Irish Open Final Table: How a 5-Way Deal Changed Everything

The 2026 Irish Poker Open Main Event concluded with Romania’s Narcis Nedelcu claiming the title and €336,798 after five finalists struck an ICM deal that guaranteed each player over €250,000. The unprecedented agreement reshaped the final table dynamics entirely, turning what should have been a cautious bubble into an aggressive shootout for glory.

What Happened

The Irish Poker Open has become one of Europe’s most prestigious tournament series, and this year’s Main Event smashed records once again. With 5,003 entries generating a prize pool exceeding €4.8 million, the €1,150 buy-in tournament created a massive opportunity for players across the continent.

When play reached the final five, something remarkable occurred. Rather than grinding through traditional pay jumps, the remaining competitors—Narcis Nedelcu, Danilo Donnini, Vasyl Palandiuk, Daryl McAleenan, and Oliver Gayko—paused the action after their dinner break to discuss numbers.

Tournament officials facilitated the negotiation, presenting ICM calculations to each player. The math was compelling: fifth place originally paid €136,650, but the deal guaranteed everyone at least €250,000. Within minutes, all five players agreed, shaking hands as the crowd watched this unusual final table arrangement unfold.

Oliver Gayko held the chip lead when the deal was struck, but poker’s variance had other plans. Nedelcu orchestrated a massive three-way all-in that eliminated both Gayko and McAleenan simultaneously, vaulting him into a commanding position.

McAleenan pushed from the cutoff holding pocket sixes, and Gayko called from the small blind with ace-queen suited. Nedelcu found pocket queens in the big blind and called both players, covering their stacks. The board ran clean for the Romanian’s overpair, and suddenly he controlled nearly all the chips in play.

After doubling up Donnini once, Nedelcu eliminated Palandiuk when his ace-king held against ace-jack. Heads-up play was brief—Nedelcu’s pocket tens defeated Donnini’s ace-nine to secure the championship.

The Poker Strategy Breakdown

The critical hand that defined this tournament showcases textbook big blind defense in an ICM-altered environment. When McAleenan moved all-in from the cutoff with pocket sixes, he was making a standard short-stack shove with a premium pair. Gayko’s call with ace-queen suited from the small blind represents solid equity against that range.

But Nedelcu’s decision to overcall with pocket queens from the big blind is where tournament expertise shines. In a traditional ICM environment without a deal, this spot demands extreme caution. Calling off a significant portion of your stack with two players already committed creates massive variance and risk.

However, the five-way deal fundamentally changed the calculus. With financial pressure removed and only trophy equity remaining, Nedelcu could make the mathematically correct play without worrying about pay jump implications. His queens were crushing both ranges, giving him roughly 60% equity in a three-way pot.

This hand illustrates why deal-making can actually improve play quality. Without the deal, Nedelcu might have folded queens here to avoid variance, allowing two opponents to battle while he preserved chips. That’s the “correct” ICM decision when €150,000 pay jumps are at stake. But it’s not the best poker decision when you’re holding a premium hand against two all-in players.

The post-deal environment enabled Nedelcu to play his actual cards rather than his stack size, transforming the final table from a cautious affair into genuine poker competition.

Reading The Field & Table Dynamics

The decision to make a five-way deal reveals sophisticated tournament awareness from all players involved. Several factors created the perfect conditions for this agreement.

First, the chip stacks were relatively balanced. When one player holds 80% of chips in play, deals rarely happen—the big stack has no incentive to negotiate. But with five players clustered in chip counts, everyone faced significant variance risk. One bad beat could send the chip leader to the rail in fifth place, missing out on hundreds of thousands of euros.

Second, the blind levels had reached a critical point where skill edge diminishes. When effective stacks drop below 20 big blinds across the board, poker becomes increasingly dependent on card distribution rather than post-flop maneuvering. Experienced players recognize these spots and understand that locking in value makes sense.

Third, the original fifth-place prize of €136,650 compared to the first-place prize of €336,798 created a massive gap. This pay structure incentivizes extreme ICM pressure, often resulting in boring, fold-heavy poker. The players recognized this dynamic and chose to redistribute the money more equitably while still competing for meaningful first-place money and the trophy.

Commentary from Nick Walsh calling the deal “unprecedented” highlights how unusual this situation was. Five-way chops are rare because getting five players to agree on anything is challenging. The fact that this deal came together quickly suggests all five finalists had similar tournament experience and understood the strategic value of removing ICM pressure.

