Excitement Builds as 45th Irish Poker Open Approaches
Thousands of poker players worldwide are set to descend on Dublin, Ireland, for the 45th anniversary of Europe’s oldest poker tournament. Now an annual and massive poker celebration, the Irish Open has become one of the year’s most prestigious and attended poker festivals. With its growing success and record-breaking fields year after year, the Global Poker Award-winning Irish Open is set to host its biggest festival ever.
The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) will once again host the Irish Open, this year, from April 10 to 21. The 2025 Irish Open boasts €4.5 million in prize pool guarantees and features four extra days packed with monster guarantees, more high rollers, and everyone’s favorite mixed games.
However, players are not only interested in the festival events. For some, cash is king. While tournaments draw a big crowd throughout the day, the cash game tables carry the load long after. The Irish Open staff are implementing even more improvements to improve the cash games in 2025.
The Irish Open partnered with global operators PokerStars and Paddy Power for the third year. Both online sites still have numerous opportunities to satellite into the Irish Open for a fraction of the cost. After qualifying online, over 700 players won their way into last year’s Main Event. To find more details on all of the available opportunities, click here.
THMC Winner to be Awarded Cape Town Million Package
The Hendon Mob Championship returns for a sixth consecutive year, and after attracting 599 entries in 2024, THMC Dublin will play out over two days. The buy-in has increased to €350, with Day 1 beginning at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15th. Players start with 30,000 chips, 30-minute levels, and a single reentry. Day 2 gets underway at noon on Wednesday, April 16th.
The Hendon Mob has partnered with Sunbet Poker Tour by MJPT to offer all 2025 THMC Main Event winners a package to the THMC Cape Town Million in South Africa later this year. Like Colin Horgan in 2024, the winner of THMC Dublin will receive a package for the THMC Cape Town Million in November 2025 in South Africa.
The Cape Town Million 2025 package is worth approximately $2,000. It includes seven nights of accommodation, transfers to the venue (flights not included), and a THMC Cape Town Million ticket worth R8,000. The full details of the promotion will be announced soon.
Cash is King! More Tables, Less Waiting, 24/7 Cash Games
A bunch of cash game improvements will be introduced this year to ensure players have a truly unrivalled experience. A new dedicated cash game area is being created, and a new automated registration system is being introduced via PS Live. This will help reduce queues and ensure that everyone who wants to play never has to wait too long.
One significant change for 2025 is that cash game players will enjoy a massive separate space with nearly 50 tables running 24/7. The cash games area will also have a dedicated bar. Tournament director Rudi Zirio will oversee the cash game area. Rudi said: “I love working the cash game area at the Irish Open because it’s such an amazing atmosphere. This is the #1 poker event in Ireland. No one misses this event. If you’re Irish and you like poker, then you’re there. It’s not just the poker – it’s the fact that everyone is there, all together, for eight days. It’s just great.”
Plans include an automated system enabling players to register for cash games from anywhere near the venue. Irish Open organiser Paul O’Reilly said: “Our goal is to make the whole system as efficient as possible. We want to keep queues to a minimum and introduce a seamless process. Once players have registered at the cash desk for the first time, they will be able to sign up for a particular game without having to keep checking lists or hanging around the cash game area. That means players can get on with having fun in the bar or player lounge.”
€4,500,000 Guaranteed & Much, Much More
With success in 2024, the guarantee for the €1,150 Main Event is now at €2,500,000, and the hugely popular €250 Mini Irish Open boasts an upgraded €1,000,000 guarantee. The festival kicks off with a €1,000,000 guaranteed Mystery Bounty event.
Sixty-nine events total are filling out the schedule, with a handful of new High Roller events ranging from the €1,150 Seniors High Roller Championship to the €10,000 Super High Roller. New and returning mixed games like Open Face Chinese, Pot Limit Omaha, Big-O, 8-Game Mixed Championship, H.O.R.S.E., and 2-7 Triple Draw, along with Ladies’ and Seniors’ events, are also on the schedule.
