Donal Norton open-shoves pre-flop and after some thought, Neil Channing makes the call, showing A 9 to Norton's 5 5. We're racing for the tournament title, and the flop comes A Q 10 to give Channing the lead. The turn is the K and the river the A and Channing makes trips to win the 2008 Irish Poker Open!

For the win, Neil Channing takes home €801,400 while runner-up Donal Norton earns €420,000 for his efforts. Congratulations to both finalists, to Headmaster Liam Flood and to all of Ireland for putting on a poker tournament that so well represented the Emerald Isle!

The level is over and the blinds are up once more. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion of the 2008 Irish Poker Open!

Donal Norton limps-in and Neil Channing checks his option. The flop comes 9 8 6 and both players check. The turn is the 8 and Channing leads out for $100,000. Norton raises to $400,000 and Channing makes the call. The river is the A and Channing checks to Norton, who bets out $400,000. Channing calls and Norton shows J-8 for trips. Channing, however, has K-8 for trips with a better kicker and he takes a substantial pot.

Neil Channing raises to $175,000 and Donal Norton makes the call. The flop comes K-10-8 with two hearts and both players check. They check again after the T hits on the turn and when the 6 comes on the river Norton checks a third time. Channing bets $150,000 and takes down the pot.

After only two hours of play at the final table in Dublin we're heads-up between Donal Norton and Neil Channing. Here are the chip counts as play gets underway:

Neil Channing	$4,436,000
Donal Norton	$2,238,000

 

Neil Channing open-shoves from the small blind and in the big blind, Thomas Dunwoodie makes the call, pinning his tournament life on the strength of his A 8 and finding himself ahead of Channing's A 7. The flop comes Q-4-3 and Dunwoodie maintains his advantage. The turn is a nine and nothing changes, but the river card is the 7 and Channing rivers a pair of sevens to send Dunwoodie to the rail.

The Englishman is out in third place and will take €275,000 for his time.

Thomas Dunwoodie moves all-in from the small blind again and Donal Norton makes the call, showing 8 5 to Dunwoodie's 9 7. The board comes Q-Q-2-6-4 and nine-high is good, doubling up Dunwoodie and keeping him in the hunt.

Thomas Dunwoodie open-shoves for his last $256,000 from the small blind and Donal Norton makes the call in the big blind, turning up A-5 to Dunwoodie's A-4. The board comes J-10-8-6-Q and the players split the pot.

Neil Channing limps-in and Thomas Dunwoodie completes in the small blind before Donal Norton checks his option in the big. The flop comes J-5-5 with two spades and the action checks to Channing, who bets out $150,000. His opponents fold and he takes the pot.

The break is over and the cards are back in the air from Dublin. Here are the chip counts as we begin three-handed play:

Neil Channing	$3,790,000
Donal Norton	$2,434,000
Thomas Dunwoodie	$422,000

 

Neil Channing raises to $140,000 and Tim Blake moves all-in over the top for $198,000 more. Action folds back to Channing, who makes the call with Q6o against Blake's K J. Blake looks to be in good shape to double, but the flop changes the situation by coming A-Q-9. The turn is a five and the river an other queen and Tim Blake is eliminated in fourth place. He earns €220,000 for his efforts.

The field is now on a fifteen minute break.

Tim Blake open-shoves for his last $182,000 on the button and Donal Norton makes the call in the big blind, showing K-9 while Blake has woken up with aces (and not a moment too soon). The board comes J-4-2-7-x and Blake doubles through Norton to bring his stack back up to about one-third the average. He's still in hot water.

Tim Blake raises to $200,000 and Donal Norton makes the call. The flop comes 10-7-5 and Norton immediately announces all-in. Blake pauses for a moment but lays down the hand and Norton takes the pot.

Donal Norton raises to $200,000 on the button and Neil Channing re-raises to $600,000 from the small blind. Tim Blake gets out of the way and Norton flat-calls. The flop comes 10-6-5 with two clubs and Channing checks. Norton moves all-in and Channing folds out, giving Norton the $1.2 million pot.

The 25th level of the tournament is over and we're on to Level 16. Action continues without a break.

Neil Channing raises to $125,000 from the button and Danilo Paulsen makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes K-8-6 and Paulsen checks to Channing, who checks behind. The turn is the T and Paulsen bets out $160,000. Channing re-raises to $450,000 and Paulsen goes into the tank for a few minutes. Eventually he announces all-in and Channing snap-calls, turning up 9-7 for the nut straight while Paulsen can only muster K-J and is drawing dead. The river is the 7 and Paulsen's demise is official; he's out in 5th place and will take home €175,000 for his time.

