The Festival Weekend Tallinn launched in grand style. Just a month after a successful weekend stop in Vilnius, The Festival moved to the Estonian capital, where Olympic Park Casino hosts a five-day poker extravaganza filled with classic Hold’em, Mystery Bounty action, mixed games, casino tournaments, and a distinct festival vibe.
Tallinn has so far confirmed this recipe for success. The opening day saw impressive numbers, four trophies awarded, and an international field from the very first level. The spotlight shines brightest on the €555 Main Event Mystery Bounty, which is being played in this format for the first time, and after two flights, there are already clear favorites advancing to the final battles.
Main Event Mystery Bounty Starts Strong
The weekend's main attraction is the €555 Main Event Mystery Bounty. The format offers a classic title fight but adds an extra layer with Mystery Bounty prizes that are revealed only after reaching the money stage. The initial flight 1A attracted 50 entries. After more than twelve hours of play, only six advanced, with Australian player Jarrod Coughtrie bagging the largest stack, surpassing one million chips.
The second flight 1B saw an even bigger stack. Lithuanian player Marijus Dirgela bagged 1,080,000, pushing Coughtrie to second place. Fifty-six players entered, with seven moving on to Day 2. A strong stack was also built by Finn Hampus Grönström, who climbed to third in the standings with 955,000.
Current Main Event Chipcount:
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Stack |
| 1. | Marijus Dirgela | Lithuania | 1,080,000 |
| 2. | Jarrod Coughtrie | Australia | 1,001,000 |
| 3. | Hampus Grönström | Finland | 955,000 |
| 4. | Johnny Hofseth | Norway | 575,000 |
| 5. | Markus Vesala | Finland | 415,000 |
| 6. | Kambiz Kashi | Finland | 240,000 |
| 7. | Mati Pirn | Estonia | 220,000 |
| 8. | Vladyslava Shestakova | Ukraine | 182,000 |
| 9. | Maria Ling | Sweden | 157,000 |
| 10. | Jan Karlsson | Sweden | 136,000 |
| 11. | Teppo Osaari | Finland | 127,000 |
| 12. | Anton Komissarov | Estonia | 107,000 |
| 13. | Ville-Matti Keränen | Finland | 96,000 |
Sviten Special Confirms Popularity of Mixed Games
One of the standout stories from the opening day was the €350 Sviten Special. The mixed game discipline, combining elements of PLO and draw poker, attracted 65 entries and was one of the largest opening day fields recorded by The Festival during weekend stops.
Players from several countries competed, and early on, mixed games specialist Siarhei Narozhny seemed headed for the title. However, it was Finn Ville Hakala, a former Player of the Series winner, who emerged victorious. In the heads-up, he defeated Norwegian player Terje Sirnes and took home €6,513 for the win.
Final Table Results for €350 Sviten Special
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Prize |
| 1. | Ville Hakala | Finland | €6,513 |
| 2. | Terje Sirnes | Norway | €4,180 |
| 3. | Raymond Forsland | Norway | €2,780 |
| 4. | Max Lohse | Norway | €1,980 |
| 5. | Alexander Freund | Austria | €1,500 |
| 6. | Olav Loken | Norway | €1,210 |
| 7. | Martin Smith | Malta | €980 |
Andreas “Wiseguy” Hoglund Dominates Blackjack
The Festival wouldn't be what it is without its casino tournaments, and the first day also concluded the action in the €150 Blackjack Tournament. Five players joined the fray, including defending Vilnius champion Mark “Naxer” Keskel and festival photographer Maie “EstonianWeirdo” Toom. However, it was festival moderator and renowned figure in The Festival community, Andreas “Wiseguy” Hoglund, who took home the trophy, earning €618 for his victory.
TORSES Main Event Draws Strong Field
Thursday also marked the start of the €555 Mixed Games Main Event TORSES. This tournament is one of the weekend's main attractions for players who enjoy more than just classic Hold’em, seeking a diverse combination of disciplines. After the first day, 21 players advanced to the next phase, led by Norwegian Kjetil Flaaten with a stack of 168,000. He is followed by the UK’s JJ Hazan with 130,000 and Finn Toomas Mäkikokko with 121,000.
Current Chipcount for €555 TORSES Main Event
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Stack |
| 1. | Kjetil Flaaten | Norway | 168,000 |
| 2. | JJ Hazan | United Kingdom | 130,000 |
| 3. | Toomas Mäkikokko | Finland | 121,000 |
| 4. | Erik Põlluveer | Estonia | 113,000 |
| 5. | Riku Koivurinne | Finland | 102,000 |
| 6. | Henrik Puija | Estonia | 99,000 |
| 7. | Lasse Melby | Norway | 86,500 |
| 8. | Morten Antonsen | Norway | 76,000 |
| 9. | Alexander Freund | Austria | 70,000 |
| 10. | Carlo Braccini | Italy | 68,500 |
| 11. | Pasi Trollhjärta | Sweden | 68,500 |
| 12. | William Mawer | United Kingdom | 66,000 |
| 13. | Mikael Koistinen | Finland | 63,000 |
| 14. | Raimonds Svans | Latvia | 61,000 |
| 15. | Timo Lämsä | Finland | 49,000 |
| 16. | Vijar Tejapaibul | Finland | 47,500 |
| 17. | Jari Mähönen | Finland | 38,000 |
| 18. | Marc Gork | Germany | 37,500 |
| 19. | Olli Muukkonen | Finland | 35,000 |
| 20. | Ilkka Heikkilä | Finland | 31,500 |
| 21. | Mika Hällström | Finland | 24,000 |
“Gambledore” Visits Tallinn: Korzinin Picks the Only Freezeout of the Weekend
The second day brought an unexpected visitor. Estonian businessman and all-time local money list leader Vladimir “Gambledore” Korzinin entered the €200 NLH Freezeout. Korzinin, renowned in the high stakes poker world for his results in the Triton Poker Series, famously won the $150,000 NLH event in Monte Carlo for $4,350,000 and finished second in the $200,000 Triton Invitational for $3,470,000.
In Tallinn, however, his magic didn't work this time. He finished 38th out of an 89-player field, but his presence in the accessible €200 freezeout perfectly illustrated the diverse player makeup The Festival attracts.
The Festival Weekend Tallinn is only halfway through, but after the first two days, it's clear that the term “weekend” doesn’t imply a small or side festival. In the coming days, attention will focus on further Main Event flights, the final phase of the TORSES Main Event, the €1,100 The Festival 10-Game event, Open Face Chinese, NLH PKO with live straddle, and Omaha Jack. Tallinn still holds plenty of room for more great stories.
