2020 Unibet Open Dublin

€1,100 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2020 Unibet Open Dublin

Final Results
Winner
Martin Olali
Winning Hand
jxjx
Prize
€64,110
Event Info
Buy-in
€1,100
Entries
294
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Players Info - Day 3
Entries
12
Players Left
1

€1,100 Main Event

Day 3 Completed

Martin Olali is the 2020 Unibet Open Dublin Main Event Champion (€64,110)

Level 33 : 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Martin Olali, Winner of 2020 Unibet Open Dublin Main Event
Martin Olali, Winner of 2020 Unibet Open Dublin Main Event

After an epic heads up match where Martin Olali was on the ropes for much of the time, he managed to claw back into the lead, and finally take it down over Steven Vollers. Olali survived 294 runners from all three Day 1s, including a 4-hour bubble on Day 2, before spending much of the final table short stacked. He still managed to grind it out and finally took it down with a pair of jacks.

The story of the day was all about Olali. He was short-stacked through much of the final table, and all in for his tournament life more than once against the much bigger stack of Vollers during heads up, but if he didn't have the best of it when the money went in, he got there to survive.

He lasted long enough to get to the stage when they were both short-stacked, and then managed to take it down when his jacks held against the king-eight of Vollers to take down the €64,110 first prize. The victory put Olali over $300K in lifetime earnings, but during the heads up match, he actually said he was more interested in the win and the trophy than the money. He got both, and the smile on his face in the winner's picture says it all.

2020 Unibet Open Dublin Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize (EUR)Prize (~USD)
1Martin OlaliUnited Kingdom€64,110$71,134
2Steven VollersNetherlands€40,020$44,405
3Alex HendriksNetherlands€27,600$30,624
4Samuel BanehamIreland€20,440$22,679
5Weijie ZhengIreland€15,730$17,453
6Espen Uhlen JorstadNorway€12,100$13,426
7Ciaran BurkeIreland€9,680$10,742
8Jamie NixonEngland€7,740$8,586
9Wim Anne WesselinkNetherlands€6,190$6,869
Unibet Open Dublin Final Table
Unibet Open Dublin Final Table

Final Day Action

It was a star-studded affair on Day 3, with twelve players taking their seats at the start of the day. Scottish phenom Niall Farrell came into Day 2 with a very short stack but managed to run it up in typical "Firaldo" fashion to start in the middle of the pack. After Hardcastle was the first to exit on Day 3, Farrell's run also came to an early halt when he got sixes in against the big slick of Jamie Nixon but couldn't hold. The final table was set when Jason Tompkins got his ace-seven in against the eventual runner-up Steven Vollers' ten-nine, but Vollers spiked a nine on the river to eliminate Tompkins.

Alex Hendriks led the final table to start, with Jamie Nixon in second place. Nixon had a harsh run at the final table, ending his day in 8th place for €7,740. Hendriks had a better run, lasting until third place for a score of €27,600. Unibet Ambassador Espen Jorstad made the final table with one of the shorter stacks, but still managed to play that to a 6th place finish for €12,100. Last year’s Irish Poker Open champion Weijie Zheng made it as far as 5th place for a cash of €15,730.

It all came down to an epic heads up battle between Steven Vollers and Martin Olali. Olali came into heads up a huge chip dog, but managed to hold or hit when he had to and survived long enough to find his spot with jacks against the king-nine of Vollers, and Vollers couldn't find enough help to pull it out. Vollers had a deep run at Unibet Open Sinaia last years and also finished sixth in the Unibet Battle of the Champions, but had to settle with €40,020 for second place.

That's a wrap from Unibet Open Dublin for 2020. The next stop for Unibet Open will be Tallinn in May, and qualifiers are already running on Unibet Poker. PokerNews will be there again to bring you the action from the Estonian capital.

Tags: Alex HendriksAndy BlackCedric FrelingCiaran BurkeDavid LappinEspen JorstadJack HardcastleJamie NixonJason TompkinsJohn DwyerJorma VuoksenmaaLudovic GeilichMateusz MoolhuizenMax SilverMonica VakaNiall FarrellSamuel BanehamSteven VollersWeijie ZhengYlva Thorsrud

Steven Vollers Eliminated in 2nd Place (€40,020)

Level 33 : 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Steven Vollers
Steven Vollers

Martin Olali opened to 650,000, and Steven Vollers shoved his big blind. Olali snap-called with jacks and the biggest stack. His jacks were up against {k-Hearts}{8-Clubs} for Vollers.

The board ran out {9-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{10-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{9-Hearts} to give a straight, and the win, to Olali.

Vollers won €40,020 for 2nd place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Martin Olali ie
Martin Olali
8,820,000
4,220,000
4,220,000
Profile photo of Steven Vollers nl
Steven Vollers
Busted

Tags: Martin OlaliSteven Vollers

Level: 33

Blinds: 150,000/300,000

Ante: 300,000

Even Stacks

Level 32 : 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Unibet Open Dublin Heads Up
Unibet Open Dublin Heads Up

The battle has been a long one, and they are back to about even after they've traded pots. Vollers is back in a small lead, but blinds and antes are so big now that both players are very short.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Steven Vollers nl
Steven Vollers
4,600,000
700,000
700,000
Profile photo of Martin Olali ie
Martin Olali
3,500,000
-1,500,000
-1,500,000

Level: 32

Blinds: 125,000/250,000

Ante: 250,000

Olali Doubles Twice in a Row

Level 30 : 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Martin Olali
Martin Olali

In the first hand, Martin Olali opened to 450,000 and Steven Vollers called. The flop came {4-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{5-Spades} and Vollers shoved. Olali called it off with aces against five-deuce. The turn came {2-Spades} to put Vollers ahead for the win, but {3-Diamonds} hit the river to reverse it and give the wheel and double to Olali. The left Vollers with 6.3 million, and Olali with 2.6 million.

In the very next hand, Vollers shoved the button, and Olali called it off. Olali had {a-Spades}{q-Clubs} versus the {8-Spades}{5-Spades} of Vollers. The board ran out {j-Hearts}{5-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{10-Diamonds} to put Olali in the lead again. And they play on.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Martin Olali ie
Martin Olali
5,000,000
1,900,000
1,900,000
Profile photo of Steven Vollers nl
Steven Vollers
3,900,000
-1,900,000
-1,900,000

Level: 30

Blinds: 100,000/150,000

Ante: 150,000

Vollers Retakes the Lead

Level 31 : 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Steven Vollers
Steven Vollers

Steven Vollers jammed the short stack from the button, and Martin Olali called off from the big blind. It was {a-Diamonds}{10-Hearts} for Vollers against {a-Clubs}{8-Diamonds} for Olali.

The flop came all diamonds {k-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}{j-Diamonds} giving Vollers a massive lead. The {a-Hearts} turn didn't change much, and the {5-Hearts} gave Vollers the double up and the chip lead again.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Steven Vollers nl
Steven Vollers
5,800,000
2,700,000
2,700,000
Profile photo of Martin Olali ie
Martin Olali
3,100,000
-2,600,000
-2,600,000

Tags: Martin OlaliSteven Vollers