
Beer Poker Tour
The craic was had at the Beer Poker Tour’s event. The €25K guaranteed tournament saw 137 entries and a prizepool of €39,870. On Day 1, winning the first hand of each level won you a free beer token or some merch, and during the second break, there was the players party. Free beers were had, beer pong was played, and prizes won, what more could you want! This 2 day event saw 21 players bag a stack for the final on Sunday. The chip leader was Evan Lester with 496K chips. Other stacks included:
Danny Verheij 436K
Marcin Wojtunik 371K
Paul Carr 261K
Ray Wheatley 228K
Dean Dowling 105K
Dara O’Kearney 71K
18 players were paid, with Antonino Gagliano bubbling the tournament.
There was €9,720 up top, and a serious trophy for the winner!
The Final Table saw Marcin Wojtunik chip leading with 371K, Paul Carr 261K close behind in second and Ray Wheatley in the mixer with 228k. In the end it was Olof Thorson from Sweden who took it down.
High Roller
The €1.1K High Roller, smashed its €25K guarantee, with a prizepool of €51,410. With 53 entries, it saw 18 players bag a stack for day 2. Notable players include:
Barry McMahon 247k
James O’Brien 112k
David Lappin 79,800
Romulo Dorea 78,200
Padraig O’Neill 43,200
Darren Harbinson 26,600
Patrick Tardif 11,700
In the end it was Luke Walsh who won the top prize of €16,190, with Barry McMahon second for €11,700 and ACOP & Omaha GP winner, Mark Johnston in 3rd for €7,460.
Over the Weekend
There was plenty of more action over the weekend with loads of side events throughout. here are the highlights:
DPF Daily Turbo
Runners: 15
Prizepool: €1,455
Winner: James Mcmahon – €665
The Nightly Thursday
Runners: 48
Prizepool: €5,820
Winner: Liu Dong – €1,580
The Nightly Friday
Runners: 52
Prizepool: €6,305
Winner: Florian Machnig – €1,965
The Nightly Saturday
Runners: 66
Prizepool: €8,003
Winner: Sebastian Trela – €2,067
DPF 200
Runners: 96
Prizepool: €15,830
Winner: Robert Mcdowell – €3,320
Round of Each BOMB POT (NLH/PLO)
Runners: 17
Prizepool: €2,805
Winner: Kamil Dariusz Maslowski – €1,025
Last Chance Saloon
Runners: 4
Prizepool: €338
Winner: Liu Dong – €388
A great weekend was had at the Bonnington Hotel. It has always been a great venue for poker over the years. Tune in later this year for the International Poker Open
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Dublin Poker Festival Update
It’s been an exciting week here in the Bonnington Hotel. The action continues after a very successful ACOP.
Seniors Championship
The Irish Seniors Championship commenced on Monday the 23rd of February. This saw many Irish legends and notable players, including Andy Black, Dara O’Kearney, Ciaran Cooney and Collette Murphy
With a total of 263 entries, they played 9 hours and 83 players bagged a stack for day 2, with Martin Cassidy the chip leader with 275,500 chips. A total prizepool of €53,576 was generated.
Martin managed to make the final table, and cashed in 7th for €1,910. Also on the final table was Colette Murphy who came in 5th, and the top 3 were Chris Rourke: €6,000 in 3rd, Aidan Finnerty: €6,000 in 2nd, and Kieran Mcivor taking home €8,375 and the Championship Belt
Women’s Championship
The Women’s Championship saw 45 runners and generated a prizepool of €7,420 Prizeool. Mighty craic was had, and the atmosphere was heard around the room and a champagne toast was had at the first break. Some notable players were IPT Ambassador Tanya Masters, Mary Galvin, Katie Harrington, Annette O’Carroll.
June Jenkins placed in 3rd place for €1,100 and Katie Burke got 3rd for €1,600, but Colette Murphy came out on top for €2,070 with the Championship Belt to go with it.
Side Events
It’s been a packed week of tournaments, with a lot of variety, including the Irish Mixed Games Championship, for the growing mixed games community, a Round of Each, and 5-Card Draw Jacks or Better tournament. June Jenkins managed to scoop one of the daily turbos, and is having a good festival overall with 4 cashes so far! The Mystery Bounty was a popular one with 140 runners, but was ran away with by Robert, who won 8 bounties with a total cash of €6,900
Win the Button
25 runners
Prizepool: €3,031
Winner: Darragh Flynn €891
Tuesday Daily Turbo
41 runners
Prizepool: €3,977
Winner: June Jenkins €1,367
Irish Mixed Game Championship
30 runners
Prizepool: €7,570
Winner: John Murray €3,190
Round of Each
77 Runners
Prizepool: €9,340
Winner: Simon Keating €2,560
5 Card Draw Poker
24 runners
Prizepool: €2,330
Winner: Keith O’Connor €1,000 Deal made
Mystery Bounty
140 runners
Prizepool: €8,827
Winner: Robert €6,900 Including 8 Bounties!
