Save The Dates: The 2026 Irish Open Runs March 26 to April 6
Summary
The 46th Irish Open will run at the Royal Dublin Society from 26 March to 6 April 2026. The festival teams up again with PokerStars, Paddy Power Poker and select iPoker operators — a collaboration that helped deliver record entries in 2025.
Headline events include a €1,150 Main Event with a huge €2.5 million guarantee, plus two other events (the Luxon Mystery Bounty and the Mini Irish Open) each guaranteeing at least €1 million. The schedule spans a wide range of buy-ins (€120–€5,000), multiple formats and a 24/7 cash game area with up to 50 tables.
Key Points
- Dates: 26 March–6 April 2026 at the Royal Dublin Society.
- Main Event: €1,150 buy-in with a €2.5 million guarantee; Day 1a starts noon on 29 March, final table on 6 April.
- Two other seven-figure guarantees: the €1,150 Luxon Mystery Bounty and the €250 Mini Irish Open (each guaranteeing €1M+).
- Wide schedule: buy-ins from €120 to €5,000 and formats including NLHE, PLO, 8-Game and special events.
- Cash games: dedicated area with up to 50 tables running around the clock.
- Organisers recommend booking accommodation early; suggested hotels include Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge, Herbert Park Hotel, Intercontinental, and Sandymount Hotel.
Content Summary
Organisers have published the full 2026 schedule. PokerStars’ live-events team remain partners for the fourth consecutive year. The Main Event promises a major prize pool thanks to strong online qualification routes that contributed to a record 4,562 entries in 2025.
The festival blends big guaranteed tournaments with value events and a busy cash-game scene, aiming to build on 2025’s successes and community atmosphere. A PDF of the official schedule is available from the Irish Open site for players planning travel and flights.
Context and Relevance
Live festivals are continuing to grow and push big guarantees again, driven by online qualifiers and strong post-pandemic demand for live play. For players who travel for major events, the Irish Open’s combination of big prize pools, varied formats and social festival elements makes it a must-consider date for 2026.
Booking early is sensible: large fields and nearby hotel demand mean rooms and satellite opportunities can fill quickly.
Author style
Punchy: this is big, bold and unmissable for live-event players. The story tells you everything you need to decide whether to lock in flights, satellites and hotel — read the details if you’re thinking of going.
Why should I read this?
Fancy a proper poker holiday? Save the dates now. The Main Event’s €2.5m guarantee, two other million-euro events and countless cash‑game tables mean this isn’t a run-of-the-mill festival. If you plan to qualify online or travel to Dublin, this summary saves you time and tells you what to book first (flights, hotels, satellites).
Source
Source: PokerNews — Save The Dates: The 2026 Irish Open Runs March 26 to April 6