Poker Star Simon Wilson Claims Historic Victory, Pocketing a Record €600,000 at the 2025 Irish Open Main Event
A Wild Irish Poker Festival in 2025
The Irish Poker Open, known as Europe's oldest-running poker festival, has solidified its place in the global poker calendar yet again, following another exhilarating event in 2025. Kicking off in 1980 and later won by the late Colette Doherty, the festival has since transformed into a prestigious international tournament.
- Delve deeper: Remembering the Irish Poker Legend Colette Doherty and The Legacy of the Irish Poker Open: More Than Four Decades of Poker Magic
Fast forward to 2025 and its 45th edition. What transpired was nothing short of wild, with records being obliterated and the festival atmosphere reverberating throughout the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin from April 10 to 21.
The Main Event attracted an astonishing 4,562 entries, smashing the previous record of 3,253 entries set the year prior. The guaranteed €2.5 million was left in the dust, with the final prize pool surging to an astonishing €4,447,950.
€600,000 awaited the eventual champion, and on Easter Monday, it was the local lad Simon Wilson who rose victorious on home soil, taking home the vaunted trophy. His winning streak got underway even before his Main Event triumph, as he also secured 5th place in the €10,000 Super High Roller after satelliting in, raking in an additional €42,800. These two paydays catapulted Wilson past the €1,000,000 mark in his illustrious live poker career, as per The Hendon Mob.
Wilson bested Italy's Umberto Ruggeri heads-up for the title. Despite leading the charge going into the final day, Ruggeri couldn't regain his momentum and settled for a well-deserved runner-up finish and €316,000.
The 2025 Irish Open Main Event showcased deep runs from some of poker's prominent faces, including Ian Simpson, the 2013 Irish Open champ, who nearly reached the final day, bowing out as the Day 3 bubble-boy in 20th place for €19,200. Joining him at the payouts table was Parker "Tonkaaaa" Talbot, last year's €5,000 High Roller winner and a popular Canadian pro who cashed in 43rd, taking home €9,500. Steve O'Dwyer, the 2022 Irish Open Champion, also put in a valiant effort, exiting in 50th place.
2025 Irish Open Main Event Final Table Results
2025 Irish Open Main Event Final Table Recap
Nineteen players returned for the final day of the €1,150 2025 Irish Open Main Event, with the €600,000 top prize within reach. When Marius Gicovanu failed to survive in 10th place, the official final table was set. Michel Karim entered the finale as the dominant chip leader, holding 51 million, well ahead of Ruggeri (33.1M) and Skarparis (32.6M). The short stacks, Joe O'Donaill and Robert Fluereci, respectively held under 10 million.
O'Donaill was the first to exit, pushing pocket nines into Skarparis' kings. Fluereci managed a brief comeback with a couple of double-ups but couldn't hold on. In a blind vs blind clash, he called Harris' shove with sevens, only to see Harris' ace-nine on the flop. Fluereci banked €59,030 in 8th.
Up next, Pontos bowed out in 7th. Following Harris' open, Pontos shoved all-in with ace-three, leaving himself with only a few chips behind. Karim raised the stakes and called with ace-king. A three on the flop offered Pontos hope, but a king on the river ended his run. The Greek pocketed €77,500.
Harris met his match in Wilson, who defeated him in 6th place for €100,000. Shortly after, Karim's journey ended in 5th, departing with €130,000. Wilson then took control, relegating Kirsis to the sidelines with two big pots and finishing off Skarparis in the process. Wilson held ace-six, while Skarparis held sevens, but the latter's hopes were dashed when an ace flopped. Skarparis walked away with €170,000.
By this point, Wilson held more than double the chips than Ruggeri and Kirsis combined. Kirsis fought back with some double-ups but couldn't keep up, exiting in 3rd place for €225,000.
Entering the heads-up battle, Wilson carried a 3:1 chip advantage against Ruggeri. Wilson quickly rounded up the victory. In the final hand, Ruggeri opened with ace-ten, and Wilson called all-in. The Italian held the lead with ace-ten against Wilson's six-five. But the tide turned with a pair of six's on the flop, and a king and a deuce on the turn and river, sealing Wilson's win and making him the 2025 Irish Open Main Event Champion. He banked €600,000, while Ruggeri earned €316,000 for his outstanding runner-up finish.
This marked Ireland's largest poker event to date, featuring a festival atmosphere with side events, live streaming, and additional activities, cementing the Irish Poker Open as a can't-miss event on the global poker calendar.
- The 2025 Irish Open Main Event was nothing short of wild, with records being obliterated and a festival atmosphere pervading the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin from April 10 to 21.
- The Main Event attracted an astonishing 4,562 entries, smashing the previous record set in 2024, and the final prize pool surged to an incredible €4,447,950.
- Simon Wilson, a local player, rose victorious on home soil, taking home the vaunted trophy and the €600,000 top prize.
- Umberto Ruggeri, an Italian poker pro, finished as the runner-up and took home a significant €316,000.
- The 2025 Irish Open Main Event showcased deep runs from some prominent poker faces, such as Ian Simpson, Parker Talbot, and Steve O'Dwyer, proving that the Irish Poker Open remains a prestigious international tournament and a can't-miss event on the global poker calendar.