European Deepstack Championship
The European Deepstack Championship started yesterday. This prestigious tournament, First won by Dara O’Kearney back in 2008, saw 148 entries on Day 1A. 45 managed to bag a stack with the big stacks of the day including Kyle Rafferty 886k, Marc MacDonnell 691k, and the ACOP and Omaha Grand Prix double champ Mark Johnston bagging 575k.
Other notable players include:
Daryl McAleenan 452k
Dara O’Kearney 291k
Jason Tompkins 128k
David Masters 108k
Fintan Hand (375k), Padraig O’Neill (100k) are also in the mixer representing WPT Global.
Romulo Dorea and Patrick Tardiff, have both come from afar to represent WPT Global, and have managed to bag a stack in the online day 1.
Will defending champion Aidan Quinlan be going for the two in a row, like Tomas “Lucky Mo” Geleziunas did the previous two years in 2023 and 2024?
Day 2 of the European Deepstack Championship is on now and late reg is open until the start of Day 2 on Saturday.
More Fun
Saturday is an action packed day with Day 2 of the European Deepstack. For those knocked out, or just looking for a bit of craic, the Beer Poker Tour starts at 2PM. The lads over on the Beer Poker Tour run a great tournament, with prizes and beers given out throughout, and a players party during the first break! There’ll be plenty of bluffing as the day goes on as everyone gets hammered together. It also has one of the best looking trophies on the circuit, so one not to miss!
Also on the schedule is the High Roller at 6PM, then Sunday sees the DPF 200 and the Round of Each Bomb Pot (NLH/Omaha), for all ye degenerates out there!
Stay tuned here on LivePokerUpdates for updates from the event, or follow dublin.poker.festival (https://www.instagram.com/dublin.poker.festival/) for more
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The Dublin Poker Festival 2026
The Dublin Poker Festival in partnership with WPT Global, is well underway, it kicked off on the 19th of February with 11 days of poker set to be played at the Bonnington Hotel in Dublin.
Offering over €400,000 in guarantees. The event has been running since 2015. Set up by local Dublin based poker promotion company D4 Events specifically to combine two longstanding tournaments, the Amateur Championship of Poker (ACOP) and the European Deepstack Poker Championship. It has now become a staple on the Irish poker circuit.
Time for a quick recap of how things stacked up over the weekend in the fair city.
In the Friday Nightly, 102 entries brought the prize pool to €9,894 coming in first was Jip Larooi, €1,810. This was after a 5-way ICM deal shared with his Dutch travelling companion Robertus Van Den Bergc, €1,575, who came in 2nd. Jip and Robertus are part of a group of ten travelling from their native land of the Netherlands. A flying start for these two dutchmen.
Saturday’s Nightly saw 92 players joining in, with the lion’s share of the €8,924 prize pool being split between Cathal O’Shea, Christian Marian Nica, Jeroen Mulder, Eoin O’Shea after a 4-way deal all receiving €1,521.
Recent runner up at the Irish Poker Tour’s Galway Poker Festival Main Event, Davide Rachelle, took down the Saturday Flyer that saw 62 entries create a prize pool of €7,520. Jip Larooi, cashed again in 6th along with fellow Dutchmen, Martijn Den Enting who finished 5th and Joeri Zuiderwijk who came 3rd banked €1,050.
Saturday saw the culmination of the Irish Omaha Grand Prix Final which saw 44 entries whittled down to 14. The prize pool was €21,340, with Daryl Mcaleenan finishing third, €3,200, Luke Walsh was second €4,910. From the North was Mark Johnston who came first with €7,370.
The following day the ACOP Main Event Final was settled. €212,294 was the prize pool from 706 entries. It was announced that 95 places were to be paid. When that tense moment arrived it was Darren Harbinson who put out Gerry Mcardle on the bubble. But Gerry wasn’t finished just yet.
One of the livepokerupdates very own, an avid fan of the game and recreational player David Lyons made the final table banking €8,450. David is an integral part of the LPU team who handles everything IT related. He also helps out at major events to provide integral on the floor updates from bad beats, big swings and the sampling of spice bags.
