DUBLIN, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Macau Sporting Club, Cork, has lifted the Best Poker Tournament awardthe Irish Sports Betting Awards for its annual Irish Classic Poker Festivalbeating out stiff competition from the Boylepoker International Poker Open,Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival, and Fitzwilliam Card Club End of Month game.

The awards, hosted at the Burlington hotel, Dublin on Thursday June 18,honoured achievements in the Irish gambling industry and the Irish PokerClassic, now in its seventh year won the top tournament award for last year'srenewal of this popular event which has consistently attracted some ofEurope's top players over much of the last decade.

Last year Rob Taylor topped a record field of 169 which included AnnetteObrestad, Michael Greco, Ian Woodley, Roy Brindley, Marty Smyth, Jeff Duval,Sylvester Geoghegan, and Mick McCloskey, collecting EUR46,000 and the titleof Irish Poker Classic champion. This year over 200 players are expected toattend what has become one of the best poker festivals in Europe.

Ken Corkery, poker room manager at the Macau Sporting Club said, "I wassurprised but absolutely delighted when they read our name out. Thecompetition was strong and a couple of the events have big brands behind thembut we've been plugging away down in Cork for seven years now and I supposewe've gotten a few things right along the way.

"I'd like to thank all the staff at the Macau, without whom we couldn'thave achieved the high standard players' have come to expect, my family forall the support they give me and the club, and all the players who passthrough our doors for helping us achieve the unique atmosphere at the club."

The centerpiece of the 2009 Irish Classic Poker Festival, taking placefrom Aug. 10 to 16, is the EUR100,000 guaranteed EUR1,000 + EUR100 buy-in nolimit hold'em main event taking place over three days from Thursday Aug. 13.The main event has a 15,000 chip starting stack with 75 minute blinds.

Editors

The Irish Classic Poker Festival is held in Macau Sporting Club,Ireland's largest gaming complex situated on the waterfront, a stone's throwfrom Cork city's finest bars and eateries with a state of art hotel andleisure centre right next door and casino's own M Lounge and Mint Restaurant,the casino is Europe's best kept secret.

Special accommodation rates have agreed with nearby hotels The MontenotteHotel, Quality Hotel and Leisure Centre, Gresham Metropole Hotel, and theClairon Hotel.

If you require any further information or photographs please contactbrendan.murray@pokermediaconsulting.com +353-863-057-469 or Ken Corkery atinfo@macausportingclub.com