Irish Poker Open - Live Updates

Roland De Wolfe pushes all-in for the dregs of his stack and Marty Smyth makes the call, turning up K♥ 9♥ to De Wolfe's T♥ 3♥. The board comes A♥ 8♠ 6♥ 8♦ 2♥ and both players make a flush, but Smyth has the better one and he scoops the last of De Wolfe's chips, eliminating The Sheep to take down the 2007 Irish Poker Open!

For his win, Smyth takes home EC 650,000, while De Wolfe will receive EC 325,000 for his second-place finish. Congratulations to both players!

The blinds are raised to the downpayment on a studio apartment in Manhattan, and on the first hand Marty Smyth and Roland De Wolfe get all the money in with Q♣ J♦ for Ireland (Smyth) and J♣ 4♦ for England (De Wolfe). The board comes 9♥ 7♥ 6♠ A♠ 6♥ and Marty Smyth has crippled Roland De Wolfe, who is left with under $1 million with $7 million in play.

Marty Smyth glances at his cards and moves all-in from the button, and Roland De Wolfe immediately calls. Both players turn up ace-eight, but Smyth is off-suit and De Wolfe has two hearts. The flop comes Q♣ 6♦ 3♥, but the 6♥ on the turn makes things mighty interesting. The river is the Q♥ and Roland De Wolfe hits runner-runner on a freeroll to double through Marty Smyth.

Roland De Wolfe raises to $700,000 and Marty Smyth moves all-in for another $3,875,000. De Wolfe makes the call and shows 3♥ 3♦ to Smyth's 2♦ 2♠, so we're crabs versus ducks headed to the flop with De Wolfe poised to take down the tournament. The flop comes 8♥ 6♠ 6♥, and then the turn brings a massive roar from the pro-Irish crowd, bringing the 2♥ to give Smyth a set. The river is the A♦ and Marty Smyth has doubled through Roland De Wolfe, crippling the latter and giving the former a stranglehold on this tournament.

Roland De Wolfe limps in and Marty Smyth bumps it to $500,000. De Wolfe makes the call and the flop comes K♦ J♦ 6♠. Smyth bets out $800,000 and De Wolfe gives him the eye, mulling over the call but eventually folding and giving Smyth the largest pot of the heads-up match so far.

The blinds have been raised again as the tournament organizers strive to inject a little life into the final table. A few hands before the re-up, Marty Smyth limped-in and Roland De Wolfe raised to $500,000. Smyth thought about making the push but eventually folded A4o. De Wolfe showed A10o and raked the pot as the crowd urged them both to move all-in.

We've played about forty hands of heads-up with very little action to report. Marty Smyth has made up his $1 million disadvantage and the stacks are about even, but flops are a rarity and neither player seems willing to put too much of his stack on the line just yet.

Here are the chip counts going into heads-up:

Roland De Wolfe	$4,000,000
Marty Smyth	$3,065,000

Sorel Mizzi moves all-in for the last of his stack and both of his opponents make the call. The flop comes A♠ T♠ T♣ and Roland De Wolfe and Marty Smyth both check. The turn is the 7♠ and Smyth bets out $400,000, which De Wolfe calls immediately. The river is the 9♠ and Smyth checks to De Wolfe, who shoots out $500,000. Smyth folds A♣ Q♦ face-up and De Wolfe shows K♠ 5♠ for the flush. Mizzi mucks his hand and is thus eliminated, heading back to Canada EC 210,000 richer.

Roland De Wolfe limps-in from the small blind and Sorel Mizzi raises it to $320,000. De Wolfe comes over-the-top all-in for $1.3 million, and Mizzi makes the call with pocket sevens to "Ronald's" K♠ Q♦. The flop comes J♠ T♣ 2♥ to give De Wolfe the open-ender, and after the turn is the 2♦ the river is the A♦, doubling up De Wolfe and near crippling Sorel Mizzi.

The Irish Poker Open has continued its longstanding tradition of mind-boggling decisions by abolishing the ante for the remaining levels.

The break turned into an hour-long affair but we've returned to the ballroom at the Burlington Hotel for the gory conclusion. Here are the chip counts as we get started:

Marty Smyth	$2,765,000
Sorel Mizzi	$2,530,000
Roland De Wolfe	$1,775,000

We've reached the end of the level and are taking a (head-scratching) thirty minute break. It's not a level break and it's not a dinner break, but it's something in between. Action returns in a half-hour.

