Samuel Saariho won the IPT Killarney Main Event and €100,000

Finnish poker player Samuel Saariho became the winner of the main event of the Irish Poker Tour in Killarney, surpassing a record number of participants and taking home €100,000.

From September 23 to 28, the latest stage of the popular Irish Poker Tour (IPT) series took place at the I.N.E.C Killarney – Gleneagle Hotel. The festival’s main event was the Main Event with a €700 buy-in and a guaranteed prize pool of €500,000. This tournament traditionally attracts not only Irish players but also guests from other countries, and in 2023, interest in it was especially high. Record Number of Entries and Unique Bonuses Over several days, qualifying flights were held, and by the time late registration closed, the total number of entries had reached 899. This allowed the guarantee to be surpassed: the final prize pool amounted to €535,085, which was distributed among the top 90 players in the tournament. Many participants secured their seats thanks to online satellites on WPT Global, Paddy Power Poker, and Grosvenor Poker platforms. For qualifiers from WPT Global, the organizers offered an extra incentive: if any of them won the Main Event, they would receive a €100,000 bonus on top of the main prize. In addition, a last-longer promotion was held during the tournament—the last remaining players holding a special chip received a package to the London Poker Festival worth €1,200. Two players who qualified through WPT Global made it to the five-table stage. However, David Cleary was eliminated in 41st place, and Padraig O'Neill finished in 31st, unable to compete for the main bonus. Final Table: The Battle for Six-Figure Prizes The nine finalists had already secured at least €12,500 each, but for John Ward and Tommy O'Rourke, there was an extra prize at stake—both held a last-longer chip and, regardless of their final result, received a package to the London Poker Festival. The first finalist to leave the table was Kieran O'Donovan. He was followed by Grosvenor Poker pro Katie Swift, who finished eighth and took home €15,000. This was Swift’s eighth cash in live tournaments in Ireland, but it was the first time her winnings exceeded five figures. Niall Mullan finished in seventh place, earning a personal record of €18,000. Sixth place went to Ed Fogarty, who improved his best result to €22,385. Fifth place and €27,000 went to Cathal Heapes—his first live tournament result since January 2017. Derrick Wall finished fourth, earning €35,500. John Ward rounded out the top three, taking home €45,000 as well as a package to the November London Poker Festival thanks to his last-longer chip. IPT Killarney Main Event Final Table Results 1st place: Samuel Saariaho (Finland) — €100,000 2nd place: Tommy O'Rourke — €63,500 + package to London Poker Festival (€1,200) 3rd place: John Ward — €45,000 + package to London Poker Festival (€1,200) 4th place: Derrick Wall — €35,500 5th place: Cathal Heapes — €27,000 6th place: Ed Fogarty — €22,385 7th place: Niall Mullan — €18,000 8th place: Katie Swift — €15,000 9th place: Kieran O'Donovan — €12,500 Heads-Up: Samuel Saariaho vs. Tommy O'Rourke In the final showdown for the title and the top prize, Finnish player Samuel Saariaho faced Tommy O'Rourke. Despite O'Rourke having more supporters in the crowd, Saariaho managed to claim victory and won €100,000—the first six-figure score of his career. Tommy O'Rourke took home €63,500 and, thanks to the last-longer chip, received a free entry to the London Poker Festival in November. London Poker Festival Packages and Their Features The packages won by John Ward and Tommy O'Rourke grant entry to the London Poker Festival, which will take place from November 4 to 9 at Genting Casino Stratford (formerly Aspers Casino). The festival’s main event will have a £400 buy-in and a £200,000 guarantee. In January 2024, Jay Patel won a similar tournament in London, taking £79,360 for first place with a £700 buy-in. In September last year, German player Matthias Kribben won after a heads-up deal with Lei Wang and took home £61,715. According to the organizers, lowering the buy-in to £400 should attract even more players. Online satellites for the London Poker Festival are expected to be announced soon. Context: The Irish Poker Tour Series and Its Significance The Irish Poker Tour is one of the most popular poker series in Ireland, regularly bringing together strong fields and impressive prize pools. The series’ main events are traditionally held at well-known poker venues and attract not only local players but also international professionals. Holding online satellites on platforms such as WPT Global, Paddy Power Poker, and Grosvenor Poker helps expand the tournament’s reach and makes it more accessible to a wider audience. The introduction of bonuses for qualifiers and promotions like last-longer encourages extra competition and adds excitement, which is especially valuable for players seeking not only cash prizes but also new opportunities to participate in major events. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, the results of IPT Killarney and the tournament structure are a clear example of how major live series integrate online qualifiers and encourage participation from players across different platforms. This proves that regular play in online clubs not only helps improve your skills but also opens the door to major live tournaments through satellites and qualifiers. Pay attention to the reward formats: last-longer contests and bonuses for qualifiers are becoming increasingly popular. Within PPPoker clubs, you can also introduce similar motivational elements—this increases interest in regular games and allows participants to experience the spirit of major series. Finally, the experience of Samuel Saariaho and other IPT Killarney finalists shows that even if you’re not the crowd favorite, smart strategy and persistence can lead to the biggest win of your career. Take advantage of the opportunities offered by PPPoker clubs: play in satellites, practice in regular tournaments, and don’t miss your chance to reach the final table of major events.