French top multi-national field at Grosvenor’s APAT Irish Championship

Grosvenor’s APAT Irish Amateur Poker Championship (NLHE) €100 + €20 returned for the second year running to be played alongside the International Poker Open at The Regency Hotel in Dublin over the Irish Bank Holiday weekend on 30th and 31st October.

Attracting a huge field of 302 multi-national players, from Ireland, UK, France, Luxembourg, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania and Canada, including the reigning Champion Robert Blaauwgeers (Netherlands), they were reduced to 38 to return for Day 2 with stacks ranging from Declan O’Connell’s 43k to the Chip Leader Michael Sherriff’s 378k, with just below Michael was Elie Payan on 300k, Emmett Davis 260k, Danny Opthof 249k and Jason Kemp 209k.

Day 2 took less than 3 minutes to lose the first player. Short stack Declan O’Connell moved all in for 43k with 7d 8d to be called by Thomas Kammarinke on 130k and holding Ad 9s, and Declan completely misses the Board and departed in 38th place.

The first player to cash wwas Timmy Passenier in 31st spot for €235 when his 60k stack is all in pre-flop holding 7h 7s against Emmet Davis with Jd Qh, and with Jh coming on Turn.

Shortly after Andy Hall raises to 21k only to be re-raised All In by Kevin Duffy and Andy made the call and flipped over his Kh Kc, with Kevin showing Ac Ks. Ace on flop put Kevin ahead and he stayed there to see an unlucky Andy Hall depart in 30th for €235.

With 18 players remaining, a big pot plays out between Elie Payan and defending champion Robert Blaauwgeers. Elie raised pre-flop to 25k and Robert made the call and checked the Flop 7d 9c Ad only for Elie to be 30k and Robert to call. Turn 6c Robert bets 45k and is called, and River 6s sees Robert again check call Elie, this time for 80k. Elie flips Ac 9d for a flopped 2 pair, and the reigning champion mucks.

Shortly after Robert moved all in for around 150k and Thibault Fournier made the call – Robert As 7s, Thibault 10s 10h – 10d on flop gives Thibault trip 10 and he stays ahead to knock out the defending champion Robert Blaauwgeers in 16th for €370.

Final Table 9:
Elie Payan 1,080,000
Michael Sheriff 464,000
Edward Kelly 271,000
Emmett Davis 800,000
Thisbault Fournier 839,000
Jason Kemp 875,000
Erwin Boots 425,000
Danny Opthof 755,000
Kevin Duffy 567,000

A crucial hand develops when Danny raises to 67k and Elie called, Emmet making it up from the Big Blind. 3-handed the flop comes 3c 9h 5c and Danny continues for 115k, with Elie calling and Emmet folding. 3d Turn and Danny bets 180k and Elie starts to think… and think… then calls. River 2h and Danny again is straight into his stack, counting out chips he makes it 250k and Elie immediately moves all in. The count begins… Elie bet 673k… 423k more for Danny to call with the pot standing around 1.7million. Danny calls and flips 6s 6d only to be devastated when Elie flips 7d 7c and increase his stack to a total of circa 2.2million.

Edward Kelly leaves in 9th for €630, Michael Sheriff 8th for €760 before we see Danny back in action, this time hitting his Queen (holding Qc 7c) on Flop and getting it all in again Emmet Davis, but Emmet holds Ah Qd stays ahead and we lose Danny in 7th for €1,035.

Kevin Duffy goes in 6th for €1,410 (at the hands of Elie), followed in 5th by Thibault Fornier €1,865 and in 4th we lose Erwin Boots for €2,375 (again by Elie).

It reaches the National Championship medal stage with 3 remaining; Elie Payan, Emmet Davis and Jason Kemp with Jason getting low on chips:

Elie Payan 3.8m
Emmet Davis 1.6m
Jason Kemp 840k

After a short break Emmet raises from the SB to 250k and Jason moves all in and is quickly called by Emmet:

Jason As 7c
Emmet Ah Qd

No luck comes on the Board for Jason and he departs with a National Championship Bronze medal and €3,145 for his 3rd place finish.

With Elie Payan on 3.8m and Emmet Davis on 2.4m, we see pre and post flop bets and the Board sits on the Turn with Jd 4c 7d As. Emmet checks and Elie bets 350k, Emmet re raises All In and Elie re-checks his hand before going into the think tank… and eventually calls.

Emmet Jc 8s
Elie Ah 6h

Emmet had flopped top pair, but Elie Turned top pair, and Emmet needs a Jack or an Eight… but 9d River seals it for Elie.

Emmet Davis… Silver Medal and €4,320

Elie Payan… Gold Medal, €7,250 and Irish Amateur Poker Champion… with the added value of a trip to Las Vegas in June 2017.

1st Elie Payan € 7,250 + National Championship Gold Medal + Destination Vegas package
2nd Emmett Davis € 4,320 + National Championship Silver Medal
3rd Jason Kemp € 3,145 + National Championship Bronze Medal
4th Erwin Boots € 2,375
5th Thibault Fornier € 1,865
6th Kevin Duffy € 1,410
7th Danny Opthof € 1,035
8th Michael Sheriff € 760
9th Edward Kelly € 630
10th Jimmy Aker € 530
11th Audrey Sheardown € 530
12th Thomas Kammerinke € 460
13th Martine Goul € 460
14th Jerome Coquelle € 415
15th Ruaidhri Finnegan € 415
16th Robert Blaauwgeers € 370
17th Tony Murphy € 370
18th David Meighan € 325
19th Simon Pham € 325
20th Francis V’riessche € 325
21st Raf Jans € 295
22nd Capan Mustafa € 295
23rd Paul Prunty € 295
24th Guy Beate € 265
25th Patrick CLE € 265
26th Hendrik Blokdijk € 265
27th Henrik Blanko € 265
28th Tommy Hanna € 235
29th Wim Van Dijk € 235
30th Andy Hall € 235
31st Timmy Passenier € 235