The Euro 1,100 buy-in PokerStars Festival Dublin main event has been won by 29-year-old local pro Gary McGinty, who held the chip lead for the final two days of the competition but played it safe with a 4-way chop anyway.
The event attracted a field of 544 players, creating a prize pool of Euro 681,720, and culminated in a final table that comprised an Englishman, two Italians and five locals, headed by McGintry.
Down to 4-handed play McGinty played it safe and agreed a chop that gave him the lion’s share of the pool and Euro 74,797 to Jim O’Calaghan; Euro 78,554 to Italy’s Antonio Merone; and Euro 71,161 to Sean Prendiville, leaving Euro 13,000 on the table for the winner.
By the time the heads up stage was reached McGinty had amassed a 5 to 1 lead over his remaining opponent Jim O’Calaghan, and it did not take long for him to dispatch his fellow Irishman and claim the victory and the Euro 91,808 first prize.
Other cashes following the four-way chop included:
5. Ivan Tononi Italy Euro 35,780
6. Declan Connolly Ireland Euro 28,110
7. Mick Graydon Ireland Euro 20,980
8. Alexander Bretherton UK Euro 14,530