Roland "Ronald" (the announcer is still blissfully unaware) De Wolfe limps-in on the button and Marty Smyth raises all-in from the big blind. De Wolfe makes the call, creating a nearly $3 million pot, and shows 6♣ 6♦ to Smyth's A♠ T♠. The flop is huge for Smitty, coming A♥ A♦ 4♣, as the pro-Irish crowd lets out a mighty roar, and after the board finishes out 5♥ 5♦, Marty Smyth has doubled through Roland De Wolfe, who is left with about $1 million behind.

Roland De Wolfe raises to $250,000 and Daniel McHugh moves all-in on the button. The blinds fold out and De Wolfe gives the matter some thought before finally calling with pocket fives. McHugh shows A♣ 9♠ and the race is on. The board comes Q♠ 7♠ 3♥ 3♦ Q♣ and Daniel McHugh has been eliminated in fourth place. He'll take home EC 175,000, provided a deal wasn't worked out in the previous break.

Roland De Wolfe is unquestionably the most famous player at this final table, but that hasn't stopped the announcer from repeatedly and remorselessly referring to the man as "Ronald", despite the Sheep's efforts to correct him. Where, PokerListings.com asks, did they find this guy?

BTW cards are back in the air. Apparently no deal has been reached.

Here are the chip counts now that we're four-handed. We've gone on another long break, but this time it's because the final four are discussing a deal, replete with calculators and scrap paper. Remember to show your work, fellas!

Sorel Mizzi	$2,970,000
Marty Smyth	$1,614,000
Roland De Wolfe	$1,340,000
Danny McHugh	$1,145,000

Crippled by Roland De Wolfe, Brian "The Fox" O'Keefe wastes little time getting the last of his stack in the middle, re-raising all-in on Marty Smyth with Q♦ 9♦ to his opponent's A♦ 5♠. The board comes 7♥ 5♥ 2♥ 6♠ A♠ and Brian O'Keefe has been eliminated in 5th place. The Fox will take home €130,000 for his time.

Roland De Wolfe moves all-in for just under $600,000 and gets called by Brian O'Keefe makes the call, showing pocket nines to the Sheep's A♥ 5♦. The crowd gathers and shouts encouragement as the board comes 9♥ 5♥ 3♠, giving O'Keefe the set and a clear advantage. The turn, however, is the 6♥, and the rivered 2♥ for the heart-flush sends the audience into a huge roar as De Wolfe gets the check mark to double through The Fox, crippling him in the process.

Sorel Mizzi raises to $160,000 from under the gun and Roland De Wolfe makes the call on the button. The flop comes T♦ 9♦ 2♣ and Mizzi bets out $500,000. De Wolfe moves all-in and Mizzi makes the call for his last $1,090,000 with A♣ T♥ to Mizzi's K♣ J♣. The board finishes out 9♥ 7♠ and Sorel Mizzi has doubled through Roland De Wolfe to take control of the chip lead.

The blinds have increased to $40,000/$80,000 with a $5,000 ante.

Roland De Wolfe is cruising after starting the day last in chips. He now has $2.5 million to his credit and is in full control of the final table, meaning, uh, watch out, rest of the field. It's only a matter of time...

On the first hand after play resumes, action folds around to Nicky Power in the small blind and he shoves it all-in for $690,000. Roland De Wolfe calls in the big blind and shows A♥ 4♦ against Power's 2♥ 2♠. The board comes K♠ 5♠ 4♣ J♥ 7♣ and the ducks get quacked by a four on the flop, giving De Wolfe the check mark and Powers the boot. He takes home €100,000 for his efforts in a sixth place finish.

The action has resumed from the TV table with six players remaining and 16 minutes left in this level.

Following the elimination of Thomas Finneran we're on a break to get the remaining six mic-ed and ready for the TV broadcast. Action will resume shortly, we presume.

Thomas Finneran open-shoves for his last $610,000 from under the gun and Roland De Wolfe insta-calls from UTG + 1. Action folds around and Finneran shows A♥ 3♥ while De Wolfe turns up a wired pair of bullets (A♣ A♦). The flop makes things interesting, coming T♥ 6♥ 6♦, but the turn is the 6♦ which leaves Finneran drawing for the case six to chop the pot. Instead, the river is the Q♣ and Thomas Finneran has been eliminated in 7th place for €75,000.