How To Apply This To Your Game

Most recreational players will never face a five-way deal at a major championship final table, but the strategic principles here apply to tournaments at every level.

Understanding when to discuss deals is crucial. If you’re at a final table with relatively even stacks and steep pay jumps, proposing a deal isn’t weakness—it’s smart bankroll management. Many players leave significant money on the table by refusing to negotiate, either from pride or lack of understanding about ICM mathematics.

Learn basic ICM concepts even if you don’t run calculations at the table. When pay jumps are significant, you should be folding hands that would be clear calls in a cash game. Pocket jacks might be an easy call against a shove in a cash game, but at a final table with €100,000 pay jumps at stake, folding becomes correct surprisingly often.

However, recognize when ICM pressure is removed. Once a deal is struck, you can return to fundamental poker strategy. This is why Nedelcu’s three-way call with queens was brilliant—he understood the deal changed everything and allowed him to make the mathematically superior play without career-altering financial risk.

In your local tournaments, practice adjusting your ranges based on stack sizes and payout structures. When you’re short-stacked near the money bubble, tighten up significantly. When you’ve already locked in a payout or made a deal, you can open up and play more aggressively with premium holdings.

Finally, don’t be afraid to initiate deal discussions when appropriate. Tournament directors facilitate these conversations regularly. If you’re at a final table and believe a deal makes sense, simply ask the floor staff about the process. You might be surprised how often other players are thinking the same thing.

Key Takeaways

• The five-way ICM deal at the Irish Open guaranteed each finalist over €250,000, nearly double the original fifth-place prize, while maintaining competition for the title and additional €70,227
• Deal-making can improve play quality by removing extreme ICM pressure, allowing players to make mathematically correct decisions rather than risk-averse folds
• Nedelcu’s three-way all-in call with pocket queens exemplifies how post-deal dynamics enable aggressive, +EV plays that would be too risky under normal ICM conditions
• Balanced chip stacks, high blind levels, and steep pay structures create ideal conditions for final table deal negotiations
• Understanding when ICM pressure applies versus when it’s removed is essential for making optimal tournament decisions
• The 5,003-entry field at the Irish Open demonstrates the continued growth of European poker tournaments and the massive prize pools available at mid-stakes buy-ins

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ICM deal in poker tournaments?

An ICM (Independent Chip Model) deal uses mathematical calculations to determine each player’s equity in the remaining prize pool based on their chip stack. Unlike a chip chop that simply divides money proportionally to chips, ICM accounts for the fact that chips become less valuable as you accumulate more of them, and losing chips hurts more than gaining the same amount helps. This creates a more equitable distribution that reflects each player’s true tournament equity.

Why would a chip leader agree to a deal?

Even chip leaders face significant variance in tournament poker, especially with short stacks and high blinds. A chip leader with 40% of chips in play doesn’t have 40% equity in first place—they might only have 25-30% chance of winning due to variance. Deals allow chip leaders to lock in value above their guaranteed prize while still competing for the title. In this Irish Open final, even Oliver Gayko with the chip lead secured €285,379 and still had a chance to win the trophy.

How does deal-making change final table strategy?

Once a deal is struck, ICM pressure largely disappears, allowing players to make more aggressive, mathematically optimal plays. Without a deal, players often fold premium hands to avoid elimination and preserve pay jumps. After a deal, you can call with strong hands, apply pressure with wider ranges, and generally play better poker because the financial consequences of elimination are reduced. This often leads to faster, more action-packed final tables.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 Irish Poker Open Main Event final table demonstrates how modern tournament poker has evolved beyond simple winner-take-all competition. The five-way deal didn’t diminish the achievement or the competition—it enhanced both by allowing players to secure life-changing money while still battling for prestigious title and trophy.

Narcis Nedelcu’s victory adds another significant score to his already impressive resume, pushing his career earnings past €2.3 million. His ability to navigate the post-deal dynamics, particularly that crucial three-way all-in with pocket queens, shows why he’s become one of Europe’s most consistent tournament performers. The willingness to call two all-ins when the math supported it, rather than playing scared poker, separated him from his opponents.

For players at every level, this final table offers valuable lessons about deal-making, ICM understanding, and adjusting strategy based on tournament dynamics. Whether you’re playing a €1,150 buy-in with thousands of entries or a local €100 tournament, the principles remain the same: understand your equity, recognize when deals make sense, and adjust your play accordingly when the financial pressure changes.