Play continued and when it got down to the final three and a deal was done, €25,000 each, plus an extra €2250 for second and €6000 for first. Play continued and it ended with third place going to Paudie Cusack, €25,000. Second was Robert Mcguirk, €27,250 and for the second night in row the winner was Mark Johnston, €31,000.
Mark who sits in 7th on Northern Ireland’s all-time money list before the DPF came third in the Irish Poker Open in 2024 (€232,685). Now that he is securing number one spots he is definitely one to watch, and so far the festival belongs to him, he lifted the belt with fellow comrades from the North, Darren Harbinson and Joel Baxter on the rail.
On the same day the One Day Classic was played and lived up to its name attracting 228 entries bringing the prize pool to a whopping €37,600 for a €200 buy-in. Three Irish men fought through the pack and went all the way with Evan Lester coming third and banking €3,870. Michael Breen was second securing €5,620, with the “bubble boy” from the ACOP, Gerry Mcardle coming in first with €8,340.
With the European Deepstack Poker Championship still to take place, which has a sure to be surpassed €200,000 guarantee. The live Day 1’s kick off on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th of February two days later is the Final on Sunday 1st March.
WPT Global are running a bubble protection promotion for this event which means –
- Any direct online buy-ins for the event makes you eligible for Bubble protection.
- If you bubble the event, finishing the last position before “in the money”, WPT Global will credit your buy-in back as cash.
Head to WPT Global to secure your seat before Thursday…
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WPT Global
WPT Global was created in close partnership with the World Poker Tour, one of the most respected brands in poker for more than two decades, and serves as the official online home of the WPT. Built by experienced poker industry professionals, the platform was designed with a clear purpose: to connect online players directly to the live WPT circuit and provide realistic, affordable pathways to some of the biggest stages in tournament poker.
Unlike many online poker platforms that operate independently of live tours, WPT Global is structurally aligned with the World Poker Tour ecosystem. Its tournament schedule and satellite system are built specifically to feed into flagship WPT events, WPT Prime stops, and major live festivals around the world. Players are not just grinding for online titles; they are playing for seats, travel packages, and opportunities to compete on the global stage. Over time, numerous players have turned small online buy-ins into meaningful live scores, reinforcing the site’s focus on accessibility and progression.
The platform offers a full schedule of cash games and multi-table tournaments across a wide range of formats and stakes, alongside a regionally tailored online series. A defining feature of WPT Global is its emphasis on satellites, which regularly award seats into live WPT events worldwide. This live-qualification model is central to its identity and differentiates it from competitors whose offerings remain primarily online. Behind the scenes, the company uses AI-driven game integrity tools and experienced security teams to maintain fair and sustainable gameplay, reflecting a broader commitment to long-term player trust.
WPT Global works closely with ambassadors, champions and online qualifiers who represent the bridge between online and live poker. One of the most notable recent partnerships is with Irish professional poker player and content creator Fintan Hand. As one of Ireland’s most recognisable poker personalities, Hand has built a substantial following through streaming and tournament success. His role as ambassador strengthens the WPT’s connection to the Irish poker community while promoting the platform’s satellite pathways into live events.
Promotions are a major part of the WPT Global offering. Recently concluded campaigns such as the five-million-dollar Christmas and New Year Gift Giveaway promotion delivered added value through free daily gifts and boosted tournament guarantees. The company has also indicated that one of its most significant tournament series to date will be announced in the near future, signalling continued expansion of its flagship online events.
One of the standout current opportunities is the route to WPT Prime Cyprus, where players can win a $2,000 package that includes championship entry, travel allowance, exclusive merchandise and a $100,000 Golden Ticket bonus awarded if the qualifier goes on to win the live event. Qualification is available through Sunday satellites and daily feeder tournaments, with additional freeroll opportunities and the option to use Passport Dollars toward entry. The structure allows players to compete for a major live package for as little as $1.10, or in some cases without direct outlay.
WPT Global has also strengthened its presence in Ireland through satellites feeding into the Dublin Poker Festival, which runs from February 19 to March 1, 2026. Players can qualify online for both the €200,000 guaranteed European Deepstack Poker Championship and the €100,000 guaranteed Amateur Championship of Poker. Entry routes begin at micro-stakes levels, building through step satellites to secure live seats in Dublin.
In addition, selected satellite winners receive a €100,000 Golden Ticket bonus, which adds an extra layer of incentive should they go on to win the live event. Across ten days of action at the Bonnington Hotel Conference Centre, the festival features more than €400,000 in guaranteed prize pools, with online Day 1 options available through WPT Global before play moves to Dublin.
