Few people have had as profound an impact on the grassroots Irish poker scene as Fintan Gavin. A longtime player, tournament organizer, and industry veteran, Gavin has helped shape the landscape of live poker in Ireland. As the founder of the Irish Poker Tour, he has spearheaded a movement that brings professionally run, low buy-in tournaments with big guarantees to players across the country. In this exclusive interview, he shares his journey, from learning poker as a child to creating one of Ireland’s most successful poker tours.
Fintan Gavin’s Early Poker Beginnings
Can you share a bit about your background and how you first got into poker?
I started playing when I was 10 years old. I remember sitting at the kitchen table with my older brother. He brought a bunch of his friends in from the street and hustled them playing 5-Card Draw and 7-Card Stud. I actually remember pulling a bluff on my older brother, and that was the moment I fell in love with poker.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, I discovered Late Night Poker on Channel 4. That was my first exposure to Texas Hold’em. I was absolutely glued to it. It wasn’t the money that attracted me; I don’t even remember what stakes they were playing for. It was the psychology of it and the personalities, players like Padraig Parkinson and Liam Flood.
What had you been doing before poker became your career, and how did you transition into the industry?
I ran a few small retail businesses and owned a transport company with cars and buses on the road. That was my livelihood until 2003 when poker started taking over. Initially, I was juggling my businesses, playing poker, and running live tournaments, but that wasn’t sustainable. Eventually, I went all-in on organizing live events.
After a few years, PokerStars noticed my work and brought me on to help develop and run the UKIPT from 2010-2012. That led to a poker commentary career, including a four-year stint with King’s Casino in Rozvadov. Then, just before COVID, I decided to focus on running my own live events, which ultimately led to the creation of the Irish Poker Tour.
The Evolution of the Irish Poker Scene
What was the poker scene like in Ireland back then, when Hold’em was first growing in popularity?
I started playing online in 2000, playing Limit Hold’em for play money. I didn’t even realize live poker tournaments existed in Ireland. One night, while playing online at Pokerroom.com, an Irish player in the chat mentioned tournaments at the Fitzwilliam Casino in Dublin.
I was skeptical. My parents had always warned me against casinos, so I called them up to ask how it all worked. I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be taken advantage of. Eventually, I visited and instantly fell in love with tournament poker.
Fintan’s Passion for Poker, On and Off the Felt
According to HendonMob, you’ve got $1.8 million in lifetime tournament earnings, with your biggest score being a runner-up finish at the 2008 EPT Barcelona Main Event for over $1.1 million. What have your poker goals been over the years?
My goals have changed with time. Early on, I wanted to play as much as possible. Now, with a busy family and work life, I only play a few tournaments a year for fun. Since 2016, I’ve developed a love for PLO cash games, so I occasionally play low-stakes PLO, but nothing serious.
Well needed that there trophy! @PokerStarsLIVE pic.twitter.com/TUyuEzsos2
— Fintan Gavin (@fintangavin) November 27, 2017
You still love playing, but you’ve chosen to focus on the industry side of poker. Why?
I’ve always been a natural organizer. I love live events and big projects, so running poker tournaments is a perfect fit for me. Just before COVID, I stopped drinking and renewed my passion for live event organization. When the pandemic ended, we hit the ground running with the Irish Poker Tour, which has now become my full-time job.
You say you stopped drinking. Are you OK speaking about that for a bit?
I had been drinking way too much. It was an ongoing problem that drained me of my energy, caused me to lose focus, and impaired my decision-making abilities. Even when I wasn’t drinking, I wasn’t functioning optimally because I was nursing a sore head. I made so many bad financial decisions and absolutely ended up flat broke. So, yeah, in 2020, I completely quit drinking, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.
Launching the Irish Poker Tour
What inspired you to start the Irish Poker Tour?
During the pandemic, with no commentary gigs and live poker shut down, I started hosting small private poker events at my house. I turned my space into a proper poker venue with tables, a bar, and a chef. It was invite-only, and to this day, players tell me those were some of the best games they’ve ever played.
That experience, combined with my years running the UKIPT, gave me the confidence to launch the Irish Poker Tour on a larger scale once live poker returned.
