Irish in Vegas 2009. We’re just not cutting it.

Gary Clarke, 13/07/09 | Print this article

It was one year ago that Baldoyle man James McManus was heading into day four of the WSOP as chip leader. To be in this position, in the world’s biggest poker tournament of all, would have to be the envy of every Irish poker player. McManus would go on to become Ireland’s highest finisher in the 2008 World Series, placing 71st for $96,500. A remarkable achievement considering the 6844 players he had to navigate through. This year McManus got knocked out on day three and missed the money. Interestingly, if he was to continue to play the Series for another 9 times and did not cash he will be a loser overall because of the $10,000 tournament buy ins. Not to mention expenses. This is not inconceivable considering the vast fields this tournament attracts and highlights just how top heavy modern poker really is.

The tortured souls that filled the long hallway back from the Amazon room where evident for days right after the first man was eliminated. Many Irish souls were amongst this crowd and many took the long flight home empty handed. Beware. The Vegas pilgrimage is fraught with danger. The dreams of playing the WSOP can often cascade into nightmares when it all goes wrong. As Ballymena man John Magill, 12th place finisher for over $1,000,000 in 2006 says “The day you get knocked out of the WSOP main event is the worst day of the year”.

The surprise package from Ireland this year was Albert Kenny. A last minute attendant to the Series, he hit the ground running cashing for $19,587 with a 23rd place finish in the $1500 No Limit Hold’em event . He also made day four of the WSOP main event. These were his first two World Series tournaments, so for a rookie this was great going. He was however an agonizing 14 places off the money in the main event and despite such a credible performance he will be another filled with regret as a result.

He is one of many depressed men who will be landing back to Ireland over the coming days with a sour taste in their mouth from WSOP heartache. It’s a poison we all crave it seems as the list is endless of those who came but did not conquer. In what has been a very poor year for the Irish in Vegas, not one remain in the final 250 players of the main event. Maybe it’s the traveling, maybe it’s the money or maybe we are just not professional enough as a force in poker.

The Las Vegas expedition for 2009 is worrying for the future but it is important to be positive. We need to recognize that countries like Sweden, Finland and Denmark are producing far superior poker players from similar populations. We need to evaluate where we have gone wrong and improve. Last year’s champion Peter Eastgate is Danish. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke or do drugs and is probably in bed by 12 o clock every night. Some people might say he’s a bore. Other people may say he won $9,152,416 playing a poker tournament last year. 

The results speak for themselves and Irish Poker seems to be at quite a crossroads as the WSOP comes to a close for another year. It’s such a shame we do not have one player to cheer on as we enter the “real” money stage of the biggest tournament of the year and boy do we need a tonic after an Irish-less final table to the Irish Open a few months ago.

Perhaps this poor showing in the World Champs of Poker will be the turning point for Irish Poker. Maybe we can finally accept that we are getting on planes to Vegas with dreams rather than clear cut opportunities to be made World Champion. Now is the time to figure out why.

Gary Clarke can be contacted at gary.clarke@pokerireland.ie

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