Irish Poker Open debuts in Sydney (Aug 31–Sep 14) with over 40 events.
Main Event offers A$1M guarantee, Mini Irish Open A$500K; multiple specialty tournaments featured.
Authentic Irish atmosphere with the signature Craic Den lounge comes to Australia.
The historically European-based Irish Poker Open is expanding its territory with its first-ever international stop in Australia. Yesterday evening, the organizers officially unveiled the full tournament schedule for the debut Irish Open Australia, locked in from August 31 to September 14 at the Poker Palace casino.
From what we had the chance to see, the series spans 15 days of continuous live action, with more than 40 tournaments and totaling close to A$2,000,000 in guaranteed prize pools.
Let's take a look at what the Irish Poker Australia plans to do Down Under.
The Million-Dollar Showdown in Sydney
The undisputed focal point of the newly released schedule is the flagship Main Event, which features a definitive A$1,000,000 prize pool guarantee. The need-to-know elements of the Main Event track as follows:
Buy-in and Launch: The flagship tournament requires an entry fee of A$2,000 and officially kicks off on Sunday, September 6.
Flights: To accommodate the expected player turnout, the event includes six different starting flights, two of which are designated as fast-paced turbo flights.
Qualifying Paths: Players looking to enter for a fraction of the cost will have access to 18 super satellites hosted directly on-site at the Poker Palace, which collectively guarantee a minimum of 170 individual Main Event seats.
Packed Schedule of Secondary Tournaments and Specialties
Outside of the Main Event, the schedule features several major prize pool benchmarks alongside niche game formats.
A massive addition is the Mini Irish Open, carrying a A$500,000 guarantee for an accessible A$360 buy-in. This edition offers 11 separate Day 1 starting flights running all the way from opening day on August 31 through September 11.
Additional schedule highlights include:
Lucky 8s: Making its first festival appearance with an A$250,000 guarantee spread across five starting flights, concluding on September 6.
Sydney Poker Open: An A$880 buy-in tournament scheduled for the final two days of the festival, boasting an A$100,000 guarantee across two flights.
Deaf Championship Main Event: Following successful turnouts in Dublin, this A$360 buy-in specialty championship runs on Saturday, September 5, spearheaded by tour ambassador Darren Chow.
Asia-Pacific Cup: A brand-new addition to the brand's layout, commanding an A$600 entry.
Mixed Games and High Rollers: High-stakes and technical players can access the two-day A$10,000 Super High Roller, the Mixed 8-Game High Roller Championship, Sviten Special, and a trio of A$600 buy-in events including PLO 4/5/6, The Hendon Mob Championship, and the Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw Championship.
Exporting the Irish Spirit to New Horizons
This historic trip Down Under is a major step and test for Europe's oldest poker tour. To ensure the authentic atmosphere travels intact, the festival will establish its signature Craic Den player lounge in Sydney, complete with live music, casual competitions, and bar games managed by entertainment director Phil Baker.
Reflecting on their 2026 international expansion, Irish Open co-owner JP McCann stated:
We’ve always believed poker should be serious at the tables and great craic everywhere else, so bringing the Irish Open to Sydney felt like a natural fit. Sydney also gives us the chance to connect with the growing Asia-Pacific poker community while bringing a little bit of Ireland with us. The Irish Open has always been about atmosphere as much as poker, and we can’t wait to bring that energy to Australia.
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