WPT Global positions itself as more than a standalone online poker site. It functions as the digital extension of the World Poker Tour, offering structured routes to live events, significant promotional value, ambassador-led community engagement and technology-driven game integrity. By blending online accessibility with live aspiration, it continues to expand its footprint as a key gateway into the modern WPT ecosystem.
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Keep your eyes out for a flashy new article. It’s being cooked up as we speak
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WPT Global OnLive golden ticket winners have the chance to bank a further €100,000 if they win the Main Event
Here at livepokerupdates we will keep you in the loop as the players journey through the stages of the Main Event.
The Golden Ticket winners are –
Padraig O Neill
Raymond Wheatley
Tadhg Ryan
Gerard Santamaria
Dara O’Kearney
Colum Higgins
Joseph Carey
Stephan Campbell
David Cleary
Dwyer Monaghan
Shane Keary
Dijoni Cili
Andrew Black
Aidan Quinlan
Tadgh Kelly
Jason Tompkins
Eoghan MacGabhann
Michael Weissmann
Stephen O Hara
Kenneth Greaney
Neil O Reilly
Fergal Coyle
Tomas Glynn
Neil Higgins
Mircea Rus
Jamie Wynne
Jamie Flynn
John Enright
Kevin Hayes
Mohamed Fawzi
Kenneth Crowley
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WPT GLOBAL Onlive on Aug 31st – The Road to Killarney Continues
WPT Global OnLive Day 1 – Irish Poker Cup
What is OnLive?
OnLive allows players to play Day 1 online while carrying their chips directly into Live Day 2, exactly as in a traditional live event.
Why Play OnLive Day 1?
Play from home without the need to travel for Day 1.
Identical starting stack and blind structure to the live version.
Faster format designed for convenience and flexibility.
Qualify in advance and arrive prepared for a streamlined championship weekend.
Tournament Information
Buy-in: $815 USD (€700)
Guaranteed Prize Pool: €500,000
Starting Stack: 40,000 chips (400 BB)
Date & Time: August 31st, 18:00 UTC+0
OnLive Day 1 provides the same structure, fairness, and competitive balance as live play.
The Golden Ticket Bonus
The top 30 finishers of OnLive Day 1 will also receive a Golden Ticket.
How it works:
If a Golden Ticket holder wins the Irish Poker Cup Main Event, they will earn an additional $100,000 cash bonus on top of their prize.
Tickets remain valid even if a player does not qualify through OnLive and instead buys in directly to the live event.
Take your shot at the Irish Poker Cup with WPT Global. Play OnLive, play smart, and set yourself up for a winning weekend.
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WPT GLOBAL doing online day 1 for The Killarney Poker Festival 2025.
From Your Home Screen to the Final Table
One click, and you’re in the €500,000 guaranteed Irish Poker Cup without leaving your chair.
Online Day 1 puts you in the heart of the action from the comfort of home. Qualify, and roll into Live Day 2 no flights, no fuss.
And the kicker:
Finish in the Top 30 and you’ll score a Golden Ticket your chance to add a €100,000 cash bonus if you take down the Main Event.
Killarney Main Event Day 1 Online Structure
• 15min Levels
• Level 1 blinds adjusted to 50/100.
• Level 14 blinds adjusted to 2500/5000.
• Ante will be set for 8-Max format and configured as 12.5% of the big blind.
*Also available to European and Canadian players
Now live over at wptglobal.com
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WPT Global VS Irish Poker Tour Challenge
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Gavin Quinlin, the last hope for the WPT Global €100,000 bonus in the Summer in Dublin Main Event busts in 17th
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Gavin Quinlin – The last man standing for the WPT €100K Bonus
Gavin Quinlin is the last remaining WPT Global qualifier in our Main Event. 45 players now remain in our showpiece.
Gavin currently sits on 900,000 chips and has been on an impressive run to make it this far.
What an achievement to go all the way!
Good luck Gavin. We are rooting for you. Go get that €100k
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Gavin Quinlin with 620,000 and Sebastian Gronkowski 200,000 last remaining from the WPT Global qualifier in the Main Event
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John O’Boyle 243,000 Main Event – WPT Global qualifier
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Gavin Quinlan 246,000 Main Event – WPT Global qualifier
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Shane Keary on top of the Globals 300k Main Event Final
Shane Keary tops the WPT Global qualifiers with a stack of 300,000 chips. Known for thriving in unpredictable spots, Keary’s dynamic style could prove perfectly suited to the shifting tides of this tournament.
It’s already been a standout summer for the Irishman, who returned just last week from a successful run at the WSOP in Las Vegas. A deep finish here would only add to what’s shaping up to be a great year for the Athenry man.
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