Cathal shines at Dublin EDSPC

Cathal Shine emerged victorious in the €500+50 European Deepstack Poker Championship main event at the Regency Hotel in Dublin from 17-23 February, after defeating start-of-the-day chipleader Joost Schippers heads-up and winning €38,375 for his efforts.

Down to three players a deal was struck that also included Jonas van Bogaert from Belgium, with €4,800 and the trophy for the winner left to be played for.

Play was faster and more aggressive after the deal; Dutchman Schippers lost a big pot against van Bogaert and then Shine won a lot of small pots to take the lead. Schippers then doubled up through van Bogaert with A-9 versus K-9 on a 9-7-7 flop and van Bogaert never recovered from that to hit the rail in third place.

Shine had more than a 3:1 chip advantage once heads-up play started and even increased that to an almost unassailable 9:1 by picking his spots carefully and constantly putting pressure on his opponent.
Schippers doubled up once after his A-6 held up against K-9 on a 4-A-K-4-7 board, but he still found himself far behind in chips.

The final hand saw the man from Holland ship all-in with pocket nines and Shine call with fishhooks (JJ). Despite picking up a flush draw on the 2S-7S-AS flop, the KD turn and six on the river offered no rescue for Schippers and he had to settle for second place.