Irish Open: Narcis Nedelcu Dominates Record-Breaking Main Event, Agel Shines in Massive Mini Open

Five-Way ICM Deal in Main Event Finale

The Main Event with a €1,150 buy-in has made history at the Irish Poker Open. The total number of entries reached an astounding 5,003, smashing the €2.5 million guarantee as the prize pool soared to €4,852,910.

The final day began with ten players, all aiming for a lucrative win of over half a million euros and the prestigious title. The decisive moment came with the last five players. After more than three hours, no eliminations occurred, and the stacks evened out significantly. With the blinds running high, the participants agreed on a five-way ICM deal. Each of them secured at least €250,493, with the trophy and remaining €70,227 still up for grabs.

The champion title eventually went to Romanian Narcis Nedelcu, who showcased a stellar run post-deal. In a single hand, wielding Q-Q, he knocked out both Oliver Gayko and the leading home player Daryl McAleenan, before dispatching Italian Danilo Donnini in a brief heads-up with A d 2 d against K d 6 c in the decisive duel.

Final Table Results – €1,150 Main Event:

*ICM deal.

Sami Agel Masters the Mammoth Mini Irish Open

The €250 Mini Irish Open turned into a true marathon, drawing an incredible 7,349 entries. This surpassed the million-euro guarantee, pushing the prize pool to an astonishing €1,532,634, a rare feat for such a low buy-in event.

At the final table, David Penly initially held control, exerting immense pressure on his opponents, but Luxembourger Sami Agel showed steely patience. Before the final heads-up, the players struck a deal, and Agel ultimately overcame his rival in the play-off for the trophy. Sami Agel claimed a career-high €150,855 with this massive triumph.

Final Table Results – €250 Mini Irish Open:

*heads-up deal.

Reardon Stops Tarmi's Hattrick Bid

The €1,150 NLH Mystery Bounty event, drawing 379 entries and boasting a total prize pool of €386,000 (including bounties), also delivered thrilling action.

The main story of the tournament was Finnish player Roope Tarmi, who had already secured two wins this festival and was chasing a historic “hat-trick.” However, in the heads-up, he was thwarted by Brit Trevor Reardon, who clinched the title and a total reward of €40,450, bounties included.

A curious twist saw Tarmi, despite finishing second, amass a hefty €23,000 from aggressive eliminations, making his total earnings eclipsing that of Reardon, the champion.

Final Table Results – €1,150 Mystery Bounty:

This year's Irish Poker Open in Dublin ended with great success, but the Irish journey doesn't stop here as the organization announced its first international expansion. Fans can look forward to stops in Sydney, Australia (September), and Marrakesh, Morocco (November) in 2026, with the series making its US debut in 2027.

Source: Irish Poker Open, Flickr/PSlive