PokerStars to Sponsor Irish Poker Championship

The World’s largest online poker site, PokerStars.com, have announced that they will be throwing their substantial weight behind one of Ireland’s major poker festivals, The Irish Poker Championship

The 5 day festival will take place at Galway’s Radisson Hotel from December 10th to 14th and boasts a 4 day Main Event with a €2000 buy-in as well as three side events with buy-ins of €550, €350 and €250 respectively. Kirsty Thompson from Pokerstars.com said “The Irish Poker Championship has become one of the biggest events on the Irish Poker Calendar and we are delighted to be sponsoring it. Poker players appreciate good hospitality and a good party atmosphere and there is no better city than Galway to provide it.”

As was the case at the previous IPC, this year’s festival will kick off with a player’s party on Thursday the 10th of December. Last year Dave “Devilfish” Ulliot showed off his vocal ‘talent’ and Kenna “The Cowboy” James played guitar with the IPC band. This year players will once again have the opportunity to rub shoulders with celebrities and some of the world’s greatest poker players.

Entrants will be compiled from online qualifiers and paid entries as well as a host of PokerStars Pros and celebrities. Already pencilled in for the event are Andy Black, Surindar Sunar, Marcel Luske, Padraig Parkinson, Donnacha O’Dea, Jon Kalmer, Julian Gardner, Neil Channing, Jude “j.thaddeus” Ainsworth and Marty Smyth.

In addition clubs and casinos will have the opportunity to participate in hosting their own live satellites for the event. The Eglinton Casino, Galway and Pokerstars.com will provide assistance to organisers wishing to run satellites to the IPC in the form of merchandise as well as publishing satellite dates and venues on the official IPC website, www.IrishPokerChampionship.com.

Last year Rory Rees Brennan walked away with the €160,000 first prize. This year’s field is currently capped at 400 runners but organisers predict this number will certainly be broken. This means the event will yield an impressive prize pool of over €750,000 and quite a large early Christmas present for the eventual winner who will receive at least €250,000 and a seat to London EPT Season 7 added to first prize.

Online qualification begins exclusively on Pokerstars.com on October 15th 2009. PokerStars players can also buy seats in advance online through their own player account.

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