Out of the original 313 participants in the €10,450 Euro World Series of Poker Europe Main Event in Berlin, only 32 players managed to secure a payout. Regrettably, Niall Farrell did not make the cut, finishing in a disappointing 33rd place after starting Day 3 with a strong chip stack. The payout for 32nd place was €20,000 Euros, surpassing the $15,000 awarded for the lowest payout tier at this year’s WSOP in Las Vegas, while finishing in 33rd was unfortunately a payout of nothing.
Niall Farrell is a seasoned poker professional, boasting over €1.3 million in live tournament earnings throughout his career. Prior to competing in the Main Event, he entered two earlier tournaments in Berlin, finishing 25th in Event #2, Oktoberfest, and 35th in Event #7, Pot-Limit Omaha. His most significant cash win to date was over $366,000, which he earned as the runner-up in a WSOP event in Las Vegas back in 2013, narrowly missing out on a coveted bracelet.
After his tournament exit, Farrell intended to head straight to a local Irish pub to comfort himself with a drink, but we managed to catch him just as he was leaving the Spielbank Casino. He graciously took a moment to chat with us. Despite the disappointment of finishing 33rd, he was surprisingly upbeat, possibly buoyed by the beer we had offered him before the interview.
He shared with us how, as a pro poker player, dealing with the frustration of being eliminated from a tournament is part of the job. Niall mentioned that it's quite evident who the novices are, based on their emotional reactions upon being knocked out.
We talked about how quickly Farrell lost a majority of his chip stack, with a considerable amount going to the current leader of the tournament.
Farrell expressed his delight over the thoughtful gifts provided by 888poker, which included a warm hat perfect for Berlin’s chilly weather, stylish Sony headphones, and a compact chip set for casual games. Not to mention the quirky 888 Bad Beat Can, which contained a bottle of vodka and a shot glass. He graciously accepted the items but requested we hold onto them until the next day, worried that after a few drinks, he might trade them for something ridiculous. He jokingly mentioned uncertainty about how he would make it back to his hotel, fearing he might wake up to find an unexpected dog in his bed!
Next on Farrell's agenda is traveling to Malta for the upcoming European Poker Tour next week. He plans to shop for lighter clothing soon, as the outfits he packed for Berlin are too heavy for Malta's warmer climate, and we concur with him on that.