The Irish are leaving in great numbers heading for the Second leg of the Pokerstars.com UKIPT in Manachester. 4 days of poker with a main event £500 buyin our biggest stars are on the trail and are hoping to bring back another UKIPT to Ireland.
Boylepoker.com Pro Padrig Parkinson took down the first leg after a great performance in the Raddisson. Is it possible to say that an Irish person will take home every event. Here are some notable players this weekend.
Jude Ainsworth - Pokerstars.com Sponsored pro hoping to get a lead like the one in Galway and keep hold of it. Well respected online and offline. Took down the IPC 3 years ago and the SCOOP on stars for nearly a $1Million.
Francis 'Wally' McCormack - Newly signed Brucepoker.com sponsored pro is IPR's current Number 1 and is expecting to go deep in this time.
Dara 'Doke'O' Kearney - Brucepoker.com sponsored pro, regular co-host on Irish Poker Radio and IPR's current number 2 is the most exciting prospect in the field with his good form of late, bagging double digit packages for this event and finishing 5th in Clonmel and 9th in this years deepstack. He knows how to take a big one and is running like god.
Rob 'Tilty' Taylor - IPR's current number 3, no stranger to big scores he has the technical ability rarely found amonst poker players. He can score big online or live and his lively table hoping ensures he knows where he is in relation to his opponents. Very skillfull we can expect a good finish.
Cat O'Neil - An IPR's top ten player, had a brilliant year in 2009 finishing deep in many of the large tournaments. We expect a very deep finish in main event or at least the side event. Rarely comes away empty handed at a festival.
Mick Graydon - How this guy isn't a PokerStars Pro we don't know. Supernova elite status gives him that edge. Concentrating on Live events this year, he has already gone deep in UKIPT Galway. Very good player can see him running deep again.
Nicky Power - Boylepoker.com Sponsored pro, very respected and very experienced. Already cashed in the UKIPT and a list as long as your arm of cashes and victories. Expect him to cash.
Marty Smith - (not 100%) Boylepoker.com Sponsored pro. He won the WSOP Omaha Bracelet and his reputation speaks for itself. Very approachable and one of Irelands best players.
Tommy Walsh - Loads of recent form. Cashed in side event in Galway UKIPT
Gavin O'Rourke - Respected online player, held chip lead in UKIPT galway after day 1. Knows how to play and has recent form online with several 5 figure cashes. We expect him to cash or Final table.
Jay Farrell - Very good young and upcoming player. Big winner online for 2009. Great potential highly rated by Dara O'Kearney.
Gerard Hegarty - Recent 10th place in Chillipoker Deepstack, has current form and is a very good player. Aggressive style will suit the game in Manchester. Should be there or there abouts.
David Scully - Been playing for many years. took part in the IPR bankroll management project, since then has moved on to bigger and better things. Expert level at push and fold turbos on Stars this could be his break out tournament. Not sure whether the long blinds will suit him.
Daniel Rankin - Pokerstars Qualifer another of the Port Laois mafia.
Collette 'Smurph' Murphy - Well known and respected on the Irish poker circuit. No real form of late but is capable of running deep.
Ciaran Corbet - Member of the Boylepoker.com poker team responsible for the Boylepoker video Heads up series amongst many other things. Good player. Took down a GUKPT side event in 2008.
Paul Spillane - Member of the Boylepoker.com poker team - very good player. Been around a while with in loads of events. Two omaha cashes for 2009. Could see a deep run.
Gary Baxter - From NI, Gary is primarily cash game player who knows how to win tournaments. Would like to see him run deep here, unproven at this size event.
Paddy Sheannon - Does well on the Midlands circuit and is no stranger to bigger events. Good player and very resiliant. A few cards early on could see him hit the FT.
We will try to keep you up to date with the players as the action unfolds.