Ruairi Coy

Ruairi Coy is an Irish amateur poker player from Galway, now residing in Dublin. He is best known for his victory in the 2008 International Poker Open (IPO), where he outlasted a record-breaking field of 1,300 players to claim the top prize of €37,530. Outside of poker, Coy works as a trader at Susquehanna International Group, a global quantitative trading firm.

In October 2008, the Boylepoker.com International Poker Open was held at the Regency Airport Hotel in Dublin. The €150 No-Limit Hold'em tournament attracted 1,300 entrants, setting a new world record for the largest poker field outside the United States. The total prize pool reached €205,000.

Coy, then a Galway-born Dublin resident, navigated the massive field to reach the final table. He eventually defeated Maxene Decorne of France in heads-up play to win €37,530. The tournament finished at 5:30 a.m., and Coy, who had to go to work at the IFSC just two hours later, humorously remarked, "What an incredible event, I just can’t believe I won it. Playing against the likes of legends like Padraig Parkinson and Marty Smyth was a dream come true but to beat 1,300 players is out of this world."

Coy's name is inscribed on the IPO Wall of Fame as the 2008 champion, a list that includes subsequent winners such as Vitalijs Polukejevs (2024) and Steven Rothheut (2023).

According to his LinkedIn profile, Ruairi Coy has been a Trader in Special Situations Equity Trading at Susquehanna International Group (SIG) since May 2007. SIG is a global quantitative trading firm that emphasizes game theory and probabilistic thinking. Prior to SIG, Coy worked as a Trainee Actuary at Milliman from August 2006 to May 2007.

He earned a degree in Actuarial and Financial Studies from University College Dublin, completing his studies in 2006.

Coy is from Galway, Ireland, and currently lives in Dublin. He balances his poker hobby with a career in finance, and his 2008 IPO victory remains his most notable live tournament cash.