Looking forward to 2011, 888 Poker has announced that it is opening up satellites for the 30th anniversary of the Irish Poker Open.
888 Poker has begun running “Steps” satellites that will send players to the oldest tournament in Europe, which will be contested from April 22nd to 25th. These “Steps” satellites are a four-tiered system that will allow players of any bankroll to take their shot at participating in one of the most prestigious events in the poker community. At the end of the “Steps” is a prize package that any player would be thrilled to win.
Step 1 tournaments run daily around-the-clock and will send one player to Step 2 for every $14 in the prize pool. Step 1 events cost $2 and are rebuy/add-on tournaments, building up the prize pool to maximize the number of players who will be eligible to move on.
At Step 2 of the satellite system, players will be in a traditional freezeout. These tournaments run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 8:05 GMT and on Sundays at 2:05. The tournament costs $14 and will move one player on to Step 3 for every $65 that is generated in the prize pool.
The Step 3 tournaments put players one level away from realizing the dream of heading to the Irish Poker Open. The $65 Step 3 tournaments, which run Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 5:05 GMT, will send one player on for every $300 in the prize pool. For those who earn their way through the Step 3 tournament, the 888 Poker Final Satellite (run every Sunday at 8:05) will award at least one Irish Poker Open prize package to the winner. Players can buy into the “Steps” tournaments at any level.
In addition to the €3,500 Irish Poker Open Main Event seat, players who qualify through 888 Poker will receive five nights’ accommodations at the Burlington Hotel, $1,500 to offset travel expenses, and a merchandise kit from 888 Poker that includes a Sony Bloggie camera to document their potential journey to becoming the next Irish Poker Open champion.
The Irish Poker Open has not only sentimental value to players, but also is quite historic in its own right. The Irish Poker Open is the longest running tournament on the European continent and ranks second to only the World Series of Poker as the longest running in poker history. Created by the late gaming legend Terry Rogers in 1980, it has been in recent years operated by Liam Flood and will be contested in 2011 at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin.
Its first ever winner was the legendary Irish poker player Colette Doherty. Others who have captured the title include Joe Beevers (2003), “Mad” Marty Smyth (2007), Neil “Bad Beat” Channing (2008), and Christer Johansson (2009).
The 2010 running of the Irish Poker Open brought out 708 players, which included former champions Smyth and Channing as well as European poker masters like Germany’s Sandra Naujoks and Italy’s Dario Mineri. The United States, which traditionally is represented by some of the biggest names in the game, saw 1995 Main Event Champion Dan Harrington and former CardRunners instructor Brian Townsend in action. In the end, England’s James Mitchell captured the championship, taking home a €600,000 payday.
Visit 888 Poker for more details.
