News

Brad Owen, one of the biggest names in poker, is visiting the JP Poker Card Club on March 20th to play cash games and vlog his experience.

Owen arranged the trip after Irish fans of his hugely popular YouTube channel heard he was visiting Ireland and was keen to organise a poker Meet and Greet. An exciting cash games session is now scheduled with Owen arriving at the Club at 3pm on Friday, March 20.

And, if this wasn’t exciting enough, all players will get a 10% bonus on their first buy-in – up to a maximum of €25.

Vlog pioneer

Owen’s YouTube channel – which now has nearly 800,000 subscribers – has been going ever since he moved to Vegas in the early 2010s. He was one of the first poker vloggers in the world, capturing footage as he played low-stakes cash games at casinos all over Vegas and giving fans a unique window into the world of a pro poker player.

Owen gradually moved on to bigger games before co-founding the Lodge Card Club with Andrew Neeme in Austin, Texas. His Poker at the Lodge live stream attracts thousands of viewers.

JP McCann, who launched JP Poker two years ago, said: “The fact that Brad Owen is coming to play at our Club is HUGE news. Brad is well-known all over the world so it’s fantastic that he’ll be playing in Tallaght and vlogging his trip. Brad will be in Ireland on a family holiday but he also wanted to get a Meet and Greet sorted with local players. It’s very exciting.

“We’ll have up to 12 tables up and running which means a maximum of 106 players – and slightly fewer if we have PLO running as well those games are eight-handed. People definitely need to reserve their spot.”

 
How to register

The easiest way to register is via the PokerLens app. On the app home page, scroll down to JP Poker and then click the trophy icon in the top navigation for a list of tournaments. Three “Brad Owen” specials are listed for March 20 – just click to register.

There is a 12-table limit on games so, unsurprisingly, places are going very fast. If you don’t want to register via PokerLens, please call +353 879904586.

JP Poker, which is located in Tallaght’s well-known Arena complex, is open 18 hours a day, every day of the week, from noon to 6am. Getting to the Club couldn’t be easier – it’s close to the Tallaght bypass and there’s plenty of free parking.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Club regular Jim Carr.

In every poker community, there are people who become more than just familiar faces at the tables — they become part of the heartbeat of the room. For us, ”Lucky” Jim Carr was always one of those people.

Jim’s warmth, his humour, his sportsmanship, and the kindness he showed to everyone who sat across from him made him a much-loved member of our poker family. Jim faced a difficult illness but he was a great character and a great player. The game won’t be the same at JP Poker and our deepest condolences are with his family and friends at this sad time.

JP McCann said: “Jim was a familiar and much-loved face at our pub games since they started over two decades ago. He played both at the Village Green and then more recently at JP Poker, our new Club in Tallaght. He also competed in events such as the Irish Open.”

Back in November, a Benefit Night was held at JP Poker in honour of Jim. The event was a celebration of Jim himself, and also a way for everyone at JP Poker to show their appreciation for the positivity and heart he brought to tables over the years.

A total of 93 players turned up to honour him – a quite extraordinary number as Jim always played 93: it was his favourite hand, his lucky number, the number on his house, and something he carried with him every time he sat at the table. And, as if that wasn’t enough, the tournament was won by Gary Lacey with 93!

JP added: “Unfortunately, Jim wasn’t able to make it to the Benefit night, but it genuinely felt like he was right there with us — smiling, laughing, and making sure his magic number showed up one more time.”

The Benefit Night demonstrated the huge affection that players had for Jim – with friends from far and wide, many of whom had never been to the new JP Poker Club before, turning up to honour him.  JP said: “Jim’s passing is a huge loss to everyone at JP Poker and also the wider Dublin poker community. Rest in peace, Jim. ❤️”

Irish players are in luck! The JP Poker Card Club and Casino in Tallaght is launching a series of weekly satellites for this year’s €2.5m guaranteed Irish Open Main Event. The first satellite is this Thursday (January 29) and comes with five seats guaranteed for a buy-in of only €120.

All players will receive a starting stack of 25,000 chips – with an Early Bird bonus of 2,500 chips for players arriving within 30 minutes of the tournament start at 7pm. The tournament features unlimited re-entries plus a €5 dealer add-on for an extra 5,000 chips. Late registration is open until 10pm.

