It was a busy day at the Irish Poker Festival 2010, with over 632 players coming from around the world to partake in the Irish Poker Open, one of the biggest and most highly anticipated festivals all over Europe. However, only one of these 632 people would be able to make it into the very top, and this year it was Lars Torngren.

Who needs a four leaf Clover?

The Irish Poker Open is always has always drawn some of the biggest crowds, even if it’s just on its third cycle. The €75,000 first place prize helped quite a lot in making the deal sweeter too for those hopefuls who have come to the city of Killarney to have their shot at fame and fortune. With a whopping 632 showing up for the tournament, though, it was obvious that anyone who wanted to make it to the first place would need a four leaf clover to get there. But whether Lars Torngren had one or not, well, that’s something you’ll have to ask him. Either way, he blazed through the ranks, tearing up the felt for the three grueling days that the eliminations took place. Until, finally, they were at the final table.

Jon Kalmer was actually on the top spot when final table play began. Richard Connoly was second, followed by Valerie McGrath. Lars Torngren was actually just in fourth place coming into the final table, but you know how erratic swings can get in poker. Soon enough, Torngren was caught in a riveting three-way all-in match against Paul Lucey and Barry McGleenon. Torngren was in the lead at that point, and both Lucey and McGleenon were barely hanging on. Their fate rested on Torngren’s Pocket 6’s, which, as it turned out, was still strong enough to withstand them. In the end, it was Torngren who walked away with the money and the title, with Lucey finishing second and McGleenon on third.

An impressive structure

The best people to judge a tournament’s structure are the players themselves, so when Lars Tornson said that he was really ‘impressed’ with the structure of the Irish Poker Open, you’d better believe it. He said after his win, “I have been playing poker for about eight years and this is my first big tournament win so I am absolutely delighted. I am already looking forward to next year’s Ladbroke’s poker festival.”

What was interesting about this year’s festival though was that it attracted quite a number of celebrities. English actor Nick Moran, who will be playing Scabior in the upcoming Harry Potter film, turned up and did quite well, although he didn’t make it into the final table.