Boylepoker.com International Poker Open result

Boylepoker.com International Poker Open, Regency Airport Hotel, Dublin, €150 No Limit Hold’em, 17th – 19th October 2008

Entrants: 1300

Buyin: €150

Prizepool: €205,000

1. Ruairi Coy, Ireland, €37,530
2. Maxene Decorne, France, €23,130
3. Elie Payan, France, €17,000
4. Peter Murphy, Ireland, €13,000
5. Raymond Kerney, Ireland, €9,000
6. Jonathan Gelston, Ireland, €7,000
7. Cryil Bourmand, France, €5,500
8. Melika Pater, Netherlands, €4,500
9. David Introligator, France, €3,500

The Boylepoker.com International Poker Open 2008 has been won by local player Ruairi Coy who took down the top prize of €37,530, after beating Maxence Decorne of France.

The event set a new world record for the largest ever poker field outside of the U.S., with 1,300 players playing in the three-day €135 + €15 buy-in, No-limit Hold’em tournament this weekend, at the Regency Airport Hotel, Dublin.

The Galway-born, Dublin resident, who won the event at 5.30 a.m. and was due in work two hours later at the IFSC, said of his victory, “What an incredible event, I just can’t believe I won it. Playing against the likes of legends like Padraig Parkinson and Marty Smyth was a dream come true but to beat 1,300 players is out of this world. I can’t believe I have to go to work now. I hope they give me the day off!”

Paul Spillane, head of poker at Boylepoker.com said, “Ruairi is a very worthy champion. Beating the biggest event field of players outside America is a unique achievement and one he’ll be able to enjoy forever. The success of the event was down to the hard work of the huge team involved and to the players who really got into the spirit of the tournament. So, a sincere thanks to all of them and we’re already looking forward to next year.”

Frenchman David Introligator was first to be eliminated, having been one of the players getting busiest trying to build or bust. He moved in with 5-5 and was looked up by A-10. A 10 popped out straight away on the flop and with no improvement, he was gone for a pay day of €3,500.

The only female player at the final table, Dutch lady Melika Pater, was next out. Having folded her big blind (J-4) to a Cyril Bourmand raise, she was desperately short-stacked and took a shot moving in after Raymond Kerley raised preflop. This time he had Qs Qd however, well ahead of her Ah 6h. The board emerged raggy, no flush draw by the turn and with only an ace to save her the crowd still held its breath but the river bricked and a smiling Melika shook hands with the table and went off to collect her €4,500 for eight place.

Cyril Bourmand exited in seventh place for €5,500 when a blind-on-blind pot grew to its limit preflop. Bourmand made a raise and then had to go for it when big blind Max Decorne shipped his whole stack in. Decorne held As Kh, while Cyril showed the live Jc 9s. The flop fell 9c 4h 2h and Bourmand leapt into the lead with a pair of nines. The turn and river were both raggy hearts however, four-flushing Decorne’s Kh.

The next fatal confrontation saw Elie Payan, having just doubled through with queens, re-raise all in preflop over the top of Jonathan Gelston. Gelston considered for a little while before deciding to go for it, getting his whole stack in with a dominated As 7s against Ac Qd. The dogged French railers got excited once more, as their man made a four-flush of clubs, sending Gelston to the rail in sixth place, collecting €7,000 for good measure.

Soon after, Raymond Kerley moved all-in under the gun with his short stack of 750,000 chips and found a willing caller in big blind Ruairi Coy. Coy had an ace and Ray Kerley had a king. Neither player paired and the ace high, with the pair of sevens on the board, was good enough for Coy. Kerley hit the rail in fifth for €9,000.

At this stage the blinds were huge, and even a chip stack of one million was small. Perhaps it was no surprise then that Peter Murphy shoved his chips into the middle in an open spot. Small blind Ruairi Coy looking him up with Kc Qc, found he was way ahead of Peter’s Qs 3c. The board came out Th 9h 5h Ts 4h and Peter was gone in fourth €13,000.

At 4.40 a.m. play slowed down for about 40 minutes before all three players found something to interest them. Firstly, Coy raised on the button to 800,000. Small blind Decorne found a call, but big blind Payan shoved all-in for over two million. Back to Coy who having clearly found something decent to raise with, was all-in over the top in a matter of moments. Decorne thought about it, but declined to call.

Coy showed Ah Js and Payan showed Kc 10c. The flop came 10d 5h 5s, sending Payan into the lead. The turn brought the Qh, bringing potential straight outs. But it was the Jd on the river which sealed the deal as Coy’s jacks leaped in front and Payan was sent back to France with €17,000.

Heads-up Coy had secured 10.7 million of the 13 million chips available and soon moved all-in on the small blind, with A 7 suited versus Decorne’s K 8 offsuit. Neither player hit anything on the board and the Irishman’s ace did the business sending Frenchman Decorne packing with €23,130 and ensuring the Boylepoker.com International Poker Open 2008 title stayed on home soil.