Last year, there were four satellites at JP Poker with 25 players winning their €1,150 buy-in at the Club. Five made the money in the Irish Open Main Event including Stephen Murphy who finished 33^rd for €11k plus Carl Cullen and Ron Hickey who both cashed for €4,140. Jonathan Clarke won €2,630 while Kevin Duffy won €1,960. Other JP Poker qualifiers last year included American-Irish player Kevin O’Donnell who finished 14^th in the Irish Open Main Event in 2024 for €18,000.

Bonus hoodie for qualifiers!

For the first time, all players who qualify at the Club will also receive an exclusive JP Poker hoodie along with their entry into the €1,150 Irish Open Main Event! Please note, players can only win one hoodie – even if they win more than one ticket for the Irish Open.

This year’s Irish Open is taking place from March 26 to April 6 at the RDS. The JP Poker satellites will run every Thursday between now and the festival start. The Club will also be launching a series of satellites next week for the debut €1,150 Ladies High Roller tournament.

JP McCann, who celebrated 20 years of running poker clubs in Dublin last summer, launched the JP Poker Card Club and Casino in Tallaght two years ago. It’s now the biggest card room in the Irish capital and is open 18 hours a day, every day of the week, from noon to 6am. The Club is easy to get to – it’s only 14km from Dublin city centre and there’s ample free onsite parking. The full address is Unit 3, Arena Centre, Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 V9TA.

The award-winning Irish Poker Open is the longest-running No Limit Texas Hold’em poker tournament in Europe. The €2.5 million guaranteed Main Event gets underway on March 29 with a total of four starting flights.

A massive treat is in store for poker players in just ten days when the European Mixed Poker Championship (EMPC) comes to Dublin for the first time.

The six-day festival, which is taking place from November 4 to November 9 at the JP Poker Club and Maldron Hotel in Dublin, features seven different tournaments on an enticing new schedule.

The festival promises a real test for mixed game enthusiasts with a huge variety of tournaments designed to test and crown the world’s best all-around players, including the flagship €800 8-Game Main Event.

Main Event starts November 6
The prestigious 8-Game Main Event will have two Day 1 starting flights (single re-entry per flight) on November 6 with the final taking place the following day on November 7. The featured games will be: No Limit Hold’em, Stud, Fixed Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better, Razz, Pot Limit Omaha, Fixed Limit Omaha, Stud 8 and 2-7 Triple Draws. At the last festival in 2024, British player Sam Perry became the European Mixed Poker Champion when he bested an 161-entry field to take down the Main Event for €15,821.

Side events and cash games
The festival will kick off on November 4 with the €300 Welcomer Big Bet Mix – an exciting, fast-paced tournament with an unlimited number of re-buys available. Organiser Frode Fragerli said: “It is a playful, fast-paced start to the series and we should expect all-ins left and right from start to finish. The mix involves No Limit Omaha high-low 8 or better, No Limit 5 card Draw, Pot Limit Omaha, No Limit 2-7 Single draw and No Limit Holdem. It’s a mix that players rarely get to experience, with a nice structure, and is sure to generate fast-paced action from the get-go.”

On November 5, the schedule features a €600, single re-entry High-Low Mix tournament and Day 1 of the €600 Dealer’s Choice which has unlimited re-entries. There are 19 games up for grabs in the Dealers Choice, and players will take turns deciding which game to play for the next orbit. Day 1 will play 12 levels with Day 2 starting at 11am the following day (November 6).

In addition to the Main Event final, Friday’s tournaments (November 7) are all about S.O.R.B.E.T. – a twist on the classic H.O.R.S.E. variant with Limit Hold-em replaced by two draw games, Badugi and 2-7 Triple Draw. There will be a €300 “low roller” tournament starting at 2pm, along with a two-day €2k High Roller starting at 3pm.  The High Roller has unlimited re-entries and 40-minute blind levels, with Day 2 kicking off at noon on Saturday.

