When I played with a 20k stack at the Gutshot last year, I was overcome with excitement, but when the boys from Green Joker Poker boys announced that their latest festival would offer a starting stack of 50k, I stripped down to my birthday suit and danced gaily in the streets.It would appear as the extra chippage watered a few other mouths, as just under 150 crossed wind, rain and snow to the rustic Irish town of Drogheda for – and imagine engraving this on the trophy – the Green Joker Poker European Deepstack Poker Championships.
Among those willing to stump up the €1,500 buy-in were Jen Mason, Julian Thew, Barny Boatman, Paul Parker, Joe Grech, Rob Taylor and blondepoker.com Waterford Winter Festival winner Michael Trimby. News of deepstacks also reached French shores as EPT winner Arnaud Mattern was joined by fellow countrymen Michel ‘The Abacus’ Abecassis and Barcelona WPT runner upper Ludovic Lacay. Even roving French reporter Benjamin Gallen swapped notepad for felt to taste the deep-stacked action.
After a gruelling opening two days that saw the loss of Conor Doyle, Mick McCloskey, Ludovic Lacay and myself, it was Dara O’Kearney who grabbed the leprechaun by the horns, his volcano of chips seemingly increasing by the minute and never in danger of erupting.
Julian Thew, Graham Clarkson and Michael Trimby all came close, but the final table would ultimately be an all Irish affair, with the exception of the in form Joe Beevers who lay in 8th with 623,000. Leading the way was Tony Baitson (right), his 1,023,000 just pipping Gary Clarke with 963,000.After Robbie McCormack and Tony Baitson departed in 9th and 8th respectively, the biggest hand of the tournament arose as Marc McDonnell’s A-K ran headfirst into Dara O’Kearney's Pocket Cowboys for a 2.5 million pot.
With McDonnell dropping in 7th, and then Beevers in 6th, a deal was agreed upon with Lloyd O’Farrell perhaps the most elated with his €26,700 payday having been suffering from man flu throughout and starting the day lowest in chips with 424,000.
When the dust had settled and the smoke cleared, it was Dara O’Kearney who took home the trophy making the official results as such:
1st Dara O'Kearney -- €47,200
2nd Gary Clarke -- €34,100
3rd Fran Egan -- €28,600
4th Lloyd O'Farrell -- €26,700
5th Barry Hand -- €23,400
6th Joe Beevers -- €12,000
7th Mark McDonnell -- €6,000
8th Tony Baitson -- €4,700
9th Robbie McCormack -- €3,900
This, as expected, was a magnificent event with much fun had by all. Whilst the deepstacks and incredibly generous structures may have harmed the Omaha event, I think 150 for the Main Event is a respectable figure and showed that even though poker is brimming with gamblers who like their action short and sweet, there is a market out there for those who prefer a long drawn out affair in which many flops are seen and skill is given the greatest chance of prevailing. I am certainly of the latter, so let’s hope this event makes a welcome return next year.