The Irish Poker Open trophy won’t be staying on the Emerald Isle this year, but the event will go down as another success.
COVID-19 restrictions meant the action took place on Partypoker again this year, but that didn’t stop players from anteing up in droves. A total of 1,880 entrants took part in the €1,100 Main Event.
Although that’s down on last year’s 2,945 entrants, it was more than enough players to almost double the €1 million guarantee and give winner Pavel Veksler a six-figure payday.
Second Online Irish Open is another success
The first of three starting flights got underway on March 28. Partypoker pro Isaac Haxton was among the early frontrunners, but faded as the sessions went on.
By the time the final table of nine reconvened on April 7, Haxton was nowhere in sight as Stoyan Obreshkov led the way. The Bulgarian had more than $1.2 million in tournament cashes before the finale and looked on course to win his first major title. However, Veksler had other plans.
Although Obreshkov never faded, he was pushed all the way by Veksler, who rose up from seventh place to take the title.
It took almost two hours for the first player to be eliminated on Wednesday night. Chip leader Obreshkov was the man to break the deadlock after three-betting with J♣ T♣.
Justus Held was caught up in the pre-flop raising war and decided it was time to take a stand with K♦ 4♠. He was ahead with all the money in the middle, but things quickly swung in Obreshkov’s favor when the board ran out 3♣ 8♣ 6♥ J♠ 7♥.
Veksler takes control
That elimination triggered a cascade of casualties. Veksler was the next to play executioner by taking out Justin Ouimette in eighth place.
From that point on, it became a two-way fight for the Irish Open title. Obreshkov and Veksler took control of the match and ended up cutting a deal before the start of heads-up play.
Veksler had a 2:1 chip advantage, but Obreshkov successfully argued for a near-even chop. That left €10,000 and the title up for grabs — two things Veksler wasn’t going to give up so easily.
Congratulations to Pavel Veksler from Ukraine the 2021 Irish Open Champion on @partypoker for €265,999. 🥳
This is how he won! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ZHI6oLz13q
— PartyPoker (@partypoker) April 8, 2021
The Ukrainian played aggressively as the big stack, and that eventually paid off. With Obreshkov slipping, Veksler moved all-in from the small blind with Q♠ 6♠.
Obreshkov called with A♥ K♣ but couldn’t maintain his lead. The 7♠ 9♦ 2♥ J♠ 6♥ board was enough to give Veksler the pot and his first Irish Open title.
Irish Open Main Event Result
- Pavel Veksler – €265,999*
- Stoyan Obreshkov – €224,768*
- Franco Spitale – €135,482
- Andreas Berggren – €89,896
- Eduards Kudrjavcevs – €61,228
- Julian Adamson – €46,742
- Victor Bonifacio – €36,241
- Justin Ouimette – €28,776
- Justus Held – €22,480
*Denotes a deal.
