Save The Dates: The 2026 Irish Open Runs March 26 to April 6
Summary
The 46th Irish Open will take place at the Royal Dublin Society from 26 March to 6 April 2026. The festival returns with massive guarantees: a €2.5 million guarantee on the Main Event (€1,150 buy-in) and two other events — the €1,150 Luxon Mystery Bounty and the €250 Mini Irish Open — each carrying seven-figure guarantees. The schedule includes multiple Main Event flights (Day 1a starts noon on 29 March; turbo Day 1e closes flights on 3 April), with Day 2 on 4 April, Day 3 on 5 April and the final on 6 April. Buy-ins range from €120 to €5,000 and formats cover Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha and mixed games. A 24/7 cash-game area of up to 50 tables will run throughout the festival.
Key Points
- Event dates: 26 March – 6 April 2026 at the Royal Dublin Society.
- Main Event: €2.5 million guarantee for a €1,150 buy-in; flights run 29 March–3 April; final on 6 April.
- Two additional seven-figure guaranteed events: €1,150 Luxon Mystery Bounty and €250 Mini Irish Open.
- Wide buy-in range (€120–€5,000) and multiple formats (No-Limit Hold’em, PLO, 8-Game, Sviten Special and more).
- Large, round-the-clock cash-game area with up to 50 tables.
- Major online qualifiers again via PokerStars, Paddy Power Poker and select iPoker Network sites — 2025 saw record attendance driven by online seats.
- Organisers advise booking accommodation early; suggested hotels include Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge, Herbert Park Hotel, InterContinental, and Sandymount Hotel (prices quoted B&B in the announcement).
- Full 2026 schedule is available as a PDF from the organisers.
Content summary
The article announces the official dates and details for the 2026 Irish Open festival, highlighting the continued partnership with online operators (PokerStars, Paddy Power Poker and iPoker sites) that helped drive record numbers in 2025. It outlines the Main Event structure and timetable, confirms huge guarantees across three headline events, and notes the festival’s varied tournament programme and bustling cash-game scene. Practical advice for attendees centres on booking accommodation early, with recommended hotels and a travel partner named.
Context and relevance
The Irish Open is one of Europe’s premier live poker festivals and the large guarantees reflect a trend of growing festival-size prize pools after strong post-pandemic recovery. For regulars and qualifiers, the announcement is essential for travel planning, staking and satellite scheduling. The partnership with major online rooms again signals easy online access to Main Event seats, which has previously driven record fields and prize pools.
Why should I read this?
Heads-up: if you play live or like planning poker trips, don’t sleep on this. Dates, huge guarantees and hotel tips are out now — so you can book flights, sort satellites and nab a decent room before prices and availability dive. Basically: mark your diary and start arranging the bits that matter.
