€350 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2024?International Poker Open
€350 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2024?International Poker Open
Buy-in
€350
Prize Pool
€274,745
Entries
909
Level
33
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Entries
13
Players Left
1
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
In a remarkable comeback, Vitalijs Polukejevs rose from the bottom of the pack and, facing elimination with only card remaining, turned it into victory to claim the title of champion of the 2024 International Poker Open Main Event, held at the stunning Bonnington Dublin Hotel.
The Latvian cash game player, who currently resides in Ireland, emerged victorious from a field of 909, claiming the lion's share of the €274,745 prize pool. Vitcory saw Polukejevs not only secure his biggest score ever, but also boost his lifetime earnings into the six-figure region and propel him into the top thirty on Latvia's all-time money list.
Polukejevs entered the final table joint bottom in chips, but after being initially aided by a miracle one out on the river, he managed to put on a short stack spectacle to maneuver his way into the chip lead. Ultimately, a five-way ICM deal was reached, allowing him to walk away with the trophy and the largest cash prize of €34,630. Niall Campbell, Rory Liffey, Steven Lee, and Tom Dunne were the other beneficiaries of the deal, all earning over €20,000 for their efforts.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitalijs Polukejevs | Latvia | €34,630* |
| 2 | Niall Campbell | Ireland | €28,900* |
| 3 | Rory Liffey | Ireland | €24,170* |
| 4 | Steven Lee | Ireland | €24,050* |
| 5 | Tom Dunne | Ireland | €20,890* |
| 6 | Kevin Killeen | Ireland | €9,400 |
| 7 | Noel Murphy | Ireland | €6,725 |
| 8 | Sebastian Trela | Poland | €4,790 |
| 9 | Audrius Daugvilavicius | Lithuania | €3,790 |
* Denotes five-way ICM deal
Winner's Reaction
Moments after his victory, Polukejevs commented that he couldn't believe he had won the IPO and that he just felt happy.
"I feel overwhelmed; it's just, just happiness. In some stages I didn't believe it was possible, but now it's just a dream come true"
He said that his cash game experience helped him with patience to play his short stack well.
"Patience I would say was the most important thing. I am a cash game player. I was trying to navigate what I should do, and luckily, it worked out because I was shipping light!"
Polukejevs said that he plans to take a week off from Poker after his victory and relax with his family.
"No poker for a week. My wife and two kids were watching the stream, so I plan to go back to my home in Ireland and see them to have a good time with them, so that will be my celebration."
Action of the Day
The day began with 13 players, each within reach of the final table. It took three hours for four players to bust, with Gary Satelle the first to go, followed shortly by John Vogelaar and Mircea Rus. Stephen Henderson ended up as the final table bubble boy, losing a flip with pocket deuces against Campbell’s ace-queen.
The final nine were set, with Campbell still holding the chip lead, just as he had at the start of the day. Early on, he had Polukejevs all-in with only one out heading to the river. Polukejevs was virtually walking out the door just before the miraculous eight of diamonds peeled off, giving him the unlikely winner to double-up through Campbell, and begin his rise to the top.
Shortly after, Lithuania’s Audrius Daugvilavicius was the first casualty of the final table, shoving into Lee’s nut flush on the river. Sebastian Trela followed shortly after when his pocket eights couldn’t beat Liffey’s tens.
With seven players left, the short stacks kept doubling up. Noel Murphy flopped a set against Campbell to double up, and then Kevin Killeen was aided by lady luck to beat Campbell’s Big Slick. Two more hours passed without an elimination until Murphy finally broke the stalemate, going out in seventh after losing a flip to Polukejevs.
With the average stack below twenty big blinds, it didn’t take long for the next clash. Liffey went all-in with ace-seven against Killeen’s jacks, and a seven on both the flop and river saved Liffey from elimination while leaving Killeen as the new short stack. Soon after, Killeen took his chances with pocket nines against Polukejevs’ ace-king. An ace on the turn sealed Killeen’s fate, sending him out in sixth and bringing the final table down to five.
After Killeen’s exit, the final five players took a look at the ICM numbers. With hardly any back-and-forth, they all agreed on the payouts. Polukejevs, holding the chip lead, was crowned the 2024 IPO Main Event champion, walking away with the trophy, the cash, and the bragging rights.