What challenges did you face in getting the tour off the ground?
The biggest challenges were staffing and securing venues. Unlike other places, Irish law allows poker tournaments to be held almost anywhere, not just in casinos. That gave us flexibility but also made finding large enough venues difficult.
I knew I needed a team and a sponsor. PaddyPower stepped up in a big way to support our grassroots vision. I also built a great team, including:
- Director of Live Poker Operations: Donal MacAonghusa
- Head Tournament Director: Ramona Bruza
- Registration Desk: Dzjulieta Bruza
- Head of Media, Brand, and Marketing: Natalie Besate
- Event Director: Susie Terrell
So, we have five full-time staff and additional freelancers for each stop, along with contractors who help us with transporting the equipment, providing event services, etc.
Building a Premier Poker Tour
How has the Irish Poker Tour evolved, and what milestones are you most proud of?
We launched in October 2021, and from day one, we’ve had massive turnouts. One milestone I’m particularly proud of was running a €50 rebuy tournament with a €50,000 guarantee and hitting it with just two Day 1 flights. We later did a €100 buy-in with a €100,000 guarantee and smashed it, generating a €140K prize pool.
One of our biggest events was last year’s Irish Poker Festival, featuring a €3K buy-in with a €700,000 guarantee, which we also hit. But no matter the buy-in, our focus and modus operandi remains the same: giving players a top-tier tournament experience with professional dealers, transparent prize pools, and top-notch organization.
— Fintan Gavin (@fintangavin) July 24, 2024
How do you balance the risks of offering big guarantees?
For smaller buy-ins, the risk is manageable, but for high guarantees, there’s always a gamble. Like the €700K GTD event, you could miss that by €100K and that could really get an organization into trouble.
We analyze data carefully before setting a guarantee. We’ve learned a lot over the years, fine-tuning our process to minimize risk while keeping guarantees attractive for players.
What kind of players does the tour aim to attract?
We cater to everyday players. Our model is “low buy-in, professionally run, big guarantees, and we bring the events to the players.” Most of our players aren’t pros, and we design our events to be accessible and fun.
Frankly speaking, the rake we take – percentage-wise – tends to be on the larger side, simply because the buy-ins are so low. We could potentially have a €125 + €25 event, for example. It’s usually the seasoned grinders and pros who would comment on those fees, while 99% of our players never say a word. And even that 1%, they’d still come to our events because they know that the fields are softer, by and large.
At the end of the day, we want to produce top-of-the-line events and we have to be a viable business. We’re not looking to rip anyone off, but we do have to charge.
Looking Ahead
I’ve made the mistake of confusing the Irish Poker Tour with the Irish (Poker) Open in the past and I’m sure I’m not the only one. For “outsiders” like me, what would you say are the main differences between the two?
The Irish Open is a prestigious annual event in Dublin taking place around Easter each year and attracting players from around the world. It’s the longest-running poker series outside of the WSOP. It has been running for 50 years, since the 1970s. It runs for about 10 days and it’s Ireland’s biggest poker event by far. It’s a GPI Award-winning standalone event, which is totally deserved
The Irish Poker Tour, on the other hand, is a year-round tour with stops all over Ireland and beyond, offering more affordable buy-ins and a grassroots feel.
The Irish Poker Tour Monster Series is coming up from April 30 to May 5. What can players expect?
Our Main Event will be a €150 buy-in with a €150,000 guarantee. The idea is not just that the buy-in should be low, but rather that it should present the winner with a life-changing moment, given the amount of money they could win. Taking home a €50,000 first prize could potentially have a massive impact.
We’re also kicking things off with a €150 buy-in, €40K GTD Mystery Bounty event in partnership with the French poker community “Holigames.” Generally speaking, we focus on variety, ensuring players have plenty of side events and action throughout the series.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of running the Irish Poker Tour?
Being able to make a living doing something I love while creating opportunities for others is incredibly fulfilling.
Where do you see the Irish Poker Tour in 5-10 years?
I’d like to keep doing what we’re doing, possibly expanding to a few more international locations. But the heart of our tour will always be in Ireland, bringing great poker to players where they are.
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