The Irish Poker Open won’t take place inside Dublin’s Citywest Hotel in 2021 due to COVID-19 but it will go down online.
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Partypoker has removed any uncertainty about the 2021 Irish Poker Open by announcing that the festival will take place online. (Image: Twitter/Irish_PokerOpen)
Europe’s longest running live poker tournament was an early casualty of the global pandemic in 2020. With the event traditionally taking place over the Easter holidays, the organizers scrambled at the start of the year to offer an alternative.
Partypoker’s international platform quickly became the host site and, with uncertainty over restrictions still in place, it will offer the same service next year.
Irish Poker Open Set to be Another Cracker
The final schedule is still a work in progress. However, Partypoker’s recent press release confirmed that the 2021 Irish Poker Open festival will get underway on March 29. It’s also be confirmed that the main event will carry a €1 million guarantee.
Partypoker recently hosted the Irish Poker Masters which, by all measures, was a success. It followed a series of similarly successful live-to-online tournament converts this year.
Indeed, the 2020 Irish Poker Open surpassed all expectations back in April. 2,945 players paid the €1,100 entry fee, pushing the €1 million guarantee over the €2.9 million mark. When the action was over, Brazil’s Pablo Silva walked away with the title and €462,100.
The organizers are hoping for more of the same in 2021. In fact, part of the reason for announcing the decision now is to drum up as much interest as possible.
The Irish Poker Open was forced to switch at the last minute this year as nobody knew how disruptive COVID-19 would be. This time around, Partypoker and its team aren’t taking any chances.
Bonus Live Event Could Happen in 2021
Ireland and the rest of Europe are in a seemingly never-ending cycle of lockdowns right now. As such, the organizers have eliminated any form of doubt and said the Irish Poker Open will take place online, regardless of what’s happening in the outside world.
“We all miss live poker action, and we are looking forward to the time when all of us can experience the buzz and the thrill of the Irish Poker Open in a live setting. Meanwhile, we are excited about the opportunity to, once again, host the Irish Open Online in the coming spring,” said Vadim Soloveychik, Partypoker’s marketing director.
Certainty during uncertain times is a positive. However, poker players can also look forward to the possibility of a second Irish Open in 2021.
Although nothing has been confirmed, Partypoker’s press release said that a live event may happen next year. Naturally, that depends on COVID-19 restrictions both in Ireland and the world at large.
But, given that vaccines are now being administered in various countries, the chances of something happening in the second half of 2021 are improving. For now though, players can look forward to enjoying the famous Irish craic on Partypoker in March.
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