DUBLIN – Romania’s Narcis Nedelcu won the 2024 PokerStars Irish Open Main Event on Sunday, topping a record field of 5,003 entries to claim €336,790 after a five‑way deal at the final table.
The victory at the Royal Dublin Society capped the 46th edition of Europe’s longest‑running poker festival, which ran March 26–April 6 and delivered the largest Main Event in Irish Open history. The €2.5 million guarantee nearly doubled, generating a €4,852,910 prize pool and drawing players from more than 60 countries.
Nedelcu, 35, a longtime presence on the live circuit with more than $2 million in career earnings, called the win “something so, so special that I can’t describe.”
Final Table Payouts
- Narcis Nedelcu, Romania (PokerStars Qualifier) — €336,790
- Danilo Donnini, Italy — €257,660
- Vasyl Palandiuk, Ukraine — €255,190
- Daryl McAleenan, Ireland — €250,500
- Oliver Gayko, Germany — €285,380
- Francesco Gisolfi, Italy (PokerStars Qualifier) — €105,070
- Isaac Barker, United Kingdom (PokerStars Qualifier) — €80,800
- Matthew Twomey, Ireland — €62,170
- Edward Dunphy, Ireland (Online Qualifier) — €47,800
- Jarkko Suokas, Finland (PokerStars Qualifier) — €39,840
Cédric Billot, Associate Director of Live Events Operations at PokerStars, said the festival’s growth reflects its unique atmosphere.
“It’s amazing to see the Irish Open continuing to go from strength to strength,” Billot said. “The mix of competition, entertainment, and craic is what keeps players coming back year after year. It’s that energy that defines the Irish Poker Open and makes it stand out on the global stage.”
PokerStars Live League Standings Tighten
Nedelcu’s win moved him into first place on the Low PokerStars Live League leaderboard, with Italy’s Danilo Donnini in second. EPT Paris champion Jorge Abreu leads the Medium leaderboard, followed by Finland’s Roope Tarmi, while Klemens Roiter tops the High leaderboard ahead of American Brandon Wilson.
Players earn points throughout the year at PokerStars‑sanctioned European events, with €157,500 in PokerStars LIVE credit awarded across the three leaderboard tiers.
Irish Open Action Continues Online
Although the live festival has concluded, PokerStars will host an “Irish Open Afterparty” online series from April 12–20. The schedule features 69 events and more than $3 million in guaranteed prize pools, with buy‑ins ranging from $5.50 to $530.
Events will include Irish‑themed tournaments such as the Paddy Stack, Four Leaf Clover, The Blarney Bluff, The Leprechaun, and the Celtic Fortune Main Event. PokerStars ambassador Spraggy will host two events on opening day. Satellites start at $0.55.
