Narcis Nedelcu Wins Record Irish Open Main Event, Takes Home €336,798 After Deal

A deal flattened the payouts. Four hands later, the title was over. Narcis Nedelcu closed the 2026 Irish Open Main Event in Dublin and turned a huge field into the biggest live score of his career.

Good to Know

• The €1,150 Main Event drew 5,003 entries from 60 countries
• The €2,500,000 guarantee grew into a €4,852,910 prize pool
• A five way ICM deal left €70,227 and the trophy still in play

Deal First Trophy Second

The final five stopped fighting over the full payout and cut a deal instead. Once they did, Nedelcu finished the job fast. He knocked out Oliver Gayko and Daryl McAleenan in the same hand with queens, removed Vasyl Palandiuk next, then beat Danilo Donnini heads up when ace-deuce held against king-six. Nedelcu took €336,798.

Nedelcu told to reporters:

“I feel amazing. It’s something so, so special.

“I just can’t describe it right now. I’m now fifth on the Romanian all-time money list, I think. And also fourth online, so yeah, I’m okay.”

Before any deal talk, the event had already broken through its guarantee with ease. PokerStars and Paddy Power Poker backed a €2,500,000 promise, but the total prize pool climbed to €4,852,910. First place had originally been set at €517,100 before the chop changed the payouts. Donnini, Palandiuk, Gayko, and McAleenan all joined Nedelcu in the agreement, with each locking up at least €250,493.

The path to that point did not start with Nedelcu in control. Ten players returned for the last day. Jarkko Suokas went out on the final table bubble. Nedelcu began in the middle of the pack, doubled when his jacks held against the nines of Isaac Barker, then knocked Barker out soon after to grab the lead. Donnini later sent online qualifier Francesco Gisolfi, who had got in for €10, out in sixth.

Nedelcu said:

“I didn’t feel pressure about the money, but I did feel the pressure about the blinds. They go very big, and the variance is higher. So yeah, it’s better like this.”

The win added more than prize money. Nedelcu picked up PokerStars Live Leaderboard points and said he plans to keep chasing that race. “I used to prefer online poker, but nowadays I prefer live poker, so you’ll definitely see me in Monte Carlo,” he said.

The result came only weeks after another six figure score from a big PokerStars SCOOP online win. Away from the Main Event, the Irish Open also used the week to push its next expansion plan, with stops set for Sydney on September 6 to 15 and Marrakech on November 10 to 15. A United States stop is planned for early 2027.

Final Table Results

1. Narcis Nedelcu — Romania — €336,798
2. Danilo Donnini — Italy — €257,662
3. Vasyl Palandiuk — Italy — €255,188
4. Daryl McAleenan — Ireland — €250,493
5. Oliver Gayko — Germany — €285,379
6. Francesco Gisolfi — Italy — €105,070
7. Isaac Barker — United Kingdom — €80,800
8. Matthew Twomey — Ireland — €62,170
9. Edward Dunphy — Ireland — €47,800

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