2020 Irish Open Online

Portuguese bracelet-winner Joao Vieira was the big winner on the third day of the Irish Open Online on partypoker, winning over €70,000 after winning Event #8: €2,100 High Roller.

He topped a 154-player field, defeating the UK's Simon Higgins heads-up to secure the title in just under nine hours.

Irish Open Online Event #8 Final Table Results

Final Table Action

Simon Higgins (pictured) came into the final table as the overwhelming chip leader, with more than double the chip stack of second-place Simon Mattsson. However, it was the Swede who would bust first.

Higgins opened and Mattsson three-bet out of the small blind. Higgins four-bet jammed and Mattsson snap-called with pocket jacks. The Brit had ace-five off but spiked an ace on the flop to send Mattsson to the rail to set with over 130 big blinds seven-handed.

Joao Vieira would close the gap soon thereafter, moving above a million in chips himself, before Higgins eliminated Juha Helppi and Guntis Aleskins in quick succession to reassert himself at the top of the chip counts.

However, a double elimination from Vieira would see him battle back into contention. He held ace-king against the king-three of Elliot Smith and the queens of Wilhelm Isaak. Vieira rivered a flush to send both opponents to the rail and bring the tournament to three-handed.

There was still another hour's worth of action left, but the majority of that would be heads-up after Higgins got rid of Aaron Vanblarcum in third place to hold a 3.3m to 1.2m chip lead.

The crucial hand came when Vieira made the nut flush on a river that paired the board. Higgins bet, Vieira raised and Higgins re-raised putting Vieira all in. Vieira took his time before calling, and suddenly the stacks at the beginning of heads-up were flipped around.

Simon Higgins: slowroll
Joao Vieira: was honestly scared about full house

And although the stacks did level out somewhat, Vieira opened up a chip lead once more and you felt it was only a matter of time before Vieira clinched victory, which he did, taking down the High Roller and over €70,000 for his efforts.

2020 Irish Open Online Schedule

The Irish Open continues today with the second flight of the €1,100 Irish Open Online Main Event as well as PLO Deepstack kicking off at 8pm (BST)