Donnacha O'Dea
Encyclopedia
Donnacha "The Don" O'Dea (born 30 August 1948) is an Irish
professional poker
player. In his youth he was a swimmer, and represented Ireland in the 1968 Olympics
. He was also the first Irish swimmer to swim 100m in less than one minute. His parents were actors Denis O'Dea
and Siobhán McKenna
.
.
He made the final table of the WSOP Main Event in 1983 when he finished 6th, which was eventually won by McEvoy, and again when he finished 9th in 1991 in the event won by Brad Daugherty
. O'Dea also cashed in the Main Event in 1990 (32nd), 1994 (27th), 1996 (25th), and 2007 (171st).
In 1998, O'Dea won a WSOP bracelet in Pot Limit Omaha with rebuys event, defeating two-time world champion, Johnny Chan
in heads-up play.
Donnacha first appeared in the Late Night Poker
television programme in series 4, finishing 5th in a heat won by Robin Keston. He returned to the show in series 6, winning his heat and going on to finish 4th in the Grand Final.
In 2004, he won the Poker Million
tournament, overcoming Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott
in the eventual heads-up confrontation. The following year, he made the final table again and finished in 5th place.
O'Dea was the first member of the European Poker Players Hall of Fame.
As of 2009, his total live tournament winnings exceed $1,000,000. His 23 cashes as the WSOP account for $471,687 of those winnings.
His son Eoghan O'Dea is also a poker player who competes primarily online under the moniker 'intruder123'. In December 2008 he followed up a $300,000 online win with a 2nd place finish in the Poker Million for $260,000. In 2011 he made a deep run at the Main Event of WSOP 2011
earning his place in The November Nine
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
professional poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player. In his youth he was a swimmer, and represented Ireland in the 1968 Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. He was also the first Irish swimmer to swim 100m in less than one minute. His parents were actors Denis O'Dea
Denis O'Dea
Denis O'Dea was an Irish stage and film actor.O'Dea was a leading member of Dublin's Abbey Theatre, where his work led to a number of notable film roles, including two mid-1930s John Ford films, The Informer and The Plough and the Stars , and the part of the police inspector in pursuit of IRA man...
and Siobhán McKenna
Siobhán McKenna
Siobhán McKenna was an Irish stage and screen actress.-Background:Born Siobhán Giollamhuire Nic Cionnaith in Belfast, Northern Ireland into a Catholic and nationalist family, she grew up in Galway City and in County Monaghan, Ireland speaking fluent Irish...
.
Poker Career
O'Dea came close to winning a WSOP bracelet in 1983 in the $1,000 Limit Hold'em event, finishing runner-up to Tom McEvoyTom McEvoy
Thomas K. McEvoy is a professional poker player and author. He is best known for his win in the 1983 World Series of Poker main event.-Early life:...
.
He made the final table of the WSOP Main Event in 1983 when he finished 6th, which was eventually won by McEvoy, and again when he finished 9th in 1991 in the event won by Brad Daugherty
Brad Daugherty (poker player)
Brad Daugherty is a professional poker player.Daugherty began playing poker in 1969 on a high school trip. Following high school he worked in the construction industry, but after hearing of large prize money for tournament winnings, in 1978 he moved to Reno, Nevada...
. O'Dea also cashed in the Main Event in 1990 (32nd), 1994 (27th), 1996 (25th), and 2007 (171st).
In 1998, O'Dea won a WSOP bracelet in Pot Limit Omaha with rebuys event, defeating two-time world champion, Johnny Chan
Johnny Chan (poker player)
Johnny Chan rather than his Chinese birth name. born in Guangzhou, China in 1957) is a Chinese American professional poker player. He has won 10 World Series of Poker bracelets, including 1987 and 1988 World Series of Poker main events consecutively....
in heads-up play.
Donnacha first appeared in the Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker
Late Night Poker is the pioneering television show that helped pave the way for the explosion of interest in poker in the 2000's. With it's ground breaking use of "under the table" cameras that enabled the viewer to see each player's cards, the show became a cult hit on Channel 4 UK when it first...
television programme in series 4, finishing 5th in a heat won by Robin Keston. He returned to the show in series 6, winning his heat and going on to finish 4th in the Grand Final.
In 2004, he won the Poker Million
Poker Million
The Poker Million has been a televised European poker tournament since its inception in November 2000. The final debuted to 30 million viewers and has since remained popular. It was created by UK gaming outfit Ladbrokes with the help of sports promotion firm Matchroom Sport...
tournament, overcoming Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott
Dave Ulliott
David A. Ulliott , known by the nickname Devilfish, is an English professional gambler and poker player. Formerly, Ulliott was a minor figure in the Hull underworld, but went on to become a World Series of Poker bracelet-winner, and a mainstay of televised poker...
in the eventual heads-up confrontation. The following year, he made the final table again and finished in 5th place.
O'Dea was the first member of the European Poker Players Hall of Fame.
As of 2009, his total live tournament winnings exceed $1,000,000. His 23 cashes as the WSOP account for $471,687 of those winnings.
His son Eoghan O'Dea is also a poker player who competes primarily online under the moniker 'intruder123'. In December 2008 he followed up a $300,000 online win with a 2nd place finish in the Poker Million for $260,000. In 2011 he made a deep run at the Main Event of WSOP 2011
2011 World Series of Poker
The 2011 World Series of Poker was the 42nd annual World Series of Poker . The WSOP is the most prestigious poker tournament in the world with the winner of the Main Event considered to be the World Champion. It was held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada between May...
earning his place in The November Nine
November Nine
The November Nine is the name used to refer to the final nine contestants, or final table, at the Main Event of the World Series of Poker since 2008. The winner of the WSOP Main Event is considered to be the World Champion of Poker....
.