Ruairi “the breaker” Coy is the IPO champion of 2008.

Maxence Decorn is our runner-up

Having pushed Max around in the heads-up encounter Ruairi had managed to secure 10.7 million of the 13 million chips available.

Coy moved all-in on the small blind with A 7 of diamonds versus Max’s K 8 offsuit

Neither player hit anything on the board and Ruairi’s Ace did the business.

Well played Maxence and we hope to see you again next year.

Ruairi was the much-deserved winner as his aggressive and attacking manner was the highlight of the final table. He was outdrawn early on in the final table but retained his composure and never looked flustered.

Ruairi is from Galway but lives in Dublin so the trophy won’t have far to go.

When we spoke to Ruairi earlier he mentioned that he is due in work at 7:30… have a day off mate.

After around 6 hands of no report-worthy hands, all three players find something to interest them at once.  First off Ruairi Coy raised on the button to 800,000.  Small blind Max Decorne found a call, but big blind Elie Payan then shoved all-in for over two million.  Back to Ruairi who had clearly found something decent to raise with this time, and he was all in over the top in a matter of moments.  Max thought about it, but declined to call.

Ruairi showed Ah Js

Elie Payan showed Kc 10c

The flop came 10d 5h 5s Outdraw for the short stack…so far…

The turn brought the Qh bringing potential straight outs, but it was the Jd on the river which sealed the deal as Ruairi’s Jacks leaped in front.

Irish-French relations are at an all time high. The players have cut a deal.

Ruairi will get €26,900
Maxence will get €25,700
Elie will get €22,000

By tournament rules the players must go on until there is 1 man standing. The winner will get an extra €3,000 and the coveted title.

Game back on.

Deal!

It seems that three handed and nearing 5am they’re willing to deliberate a chop (based on chip count) of all the money (€77,660) apart from €3,000, which the rules state they must play for, along with the trophy.

Details of the deal between Ruairi Coy, Elie Payan and Maxence Decorne to follow.

The blinds are huge, and a stack of one million even small, so it’s no surprise that Peter Murphy shoved in an open spot.  Small blind Ruairi Coy gave him a spin with Kc Qc, and found he was way ahead of Peter’s Qs 3c.

The board came out Th 5h 9h Ts 4h meaning that Peter gets the round of applause reserved for one of the two remaining Irishmen left in.  Now its French vs. Irish 2:1…

Raymond Kerley moved all-in under the gun with his short stack of 750k and found a willing caller in big blind, Ruairi Coy.

Coy had and Ace and Ray Kerley had a King.

Neither player paired and the Ace high with the pair of sevens on the board was good enough for Coy.

Congrats to Raymond on a game well played. Ray played at the table with Neil Channing yesterday and Channing holds Ray and his poker skills in very high regard… high praise indeed.

20 year old Ray takes home €9k for his efforts.

Ruairi Coy sparked the whole thing off raising preflop on the button, only to find Raymond Kerley and Max Decorne both shovelling their small blind and big blind stacks in.  “I have to call,” he said - and flipped As 2c, behind both Raymond (Ac Kh) and Max (7s 7d).  The shortest stack was the one with the pair, and it held all the way to the river!  AK high took the side pot and the chip standings of the two of them are now:

Max Decorne: 2,250,000

Raymond Kerley: 900,000