Irishman Niall Smyth navigated a field of 615 players over four days to win the €3,500 PaddyPowerPoker.com Irish Open at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. Smyth won €550,000 ($804,217) for first prize from the prizepool of €1,968,000.
Niall Smyth defeated British legend Surinder Sunar heads-up. Sunar settled for €290,000 for his runner-up finish
Sunar made the final table in the middle of the pack, with well-known Irish pro Rob Taylor, side event hero John Eames and 2009 11th place finisher Niall Smyth all competing for the €550,000 first prize.
Smyth had bubbled the final table two years ago finishing 11th went wire to wire with the chip lead at Monday's final table of Europe's longest running No-Limit Hold 'em tournament.
Smyth won an additional €100,000 for being the last Paddy Power Poker qualifier standing in the Sole Survivor promotion.
"Unbelievable. I just can't believe it," Smyth said. "It started when I put €10 each way on the winner of the English Grand National, I won €200 and now I have €650,000. Surinder is such a great player, my support has been fantastic, and here I am!"
Heads-up with Sunar lasted almost four hours with the chip lead changing hands more than once and Smyth eventually sucking out to win.
Final table results:
1. Niall Smyth - €550,000
2. Surinder Sunar - €290,000
3. Martin Petri - €180,000
4. Seamus Cahill - €145,000
5. Aleksi Savela - €115,000
6. Karl Rudwall - €85,000
7. Rob Taylor - €63,000
8. John Eames - €45,000
9. Niall McCann - €30,000
Niall Smyth defeated British legend Surinder Sunar heads-up. Sunar settled for €290,000 for his runner-up finish
Sunar made the final table in the middle of the pack, with well-known Irish pro Rob Taylor, side event hero John Eames and 2009 11th place finisher Niall Smyth all competing for the €550,000 first prize.
Smyth had bubbled the final table two years ago finishing 11th went wire to wire with the chip lead at Monday's final table of Europe's longest running No-Limit Hold 'em tournament.
Smyth won an additional €100,000 for being the last Paddy Power Poker qualifier standing in the Sole Survivor promotion.
"Unbelievable. I just can't believe it," Smyth said. "It started when I put €10 each way on the winner of the English Grand National, I won €200 and now I have €650,000. Surinder is such a great player, my support has been fantastic, and here I am!"
Heads-up with Sunar lasted almost four hours with the chip lead changing hands more than once and Smyth eventually sucking out to win.
Final table results:
1. Niall Smyth - €550,000
2. Surinder Sunar - €290,000
3. Martin Petri - €180,000
4. Seamus Cahill - €145,000
5. Aleksi Savela - €115,000
6. Karl Rudwall - €85,000
7. Rob Taylor - €63,000
8. John Eames - €45,000
9. Niall McCann - €30,000
