The 2012 Irish Open final table was determined yesterday as just nine players remain out of the original 502 at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin. Leading the way in the chase for the €420,000 first prize is Irishman Ian Simpson with just over 2 million chips, but nipping at his heels is Brit David “Dixie” Dean, who is a finger-reach away from that same 2 million chip mark.
It is a fairly top heavy final table, as the two leaders are right at about 2 million, Steve Watts is at about 1.5 million, and Thomas Beer is just above 1.3 million. The other five players are all under a million chips. In fact, the largest stack out of those is barely over 800,000.
That 800,000 chip stack, though, is someone to be reckoned with: Andy Black. The emotional Black, (don’t let the “Monk” nickname fool you) won $1.75 million for a 5th place finish in the 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Many poker fans will remember how he tried to slow down play when his late-tournament tablemate, Bing Wang, was late to return from a break and when the rest of the table wouldn’t join him, he burst into tears in sympathy for Wang.
In 2007, Black placed 2nd in the $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event at the Aussie Millions for $91,855 and then 3rd for $556,695 in the Main Event. He final tabled the European Poker Tour (EPT) later that year for $318,640 and then finally came through with a big win in early 2008 when he won the PartyPoker Premiere League and $250,000. In his live tournament career, Andy Black has won $4.38 million.
Our two chip leaders are largely anonymous in the grand scheme of live tournament poker. Simpson has just one small cash in his career while Dean has less than $75,000 in career winnings, though he did place 47th in the Irish Open Main Event back in 2008.
The two most accomplished players remaining after Black are Kevin Vandersmissen and Samuel Chartier. Vandersmissen Won the 2010 Full Tilt Poker Series Grand Final ($198,641) and placed 2nd at the 2011 EPT Snowfest ($368,601). Chartier, for his part, finished 7th at EPT Barcelona in 2008 ($253,908), won the WSOP Circuit Caesars Palace ($322,944), and placed 3rd at the 2011 EPT San Remo ($162,367).
Final table play is already underway in Dublin. Those interested in viewing the proceedings can watch the Irish Open live stream over at paddypowerpoker.com.
2012 Irish Open Main Event – Final Table Starting Chip Counts
1. Ian Simpson – 2,007,000
2. David “Dixie” Dean – 1,986,000
3. Steve Watts – 1,519,000
4. Thomas Beer – 1,319,000
5. Andrew Black – 808,000
6. Jordan Lewis – 685,000
7. Philip Magennis – 632,000
8. Samuel Chartier – 582,000
9. Kevin Vandersmissen – 492,000