That concludes PokerNews' extensive coverage of the 2024 International Poker Open Main Event here at the Bonnington Dublin Hotel.
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
After some negotiations, the final five players have agreed to an ICM chop, which allows them all to lock up a guaranteed payday. Vitalijs Polukejevs has been deemed the champion and will take home the trophy and bragging rights of being the 2024 IPO Champion. The details can be found below.
| Player | Prize |
|---|---|
| Vitalijs Polukejevs | €34,630 |
| Niall Campbell | €28,900 |
| Rory Liffey | €24,170 |
| Steven Lee | €24,050 |
| Tom Dunne | €20,890 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
27,270,000
16,920,000
|
16,920,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
The remaining players are now on a short break while the y discuss a potential ICM deal.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,350,000 | |
|
|
7,025,000
2,975,000
|
2,975,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,925,000
-1,100,000
|
-1,100,000 |
|
|
3,875,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
|
|
1,925,000
-2,975,000
|
-2,975,000 |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Kevin Killeen raised to 500,000 under the gun and Vitalijs Polukejevs three-bet to 1,150,00 from the cutoff. After it folded back to Killeen, he four-bet shoved for 3,175,000 and Polukejevs snap-called.
Kevin KilleenL 9?9? 
Vitalijs Polukejevs: A?K?
Polukejevs would move into an overwhelming chip lead if he could win this flip, whereas Killeen needed to win to stay in contention for the trophy.
The J?Q?J? flop gave Polukejevs a lot more outs he could hit to win. The A? on the turn was one of those outs, as he improved to top pair and could only lose a nine on the river. The 10? came to give Polukejevs a straight, and Killeen was out in sixth.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,350,000
3,500,000
|
3,500,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Rory Liffey shoved for 2,325,000 from under the gun with Kevin Killeen making the call to try and bust him from the big blind.
Rory Liffey: A?7?
Kevin Killeen: J?J?
Liffey had run into the pocket jacks of Killeen and would need a miracle to not be out in sixth.
The 5?8?7? flop did give Liffey a pair of sevens. The 9? hit the turn before the 7? river gave Liffey trip sevens, and he doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,025,000
2,575,000
|
2,575,000 |
|
|
3,650,000
-1,325,000
|
-1,325,000 |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Noel Murphy shoved for 1,275,00 from early position and Vitalijs Polukejevs called out of the big blind to put Murphy at risk.
Noel Murphy: 9?8?
Vitalijs Polukejevs: 3?3?
Murphy couldn't improve to beat the pocket threes of Polukejevs, as the board ran out K?5?2?2?4? and Murphy was out of the tournament.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,850,000
1,400,000
|
1,400,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,450,000
1,125,000
|
1,125,000 |
|
|
4,975,000
625,000
|
625,000 |
|
|
4,900,000
-1,250,000
|
-1,250,000 |
|
|
4,050,000
1,625,000
|
1,625,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,000,000
-625,000
|
-625,000 |
|
|
2,450,000
-1,125,000
|
-1,125,000 |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Steven Lee raised to 550,000 from the hijack and Vitalijs Polukejevs shoved for 1,975,000 from the big blind. Lee called.
Vitalijs Polukejevs: 4?4?
Steven Lee: Q?10?
Polukejevs had been nursing a short-stack the entire final table, and needed to hold with his pocket fours. The 2?K?J? flop gave Lee a tonne of extra outs. The J? turn added a few more to Lee, but the 7?river was a miss for Lee, and Polukejevs doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,625,000
-2,575,000
|
-2,575,000 |
|
|
4,325,000
3,350,000
|
3,350,000 |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Steven Lee raised to 525,000 from early position before Kevin Killeen shoved for 1,725,00 from the cutoff. Niall Campbell moved all in himself for 4,150,00 from the big blind, and Lee folded.
Kevin Killeen: A?Q?
Niall Campbell: A?K?
Killeen needed to find a queen to stay in the Main Event. The 9?4?Q? flop was great for Killeen as he paired his queen to take the lead. The rest of the board ran out J?5?, and Kileen doubled up through Campbell.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,200,000
-550,000
|
-550,000 |
|
|
4,350,000
2,625,000
|
2,625,000 |
|
|
2,425,000
-1,975,000
|
-1,975,000 |
|
|
||