The Irish Poker Open 2008 was held at Citywest Hotel, Dublin and a field of 667 took part in the main event. Notable players included poker legend Doyle Brunson, his son Todd Brunson, Sorel Mizzi, Roland De Wolfe, Padraig Parkinson, World Series of Poker bracelet-winner Ciaran O'Leary, Dario Minieri and dozens of other poker professionals. Irish Poker combines elements of Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Pineapple, creating a fun and different poker game for any occasion. A game of Irish Poker deals four cards to each player, similar to Omaha. After the flop betting round, however, each player in the hand discards two cards, and the action proceeds from there.
Irish poker pro Alan Smurfit passed away suddenly last month at the age of 77.
Smurfit was a successful businessman before retiring in 2003. Smurfit’s family founded Smurfit Kappa in 1934, Europe’s leading packaging company that is traded on the London Stock Exchange. He owned the “K-Club,” which was one of Ireland’s most famous luxury resorts and golf course.
Irish poker legend Padraig Parkinson tweeted Sunday that he had heard the news from another stalwart of the Irish poker world, Donnacha O’Dea. In the tweet, Parkinson shared a humorous anecdote from Smurfit’s 2007 World Series of Poker bracelet victory in the $1,500 pot-limit Omaha.
RIP Alan Smurfitt.Just heard from Don ODea he had passed.won funniest PLO bracelet ever.I spent all day 1 trying to figure out who hed stuck in as he constantly walked around tourney https://t.co/7mGPk3A0MP was only when 4 tables left I realised he was actually playing.And he won
How To Play Irish Poker
— Padraig Parkinson (@padraigpoker) October 4, 2020
According to Smurfit’s obituary in the Irish Times, his brother Michael said that he was “deeply saddened” about the passing of Alan, which came “unexpectedly, but peacefully.”
When he left the business world, Smurfit dove into poker and found a ton of success. His career was highlighted by his bracelet win in 2007 for $464,867, but he also final tabled the World Poker Tour Mirage Poker Showdown in 2005 and the European Poker Tour London main event in 2008. Over the course of his career, he racked up $1.45 million in tournament scores.
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His last cash came in the 2020 WSOP Online on GGPoker. He finished 1,353th in the $500 no-limit hold’em with a $5 million guaranteed prize pool.
Smurfit is survived by his wife, Guadalupe and his three children Peter, Alan and Anne.