On Saturday, November 8 – the penultimate day of the festival – we’ll be hosting a €300 6-Game Mystery Bounty and Day 1 of the €2k 6-Game High Roller. On the final day of the Championship, there will be a new EMPC event – a €300 Pot Limit Turbo Mix along with the final of the €2k 6-Game High Roller.

Cash games
It’s not just tourneys on the schedule – cash games will be running every day starting from €3/€5. On November 5, we’ll also be hosting an exciting high-stakes cash game (€100/€200). As you would expect, there will be a heady mix of games available including 6-game, 8-game and 10-game, plus Stud mix, BigBet Mix including Sviten, Dealers Choice (orbit), Draw Mix, Pot Limit Mix and HORSE.

JP McCann, founder of the JP Poker Card Club and Casino, said: “We’re really thrilled that the European Mixed Poker Championship is coming to Dublin. We have a ton of excellent, home-grown mixed game fans here in Ireland but we are also expecting a huge number of overseas players to compete. Nothing really beats mixed games for action and excitement so I expect the Club to be absolutely buzzing when the festival kicks off.”

About JP Poker Card Club and Casino
The JP Poker Card Club and Casino is located in Tallaght’s well-known Arena complex – just a 30-minute drive from Dublin Airport. Great accommodation at the Maldron Hotel Tallaght is right next door.

The Club, which features ten poker tables along with a bar, slot machines and a pool table, is open 18 hours a day, every day of the week, from noon to 6am. There is ample free parking on site and an ATM on the casino floor.

All you need to do to join the club (over 18s only) is bring photographic identification and proof of address on your first visit. JP Poker is a fully accessible ground-floor premises with disabled toilets and disabled parking available.

The weekend before the Championship starts, the €150 JP Poker Series XIX event will be taking place, featuring a €25,000 prize pool guarantee.

About the European Mixed Poker Championship

The European Mixed Poker Championship was first launched in 2023 and previous events have all taken place in Bratislava. Players from all over the world compete at the Championship and a big turnout is expected at the Dublin edition.

Casey Farrell, the 15-year-old daughter of JP Poker Event Coordinator Laura Carroll, has made it through to the final of the IFMA Youth Muay Thai World Championships in Abu Dhabi! It’s a huge achievement for the Kilkenny schoolgirl who fights out of Waterford Muay Thai gym.

Mum Laura – a very well-known figure at the Irish Open – said: “We are absolutely thrilled she’s through to the final. She’s put in so much hard work to get here. It’s been an absolute roller-coaster but we’re wishing her tons of luck for tomorrow’s bout.”

Casey, who competes in the 14/15 yr old, +71kg Category, will be up against a fighter from Egypt in Friday’s final. Casey is no stranger to podium success in international competition: she won Gold at the Mediterranean Youth Muay Thai Championships in Turkey, last December. In November 2024, she won an Irish Sandee Open title in Dublin. She is one of 13 fighters representing Team Ireland at the Abu Dhabi contest including several team mates from her gym – Waterford Muay Thai. They include March 2025 Estonian Cup silver medallist Evie Hearne (who has to bow out of her finals due to picking up an injury) and Estonian Cup Gold medallists Shay Moore, AJ Kiely and Leigha Kinsella, who also took bronze at the Mediterranean Championships in December 2024. Casey had to miss the Estonia contest in March after unfortunately picking up an injury.

Team Ireland Head Coach John Walsh wasn’t in Casey’s corner during her fight due to a hospital emergency with another member of the team, Shane McConnell stood in as Head Coach. John will return to Casey’s corner tomorrow to help her on her quest to secure her first World Title. Best of luck to Casey tomorrow and her fellow team mate Saoirse Balfe Hogan who will also fight for Gold! Let’s go Team Ireland!

A packed month of celebrations is planned at Dublin’s celebrated JP Poker Card Club and Casino in August as founder JP McCann marks 20 years of involvement in the poker industry.

The special celebrations will include bonuses for early bird cash game players, nightly slot tournaments, boosted tournament guarantees and free beer tokens for all players competing on Friday nights.

The celebration month will also feature a special €150 buy-in, €10,000 guaranteed NLH tournament on Saturday, August 23.

