Success

That’s my Killarney Festival story done and dusted in a word! Then again, I didn’t win it, I didn’t even reach the money paying stages and money is the stuff that makes the world go round especially in these troubled times. Therefore, as I’m paid by the word, I’ll elaborate a little more.

A colossal field of 832 players, a record number for a European ranking event, enjoyed a huge starting stack and a favourable structure for the €550 entry main event. But, as is the way with this game that we love, there had to be just one winner and nine people out of ten would be eliminated with no prize-money and nothing more than a story.

What better setting to tell your bad beats and poker tales than picturesque Killarney with all the famous craic it has to offer. Unsurprisingly, for many the sights and sounds and of this beautiful town took priority ahead of the cards.

This event epitomised the spirit of poker, the absolute distillation of the game and the people that play it. The main event was not restricted to the favoured few demanding an entry fee that the man in the street would not dare part with even if searching for a new car.

The inaugural Ladbrokes Killarney Festival really did have it all. That included three nationalities amongst the final trio of players – an Englishman, an Irishman and a Dane. …sounds like a joke but this was no laughing matter with them chopping up a €200,000 pie.

The lion’s share, a €100,000 winner’s prize, went to Cork’s Jimmy McSweeny a 24-year-old carpenter who put the final nail in Andrew Roberts coffin when his pocket 6’s fended off the Englishman’s attempt to double-up with Ace-9. The pair had earlier dispensed of Bo Erichsen who went home with €35,000 for his efforts.

What a payday and what a story it was for McSweeny who got into the tournament as an alternate – one of only 37 people that filled empty seats vacated by fallen players – deep into the third level and moments before the “sorry no more players” sign was posted.

He will be back next year, we all will, but I suspect he’ll have his entry fee paid up and seat assured sometime in advance. Take heed, because this was an outrageous success, next time around if it can be bettered it will be. I very much doubt an additional 500 seats will prevent the 2009 rendition being a sell-out once again and understandably so.