The break is over and the cards are back in the air from the final table. Tournament director Liam Flood has continued his streak of curious decisions by announcing that we'll play for a half-hour with the same blinds but with antes bumped up $1,000, as above. We don't make the rules, just report them.

Here are the new chip counts as the day continues:

Sorel Mizzi	$1,259,000
Roland De Wolfe	$1,249,000
Brian O'Keefe	$1,137,000
Danny McHugh	$1,066,000
Marty Smyth	$945,000
Nicky Power	$782,000
Thomas Finneran	$632,000

We're on a quick twenty minute break as players try to dredge up the intestinal fortitude to call their opponents' all-in re-raises. Incidentally, someone has told the announcer not to say "calls all-in" when he means "announces all-in". Good times when we return.

The slow play has continued, with short-stacks Thomas Finneran and Brian O'Keefe both coming over the top all-in in hands when Roland De Wolfe raised $175,000 preflop. Both times De Wolfe laid it down (once folding pocket treys face up after raising from early position), and gave the short-stacks a little more ammunition while relinquishing his chip lead to Sorel Mizzi.

Here are the latest chip counts:

Roland De Wolfe	$1,700,000
Sorel Mizzi	$1,400,000
Nicky Power	$1,060,000
Danny McHugh	$1,000,000
Marty Smyth	$800,000
Brian O'Keefe	$600,000
Thomas Finneran	$550,000

Roland De Wolfe opens for $175,000 and Sorel Mizzi pops it to $500,000. Action folds around and De Wolfe moves all-in for another $200,000 total, and the chip-leader makes the call with pocket crabs (3♦ 3♣) to De Wolfe's A♦ K♣. The board comes Q♥ 9♦ 8♠ A♥ 6♣ and Roland De Wolfe has doubled through Sorel Mizzi to take over the chip lead.

In other news, the tournament director has taken to calling the clock on his own initiative when players are taking too long with big decisions, and is encouraging players to keep the action moving quickly. I'm sorry? €2.3 million at stake, bub - maybe give the players a little leeway.

Roland De Wolfe raises to $175,000 and Danny McHugh comes over-the-top all-in for a total of $743,000. De Wolfe gives the matter some thought before folding K♣ Q♦ face-up. McHugh shows pocket jacks as he rakes the pot, but De Wolfe, unusually reserved, does not splash the pot and storm off spouting profanity (I see you, Trevor McGoona).

We've played an hour at the final table and have seen a lot of all-in pushes but very few calls so far. The blinds and antes are now moving up at WPT-esque levels, so we might see some more action in the coming rounds.

Also, the tournament announcer is clearly no poker player: every time a player pushes all-in, he announces it as so and so "calls all-in", which of course sends the media to their collective feet as they presume an all-in has been called. And then they slink back when they realize they have been fooled by the announcer, again.

Sorel Mizzi raises to $111,000 and Nicky Power comes over the top all-in for another $263,000. Mizzi makes the call and shows 9♠ 7♥ to Power's A♣ 4♥. The board comes T♦ 4♣ 3♣ K♥ A♥ and Nicky Power has doubled through the Canadian chip-leader.

Just a few hands into play, Roland De Wolfe gets his short-stack into the middle preflop from the big blind after a Nicky Power button raise. Power calls and shows A♥ 9♦ to The Sheep's A♣ J♣. The board comes A♠ 5♦ 4♠ T♦ 5♠ and Roland De Wolfe has doubled through Nicky Power.

The cards are in the air from the TV soundstage in the Burlington Hotel. Stay tuned for live updates as the action unfolds.

It's final table time from the Irish Poker Open in Dublin, Ireland, and seven players have survived to play for the lion's share of a prize pool worth €2.3 million. The finalists are just getting organized and action should be underway within twenty minutes or so. Here are your chip counts going into the fourth and final day of play.

Soren Mizzi	$2,855,000
Nicky Power	$964,000
Thomas Finneran	$945,000
Marty Smyth	$845,000
Danny McHugh	$803,000
Brian O'Keefe	$393,000
Roland De Wolfe	$365,000