Michel Molenaar wins Partypoker MILLIONS Irish Poker Festival

If I’d been asked at the beginning of the week to pick one player as the most likely winner of the inaugural Irish Poker Festival MILLIONS main event, it would without a shadow of doubt have been young Dutch player Michel Molenaar. This is not just convenient after-timing, as Michel has been in sensational form in recent months, securing 2nd place in the Hydra High Roller and 3rd place in the Mystery Bounty event at the recent Party Poker MILLIONS Malta Festival. At the Irish Poker Festival he has continued this run of success, outlasting a quality field of 286 players to take down the MILLIONS title and a career best cash of €210,000!

Michel went into the final table 4th in chips, behind Glenn Keogh, Tomas MacNamara and Richard Kellett from England. The three shortest stacks were the first to be eliminated. Barry Carson, the winner of Thursday’s €250 Freezeout was the first to go, hitting the rail soon after the start, to take 9th place and €18,500. Padraig O’Neill was next to go in 8th for €22,840. Andy Black, one of the most experienced players in Irish poker, went into the final as the smallest stack, but held on for 7th place and €28,000.

Richard Kellett, then one of the larger stacks took 6th place and €35,000 after losing a massive pot to Tomas MacNamara, which Scotsman Andrew “Picasso” Hedley, who was super short at the time, to ladder up to 5th, with a €44,000 kerching.

By this time, Michel was beginning to dominate the proceedings. The fourth placed horseman of the apokerlypse was Liam Chevalier. The popular Irish player trotted off with €56,500 for his efforts.

Michel continued to press his advantage and when long-time chip leader Glenn Keogh had exited in 3rd place for €75,000, the Dutchman had a significant chip lead over Tomas MacNamara. But things were getting serious now and MacNamara put up a fight, reclaiming some chips but was not able to close the gap.

In the final hand Molenaar held 32 of spades v MacNamara’s 42 off suit on a 452 flop. Michel had flopped a straight flush draw and the 10 of spades on the river brought proceedings to a close.

As mentioned already, it’s been a remarkable few months for Molenaar, who surely has a glittering poker career ahead of him and we wish him, well, as the Party Poker MILLIONS man of the moment. A very worthy champion who takes the game very seriously, but smiles his way through it much of the time.

Here are the full payouts for the Party Poker MILLIONS Main Event. Congratulations to all who cashed!

Jonathan Raab

Irish Poker Festival Media Coordinator