Thomas Dunwoodie raises to $175,000 on the button and Donal Norton re-raises to $400,000 out of the small blind. Action folds back to Dunwoodie and he shows an ace as he folds, giving Norton the pot.

Thomas Dunwoodie open-shoves all-in for his last $350,000 and Donal Norton snap-calls, turning up A-10 to Dunwoodie's A-J. The flop comes K-J-9 and Dunwoodie flops a pair of jacks. The turn is a 10 and Norton catchs up a little, but after the river is a nine, Dunwoodie doubles up to more than $350,000 and we remain five-handed at this final table.

Neil Channing raises to $150,000 on the button and Danilo Paulsen makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes J-6-6 and both players check. The turn is the J and both players check again. The river is the 3 and Paulsen checks to Channing, who bets $450,000. Paulsen considers for a minute or so before laying it down.

Danilo Paulsen raises to $175,000 and Donal Norton flat-calls. The flop comes 8-6-5 and Norton checks to Paulsen, who bets $125,000. Norton calls and the turn is the Q. Again Norton checks to Paulsen, who bets $250,000. Norton thinks for a few minutes before folding and Paulsen takes the pot.

Neil Channing raises to $160,000 from the cut-off and Danilo Paulsen re-raises to $450,000 from the small blind. As is the custom at this final table, the original raiser folds out and Paulsen takes the pot.

Neil Channing raises to $250,000 from under the gun and Donal Norton flat-calls in the big blind. The flop comes A-8-3 with two clubs and Norton moves all-in. Channing folds out and Norton takes the pot.

Neil Channing raises to $140,000 and the action folds around to Donal Norton, who re-pops to $600,000. Channing goes into the tank before ultimately deciding to pass and Norton takes the pot to a cheer from the gallery.

Tim Blake raises to $120,000 on the button and Danilo Paulsen re-raises to $350,000 from the small blind. Blake gives the matter some thought before passing and Paulsen takes the pot.

The level is over and the blinds are moving up. Stay tuned for more updates as the action continues.

Neil Channing raises to $140,000 from the cut-off and Tim Blake re-raises to $400,00 from the button. Action folds back around to Channing, who lays down the hand and Blake takes the pot.

Donal Norton raises to $140,000 on the button and sees chipleader Neil Channing re-raise to $400,000 from the small blind. Action folds back around to the Great Irish Hope, who lays down the hand and Channing adds to his chip lead.

Due to some absolutely amazing work by the tournament announcer, here is what we can tell you about the second hand of the final table:

"And there has been an all-in at the table. Donal Norton shows J-10 and Edwin Tournier has K-7. And we're going to lose Edwin Tournier!"

So, really helpful.

Anyway, we've been able to piece together that Tournier got all of his money in the middle on the river of a J-J-4-Q-K board holding kings-up, with Norton more than happy to play holding trip jacks. Tournier is out in sixth place and will take home €135,000.

On the first hand at the final table, Neil Channing raises from middle position and takes down the blinds and antes.

The introductions have been completed, with sole surviving Irishman Donal Norton getting a rousing cheer from the gallery as he is brought to the table. The cameras are ready and with four minutes left in the current level the tournament announcer directs the lovely Dena to "Shuffle up and deal!"

We're go from the final table in Dublin.

We're just going through the player introductions at the moment. Action should commence shortly.

It may be said that the TV crews who cover the Irish Poker Open are amongst the slowest in all the world. We're twenty minutes past schedule at the moment and, as has been the custom at both the 2007/2008 Opens, there has been no indication from anyone as to when we might get started. We're going to say it will take another 15-20 minutes, but that's what the kids call an "educated guess" and is probably drastically incorrect. Anyway, we'll keep you posted.

Welcome back to the Citywest Conference and Golf Resort on the outskirts of Dublin for the fifth and final day of the 2008 Irish Poker Open. Easter is but a memory and so are the tournament fortunes of all but six of the 667 competitors who bought-in to this epic event, and by the end of the evening only one of those six will be left standing.

There's an €801,400 first prize on the line and plenty of TV face time for the winner, as well as the priceless honor of an exclusive PokerListings.com interview. Action will begin in just a few minutes' time and continue until we've crowned a winner, so settle yourself into that groove on your couch, fire up the old PL.com and keep it locked right here as we bring you the final battle from the Irish capital!

Here are the seating positions and chip counts going into the final day of play:

Seat 1	Neil Channing	$2,748,000
Seat 2	Tim Blake	$921,000
Seat 3	Danilo Paulsen	$716,000
Seat 4	Thomas Dunwoodie	$544,000
Seat 5	Edwin Tournier	$562,000
Seat 6	Donal Norton	$1,164,000