A few weeks ago, Sean Lannon uploaded a video on X to a contest run by PokerOrg. He won, and today he sat down to claim the headline part of his Emerald Pass — a seat in the €1,150 Main Event.
"I wanted to come to this tournament, but I somehow missed my chance to qualify online," said Lannon. "So, when I saw this opportunity with PokerOrg, I said, I'm going to get this done."
This was his winning video.
Avoiding the pubs didn't happen
A key part of his strategy was avoiding the pubs and focusing on the task at hand. As anyone who's attended the Irish Poker Open can tell you, that's easier said than done.
"I have not avoided the pubs," he laughed, "thanks to some people. I've had a few friends come visit and I got to hang out with Boston Rob the other night at dinner. I also met some wonderful people from PokerStars; it's just been a lot of fun."
That fun has included visits to the infamous Craic Den ‘most nights.'
Off to a good start
The great thing about the Irish Poker Open is that you can enjoy your time off the tables and then get your head down for some serious play when it's your time.
For Lannon, that was Day 1D — the last of the opening flights for the Main Event — and he's hoping that his journey continues through Day 2 on Saturday, Day 3 on Sunday and right through to the final table, which will be livestreamed on Monday.
We caught up with Lannon a few levels into Day 1D on Friday
"I started off with a couple of big hands," Lannon said. "My starting stack of 50k is now up to 75k, so that's not so bad for the first [three] levels."
He's in good company as well, with Barny Boatman, Sam Grafton and reigning Irish Poker Open champ Tero Laurila battling with him in the trenches today.
The good start — boosted by reports of ‘some boats’ and a couple of sets — seems to have woken the beast in Lannon.
"Usually I wake up in the morning and piss excellence," said Lannon. "No one can hang with my shoves. I'm just a big, hairy, Canadian winning machine. If you're not first, you're last."
Will he come first or ‘last’? We’ll be tracking his run — and rooting for the epic ending this story deserves.
Either way, he's already had a blast. As with many people who experience the Irish Poker Open, Lannon has been bitten by the bug. "It's such a fun atmosphere and a fun tournament," he said. "I've been to a lot of tournaments around the world and this is the best."
