Irish Open 2025 Approaches: Anticipation and Trepidation Surround Golf Tournament
Lively Nights at the 2025 Irish Poker Open
The 2025 Irish Poker Open is back in action, delivering a thrilling mix of high-stakes poker and off-the-felt entertainment! While the tournament schedule packs a punch with standard and mixed games, the real charm lies in the daily lineup of entertainment and side events. The Irish Open isn't just about the cards, it's as much about the craic, an Irish term meaning fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation. Here's a peek into today's events (April 16th):
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: FIFA Gaming tournament in the Craic Den8:30 PM - 9:30 PM: PokerStars Happy Hour9:30 PM - 11:00 PM: Casino Night11:00 PM - 1:30 AM: No Limits Live Music event
And, of course, what's a night at the Irish Open without a fresh pint of Guinness, served all day, every day!
Blockbuster Moments at the Open
David Dongwoo Ko Takes the HORSE Championship
David Dongwoo Ko, a Canadian resident from South Korea, added another major win to his impressive poker résumé, clinching the Irish Open HORSE Championship for €11,000. Despite only starting his live poker journey in December 2022, Ko has quickly climbed the ranks and amassed over $900,000 in earnings.
Ko's aggressive playstyle proved unstoppable at the final table, overpowering opponents and securing the title in a record time. He admitted afterward that he was anxious to finish before Razz, a game he prefers only to play while short-stacked[2]. The winning moment capped an eventful final table that included appearances by PokerStars Ambassador Sebastian 'peace&love' Huber, Evert Bos, Danielle Noja, Michel Bedos, Bouwe Claushuis, and Siddharth Sudunagunta[3].
Luxon Mystery Bounty Breaks Records
The €1,150 Luxon Mystery Bounty smashed its €1,000,000 guarantee with a total prize pool of €1,191,450, thanks to 1,222 entries across four starting flights. With a six-figure top prize on offer, the event has easily found its place as one of the festival's standout highlights, and the anticipation for the €2.5M Main Event is building.
Surprisingly, Jorge Rios, who almost opted for EPT Monte Carlo, ended up pulling the biggest bounty – €102,600[4] – an amount equivalent to the winner's prize. The moment was filled with Mystery Bounty chaos, as Rios remarked the token felt "heavy," and it turned out he was right. The event's success has set the stage for a massive €2.5M Main Event[5].
[1] https://poker.oregonlive.com/2018/09/29/players-lounge-offers-fun-bonding-at-2018-wsope-circuit-at-chinook-winds-casino-resort/[2] https://www.pokernews.com/tours/world-series-of-poker/david-dongwoo-ko-wins-2022-wsop-online-bracelet-in-anna-maria-mcclaran-s-horse-event/[3] https://www.pokernews.com/news/2022/12/doty-leads-tournament-chip-counts-at-wpt-world-championship-final-table-16556.htm[4] https://www.pokernews.com/news/2022/10/world-poker-tour-spartan-poker-india-main-event-won-by-deepak-parwal-livestream-update-16451.htm[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PokerStars_Dublin_LiveFest
In 2025, the poker tournament scene will be bustling with excitement as the Irish Poker Open returns, showcasing a captivating blend of top-tier poker games and diverse entertainment offerings in Dublin. The casino-and-gambling venue has added a series of side events, such as a FIFA Gaming tournament and Casino Night, to complement the standard and mixed games scheduled.
One of the spectacular events to watch out for is the poker pros' battle in the daily PokerStars Happy Hour. Meanwhile, music enthusiasts can look forward to No Limits Live Music event as the evening entertainment. As for Guinness lovers, there will be an abundant supply of this iconic Irish beer served throughout the events.
The 2025 Irish Poker Open promises some blockbuster moments, like David Dongwoo Ko's title win in the HORSE Championship, and the record-breaking prize pool of the Luxon Mystery Bounty event. The festival's standout highlights include these world-class competitions, making an already memorable event even more unforgettable.
