Kevin Vandersmissen has won the 2012 paddypowerpoker.com Irish Open Main Event, taking home the coveted trophy and €420,000. Vandermissen outlasted Thomas Beer in the heads-up play.
With this win, he surpassed his previous live cash record ($260,000 for his runner-up spot at EPT Snowfest in 2011). Vandersmissen, who is from Belgium, has now earned almost $1.5 million from live-tournaments during his career.
Some notable names who made a deep run in the Irish Open this year were Phil Hellmuth (33. €9.400), Freddy Deeb (27. €11.200) and Andy Black (8th €32,700).
Irish Open 2012 final results (players 502, buy-in €3.500):
1st. Kevin Vandersmissen (€420,000)
2nd. Thomas Beer (€225,000)
3rd. David Dean (€158,000)
4th. Ian Simpson (€107,500)
5th. Steve Watts (€78,000)
6th. Jordan Lewis (€59,000)
7th. Samuel Chartier (€44,500)
8th. Andy Black (€32,700)
9th. Philip Magennis (€23,000)
While the Irish Open has now been played down to the winner, the PartyPoker Premier League in the Austrian capital of Vienna, is now down to final eight players.
This $125.000 buy-in event will be televised and the final eight features this year players like Patrik Antonius, Tom "durrrr" Dwan, Daniel "jungelman12" Cates, Sam Trickett and Tony G.
Final eight:
Mathew Frankland 400,000
Daniel "jungleman12" Cates 380,000
Sam Trickett 330,000
Patrik Antonius 320,000
Tony G 300,000
Scott Seiver 300,000
Phil Laak 290,000
Tom "durrrr" Dwan 280,000
The PartyPoker Premier League winner will receive $500.000 plus also a $25.000 seat to the WPT World Championship in Bellagio.
For more information, see the PartyPoker blog.