All the celebration activities will be in addition to the regular poker schedule at the Club which includes the €150 buy-in, €25k guaranteed Festival Series XVI Main Event from August 1 to August 3 and the tournament league final on August 30.

JP’s 20 years of poker
JP first got into running poker tournaments back in 2005. At the time, he was working in a bank while studying for a Masters in finance. It was during the summer holidays that JP took part in a €40 buy-in poker game at a GAA club in Dublin. He was horrified to discover that the organisers were taking thousands of euros out of the prize pool and decided it was time to launch his own events that would feature a far more equitable prize pool payout.

JP’s very first event – which he ran with his uncle Joe McKeever – took place on August 25, 2005 at the Stonehouse Pub in Navan. The “JJP Pokermania“ tournament was a €20 rebuy with a prize pool that fairly reflected the size of the field. With over 80 entries, the evening was a big success and soon JP was running pub tournaments all over Ireland – including events in Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. The tournaments proved so popular that JP decided to quit his bank job and get involved in poker full-time.

Thanks to four years spent working on PokerStars’ European Poker Tour and UK & Ireland Poker Tour as well as WPTs, the WSOPE and festivals at Barrière Casinos, JP became a well-known figure on the international poker circuit. In 2012, he opened the Village Green Card Club in Tallaght and, four years later, he and Paul O’Reilly took over the running of the Irish Open, growing the event to become an award-winning festival with record-breaking fields in dozens of events.

The JP Poker Card Club and Casino, which opened in January 2024, is located in Tallaght’s well-known Arena complex and features ten poker tables along with slot machines and a pool table. The Club is open 18 hours a day, every day of the week, from noon to 6am.

August promotion details  

August Main Event: a €150 buy-in NLH tournament will take place on Saturday, August 23 and feature a €10,000 prize pool guarantee. The tournament starts at 3pm and all players will receive a 30k starting stack.  Late reg is open until 7pm.

Nightly cash games bonus: Every night in August, the first nine players to open the first NLH cash game of the evening with a €100 buy-in will each receive an extra €25 in chips.

Slot tournament: Every night in August there will be a quick-fire slots tournament – running from 6.30pm to 6.50pm – awarding €100 to the winner.

Monday Club double-up: every Monday in August, the tournament guarantee for the popular €120 buy-in NLH tournament will be doubled to €5,000. The tournament starts at 7pm with late reg open until 9.40pm.

Thursday bonus: the first player to win three Thursday night tournaments will get a €1,000 bonus. The promotion will run ad infinitum until there is a winner!

Friday Beer Bonanza: all Friday night customers will receive THREE free beer tokens.

Dealers’ bonus chips: all players competing in the Festival Series, the Wednesday mid-month tournament on August 13 and the €10k guaranteed special tourney on August 23 will have the option to buy an additional 3,000 in chips for €5.  The €5 will be added to the dealers’ tip pool.

The event in a nutshell:

• 9 x Day 1s
• 30,000 stack and 3,000 early bird for the first level
• 15% of the field are in the money – €400 min cash
• 10% of the field bag up for day 2
• Turbos are 10 min levels (Saturday @ 22:00 & Sunday @ 12 noon)
• Trophy for the winner (and a few quid too!)
• $3,000 WPT Package for players who enter via the WPT Global client
• $33 satellite ticket for players who enter via the WPT Global client
• Discounted bedrooms in the Maldron Hotel Tallaght (attached to casino) using code POKER
• Free parking

As well as running some fantastic promotions in the club this weekend, WPT Global are bringing some amazing new promotions from Tuesday 7th October too as follows:

• Scavenger Hunt
• Weekly Leaderboard with weekly satellite tickets
• Monthly Leaderboard with entry to the €50,000 GTD live event
• 8 Week Leaderboard with a top prize of Vegas package worth $12,400

Download the WPT Global app and sign up using bonus code JPPOKER to get involved!

We have 3 x Day 1s taking to the tables today:

Day 1D @ 15:00

Day 1E @ 19:00

Day 1F @ 22:00 (turbo)

Late reg will run for 10 levels on all flights and there are 3,000 earlybird chips available if you are registered in the first level.

Fun & games with Phil Baker and the WPT Global team are planned for later on this afternoon.

Cash action will be up and running early today!