Light southwesterly winds

Dublin woke up to glorious sunshine this morning and breakfast brought the late night revellers to their senses. Then lunch came, met by grey cloud and a drop in temperature sending the revellers back to bed again. Still, putting trust in the eager housekeeping services of Dublin’s hotel industry most players seem to be on time for the start of this, the next leg of the PokerStars European Poker Tour.

In true EPT fashion day one will be split over two days, the first flight underway this afternoon before their brothers and sisters in arms try their luck same time same place tomorrow.



And where is that place? Industries Hall, part of the vast Royal Dublin Society (Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Atha Cliath) – 40 acres of exhibition halls, stables, show grounds and a conspicuous stadium towards the back– former home of Shamrock Rovers Football Club who were apparently good and apparently bad during their six season tenure.



Now the RDS is reserved for an eclectic mix of luminaries. Among those who have graced these cobbles over the years range from King George IV (hence the Royal title) back in 1820, to the more modern royals of Bruce Springsteen and Britney Spears.

That’s the history lesson done. It leaves us with crowds of players gathering around the tables as formalities are completed – a mixture of old and new faces adorn Industries Hall, among them Team PokerStars pros Luca Pagano, Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier, Noah Boeken and Dario Minieri.

They seem ready. We should be underway shortly.