The sixth annual €150,000 guaranteed Irish Poker Festival at the Macau Sporting Club, Cork has been won by Irishman Rob Taylor (left) who collected the €46,000 for his victory in the €1,500 no limit Hold’em freezeout from Aug 15th to 17th, 2008.The event attracted a record 169 players, up significantly from 114 last year, and included Annette Obrestad, Michael Greco, Ian Woodley, Roy Brindley, Marty Smyth, Jeff Duval, Sylvester Geoghegan, and Mick McCloskey.
After three days play the chip counts going into the final table were:
Jeff Duvall -- 455,000
Michael O’Brien -- 360,000
Nicky Power -- 355,000
Ryan O'Donoghue -- 300,000
Mick McKeever -- 255,000
Jonothon Butters -- 245,000
Olivier la Rochelle -- 230,000
Paul Corrway -- 160,000
Ben Blackmore -- 125,000
Rob Taylor -- 90,000
McKeever was ousted in tenth place as O’Donoghue made a full house on a board of Q-7-5-Q-x holding 5-5. McKeever held K-Q, hit top pair on the flop, and after some betting, moved all in. Despite hitting a third queen on the turn, he couldn’t overtake O’Donoghue who was the new chip leader after the pot. McKeever had to be content with €4,000.Corrway was next to exit, getting his chips all-in preflop against Taylor. However, his pocket queens ran into Taylor’s pocket aces and Corrway hit the rail with €5,000 for his ninth place finish.
The deciding hand for eighth place saw Blackmore raise to 22,000 in late position with pocket tens. O’Donoghue re-raised to 65,000, and Blackmore went over the top. O’Donoghue thought long and hard and finally called with J-J. The board blanked, O’Donoghue increased his chip lead, and Blackmore hit the cage to collect his €7,500.
Soon after Michael 'Sideshow Bob' O’Brien (left) found 6-6 and moved all in getting a call from Nicky Power (above) with A-7. The coin flip fell in Power’s favour as the board ran out K-K-3-9-9 and 'Bob' went home in seventh with €10,000.A short stacked Jonothon Butters then pushed with K-2 but ran into Taylor’s A-Q and an unlucky A-Q-J flop. Despite a possible straight-draw, Butters' hopes melted away as he could hit neither running kings, twos or a single ten and he was gone in sixth for €12,500.
The next hand saw Jeff Duvall from London get his chips into the centre of the table on a board of 10-7-3. Power called with 3-3, Duvall turned over A-10 and hit neither the turn nor river. He exited in fifth for €15,000.
The final four then struck a deal for the remaining prize pool and Power got busy again, this time against Taylor, but the runner-runner on the turn and river saw his jack-high flush beaten by Taylor’s ace-high flush.
Taylor’s 4-4 then held strong against O’Donoghue’s A-10, before the Irishman swept away Frenchman la Rochelle heads up.
The final table payouts were:
1st Rob Taylor -- €46,000
2nd Oliver la Rochelle -- €47,500
3rd Ryan O'Donoghue -- €38,250
4th Nicky Power -- €41,250
5th Jeff Duvall -- €15,000
6th Jonothon Butters -- €12,500
7th Mick O'Brien -- €10,000
8th Ben Blackmore -- €7,500
9th Paul Corrway -- €5,000
10th Michael McKeever -- €4,000
The main event had a 15,000 chip starting stack with 75 minute blinds and the Macau is guaranteeing eight tickets at the mega bonus satellite on Thursday Aug 14th. Irish players should check their local card clubs for the remaining live satellites which are taking place over the next 10 days also.