Sellout PaddyPowerPoker.com Christmas Cracker Goes Bang

Holiday season's best value tournament sees Ireland's poker community out in force for festive fray over felt.

Dublin, Ireland (PRWeb) December 15, 2006 -- The second paddypowerpoker.com Christmas Cracker saw 117 of Ireland's finest poker princes and princesses congregate in Dublin's Sporting Emporium on Saturday 9 December to carve up the tasty €63,500 prize pool.

paddypowerpoker.com gifted players an early Christmas treat by paying the registration fees for the €500 buy-in event and adding €5,000 to the prize pool.

The great, the good and occasional not-so-good of Irish poker turned out in numbers for the best value tournament of the season including Andy Black, Sideshow Bob, Dave Masters, Len Collin, Eoghan O'Dea and Tony Cooney.

English nightclub impresario turned poker man-about-town 'Catman' attended the event and got an object lesson in the cunning nature of Irish poker.

Writing in UK Poker News the loquacious Londoner said, "Let me tell you, the Irish are not totally mad gamblers; it might be the Viking in them but they are tactically excellent. Never be fooled, their hospitality and charm is a tactical weapon in their aim to enjoy taking your every last cent."

Unfortunately for Catman he did lose every last cent, exiting a few hours into the event. However, he did manage to outlast 2005 WSOP main event finalist Andy Black whose aggressive quest to build a stack of chips saw him bust out in the first few hands.

Another early casualty was a moderately well known Big Brother 'star' who did not wish to be named. Presumably because his poker skills were merely sufficient to allow him limp along to just after the first break.

Last year's winner Harold Huberman shoehorned his way into the cash again, finishing 11th but when the last flop fell it was paddypowerpoker.com regular Rory Rees Brennan who reigned victorious, taking home €17,950 and first place after a full 16 hours of pulsating poker.

John O'Shea took second place from a strong final table which included Michael Frisby, Lloyd O'Farrell and the irrepressible Kieran Walsh.

Final Results

1st €17950 Rory Rees Brennan

2nd €15000 John O'Shea

3rd €8050 Tom Nolan

4th €6000 Michael Frisby

5th €5000 Kieran Walsh

6th €2500 Tim Farrelly

7th €2000 Michael Hoey

8th €1500 Lloyd O'Farrell

9th €1000 Julie O'Leary

10th €500 Bob O'Keeffe

11th €500 Harold Huberman

12th €500 Eoghan O'Dea

13th €500 Chris Cooke

14th €500 Niall O'Callaghan

15th €500 Sean McClean

16th €500 Ian Ronan

17th €500 Fergus Atkinson

18th €500 Kevin Levins.

Photographs of this event are available from bmurray@paddypower.com

Note to editors: Paddypower.com does not accept bets from US residents.

For more information please contact: Brendan Murray, Paddy Power Poker Communications Manager, Tel: 00 353 1 488 1759, Mob: 00 353 87 916 6000, bmurray@paddypower.com You can also visit www.paddypowerpoker.com/media-suite for additional information.

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