Patrick Clarke Wins Winamax Poker Open High Roller for €40,640
After topping a field of 194, Irishman Patrick Clarke has added the Winamax Poker Open High Roller to his poker resume taking home €40,640.
Clarke's two biggest live cashes have come in Dublin; it's also Clarke's fourth tournament victory here in the Irish capital.
"My two biggest victories have been here," said Clarke after securing victory. "A few big ones. I love Dublin, it's just my home!
"I know a lot of people in the Irish scene, so everyone's here. I love the Winamax Tour, I come here every year. It's great fun, even if you're not playing. There's always something to do!"
Clarke beat Portuguese player Jose Quintas and Philippe Guillou into second and third place respectively, with start-of-day chip leader Matthieu Lamagnere finishing fifth and Aladin Reskallah the last Winamax Team Pro standing finishing in sixth.
Final Table Results
| Position | Name | Country | Payout (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Clarke | Ireland | € 40,640 |
| 2 | Jose Quintas | Portugal | € 29,020 |
| 3 | Philippe Guillou | France | € 20,730 |
| 4 | Gabor Szabo | Hungary | € 14,810 |
| 5 | Matthieu Lamagnere | France | € 10,580 |
| 6 | Aladin Reskallah | France | € 7,550 |
| 7 | Maxim Buyl | Belgium | € 5,400 |
Final Day Recap
Clarke came into the day 28th of 29 players remaining, and admitted he was expecting an early exit or a quick spin. But after three double-ups in the first orbit, he said he never really looked back.
"I just waited for the right opportunities," said Clarke who shot into the chip lead as soon as the third level of the day. However, he fell back and it was Quintas who enjoyed a good spell on the feature table to lead with three tables remaining.
Former champion and Winamax Team Pro Adrien Delmas was eliminated in 18th place for €1,610, getting it in drawing dead having rivered a straight only for Philippe Guillou to have flopped a flush.
By two tables, Quintas still sat in the lead, ahead of Belgian Maxim Buyl and Guillou, and series of eliminations for both Guillou and final table chip leader Gabor Szabo saw them take the initiative with seven players remaining.
It didn't take long for short stack Buyl to bust, with the players then heading on dinner break. When they returned the final Winamax Team Pro Aladin Reskallah was eliminated, with his sixes falling to Clarke's ace-king.
Clarke would add another elimination, after Matthieu Lamagnere was eliminated in fifth, as the Irishman sent Szabo to the rail. The Hungarian held pocket tens, but Clarke flopped a set with pocket sixes to send his opponent to the rail.
The Irishman held almost two thirds of the chips in play three-handed, but two doubles for Guillou, through Jose Quintas and through Clarke himself, saw him stay alive. In fact, it was Quintas who doubled through Clarke to briefly take the chip lead, but that was as close as anyone came to taking the title away from Clarke.
He sent Guillou to the rail in third and then saw off Quintas heads-up in a pot where the pair both made aces up, with Clarke's hand best, seeing him securing victory and the €40,640 first prize.
