The popular themed Voodoo Festival was once again a staple on the tournament schedule at the Olympic Voodoo Casino this spring, and players certainly got their fill. The highlight of the event was traditionally the €1,100 Main Event, drawing 158 entries and amassing a prize pool of €150,100.
From start to finish, the tournament was dominated by one name—Lithuanian player Justas Vaiciulionis, who quickly climbed to the top as the chipleader on Day 1A and maintained his lead into Day 2. Heading into the 13-player final, he held the best position and was rightfully seen as the frontrunner for the title and €34,950 prize.
A Tale of Two Stories
However, the final day wasn't a straightforward ride to victory. The field thinned quickly, the dynamics at the table changed, and soon Albert Ostrovskij took the lead, crafting a remarkable story. Starting the final as a short stack with just 10bb, Ostrovskij quickly reversed his fortunes and battled his way into heads-up against the aforementioned Vaiciulionis.
Kesleris entered the heads-up with a 3:1 lead and at one point held nearly a 6:1 advantage. The four-hour duel seemed all but decided, yet Vaiciulionis refused to surrender. He first survived critical all-ins, then clawed back through smaller pots, eventually capturing the key hand with a runner-runner nut flush.
The final hand unfolded like a cinematic script. Vaiciulionis pushed all-in from the button with K c 9 s, while Kesleris called with A s 5 d. After the flop of J h 6 c 6 d, Kesleris was still ahead. But the turn 9 c shifted the lead to the Lithuanian, and the river 9 d sealed his comeback. Kesleris thus finished second with a reward of €23,260, while Vaiciulionis celebrated a remarkable victory, one that was much harder earned than the final result suggests.
After his victory, Vaiciulionis confessed that when he was on the brink of elimination during the heads-up, he had little expectation. Riga saw not only another festival triumph but also the story of a player who was strong from start to finish, but showed his decisive moment only when the tournament seemed to turn against him.
Final table results:
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Justas Vaiciulionis | Lithuania | €34,950 |
| 2 | Arturas Kesleris | Lithuania | €23,260 |
| 3 | Nikita Zarovs | Latvia | €16,810 |
| 4 | Kaspars Butans | Latvia | €13,090 |
| 5 | Ville Keranen | Finland | €10,160 |
| 6 | Albert Ostrovskij | Lithuania | €7,910 |
| 7 | Roberts Krigers | Latvia | €6,160 |
| 8 | Pavels Spirins | Latvia | €4,980 |
| 9 | Viktors Caikins | Latvia | €4,010 |
