2022 Kings of Tallinn – Day 1

Finland’s Jarmo Salonen bagged the Day 1a chip lead after eight blind levels of one hour each in the Kings of Tallinn €1,100 Main Event at Olympic Park Casino and the Hilton Tallinn Park.

Salonen managed to parlay his stack of 30,000 chips nearly seven-fold into 208,000 in chips. Meanwhile, Estonian regular Igor Pihela Jr., who recently notched his biggest result with a runner-up performance in the Tallinn Summer Showdown Main Event for €42,300 is off to a hot start as well and bagged the second biggest stack of 201,100.

Bartosz Mielczarek (156,900), Julian Herold (147,000), and Jari Mähönen (144,400) also bagged top five stacks on Day 1a.

Day 1a attracted a banner field of 249 entrants already getting into the action with 121 players bagging stacks into tomorrow’s Day 2 kicking off at noon.

Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts

The second and final opening flight kicked off as a turbo-affair at 8 p.m. with 30-minute blind levels instead of one hour. At the time of this recap, there were 42 entries with 39 players remaining. Players not only can continue to re-enter the entirety of Day 1b but also during the first blind level (Level 9) of Day 2. Shortly after the conclusion of Level 9, the total number of entrants, the prize pool, and the final payouts will be announced.

Blinds will start at 500/1,000 with a big blind ante of 1,000 to start Day 2. Stay tuned to our coverage of the Tallinn Summer Showdown Main Event at Olympic Park Casino.

*_{Photos courtesy of Kings of Tallinn photographer Elena Kask}

Day 1a attracted a total of 249 entries with 121 players bagging chips after eight blind levels. Here is a look at the chip counts of the surviving Day 1a players.

The clock is stopped with 13:13 left on the clock. The floor drew a card that determined that each table will play five more hands before bagging chips for the evening.

Level 8: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 124/249

Andrii Skryp just won a battle of the short stacks against Slav Podolsky. Podolsky jammed for about 13,000 from early position. Skryp came in for a little bit more from the small blind and the cards were turned over after the player in the big blind folded.

Slav Podolsky: Q J
Andrii Skryp: A K

Skryp won the battle after the 4 10 K J K board gave him the better hand with trip kings and was back at around a starting stack after the hand.

Andrii Skryp – 30,000
Slav Podolsky – 0

Level 8: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 129/247

Paulius Kostickis three-bet jammed with A J and was called by Ilya Nikiforov with A Q . Kostickas was unable to get ahead nor earn a chop after the K 10 9 10 7 ran out on the board and won’t find a bag on Day 1a unless he re-enters with 30 minutes left on the clock. If not, there are still two other options with late registration open throughout tonight’s turbo Day 1b and for the first two blind levels during tomorrow’s Day 2.

Ilya Nikiforov – 70,000
Paulius Kostickis – 0

The second and final opening flight for the Main Event has kicked off while the final level of Day 1a is taking place. The field thus far has attracted 15 players including OlyBet qualifier and poker streamer Mairo Toom.

Level 7: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 140/245

Igor Pihela Sr. plays almost every major Main Event in Tallinn. His biggest success came at the last big international festival here when he took runner-up in the Tallinn Summer Showdown Main Event for €42,300.

Things have been looking bright and rosy for Pihela Sr. on Day 1a and they just became rosier after he got paid off by Linda Nguyen.

Pihela Sr. bet 10,000 into a pot of around 30,000 with the 10 A 6 2 8 on the board and Nguyen tanked for a couple of minutes before she called. Nguyen looked ready to muck her hand and eventually did after Pihela Sr. tabled A 8 for two pair.

Igor Pihela Sr. – 160,000
Linda Nguyen – 55,000

Level 7: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 145/245

Linda Nguyen checked after the turn with the 6 Q 8 10 on the board. Kristian Aitio bet 5,100 into a pot of around 20,000. Nguyen raised to 25,000 with just a few chips behind and Aitio called off for slightly less.

The dealer looked at Nguyen as the cards began to flip over before she said, “Yeah, I’m in.”

Kristian Aitio: A Q
Linda Nguyen: 9 7

Aitio had top pair but was drawing dead and got out of his seat after he saw the cards. The inconsequential J river completed the board and shortly after, the dealer awarded Nguyen the pot.

Linda Nguyen – 75,000
Kristian Aitio – 0

Level 7: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 146/244

We walked by Table 4 just as players were turning over their cards on the river with the K 3 Q 2 Q on the board. Joel Holmberg had all his chips committed with a full house after tabling 3 3 . Unfortunately for Holmberg, this wasn’t good enough and he was out of chips after James Noonan tabled K Q for a better full house.

James Noonan – 140,000
Joel Holmberg – 0

Level 7: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 151/241

Osku Karttunen four-bet jammed for 18,600. Veli-Pekka Alakorva folded before Roope Tarmi, who three-bet to 4,500, called.

Osku Karttunen: 9 9
Roope Tarmi: A 10

Alakorva claimed he folded sevens but some at the table were skeptical of that after the A 7 2 7 2 board would have given him quads. Meanwhile, Tarmi connected with his ace to win a flip against Karttunen to win the pot and send his opponent to the rail.

Roope Tarmi – 60,000
Osku Karttunen – 0

Players are on their final break of Day 1a. Blinds will be up to 300/600 with a big blind ante of 600 when the action resumes.

Level 6: 200/500 (500)
Entries: 157/237

Alekss Ziemelis bet 11,000 into a pot of a bit more with the Q A 8 9 9 on the board and was called by Kristian Aitio.

Aitio mucked his hand after Ziemelis showed A Q for top two pair.

Alekks Ziemelis – 50,000
Kristian Aito – 35,000

Level 6: 200/500 (500)
Entries: 160/217

Level 5: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 164/217

A huge cooler just took place at the T.V. table. Sebastian Wahl four-bet jammed for 40,100 before Pekka Ikonen called off for 25,100.

Pekka Ikonen: K K
Sebastian Wahl: A A

Ikonen hit a Wahl wall with his cowboys running into rockets and subsequently hit the rail after not improving on the 3 2 tc]Q 5 runout.

Sebastian Wahl – 66,700
Pekka Ikonen – 0

Level 5: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 164/210

Jami Ahtola checked with about 15,000 in the pot and the 8 10 4 5 on the board. Adam Kharman jammed for about 27,000 before Tero Laurila came over the top for about 37,000.

The action paused on Madis Ormisson. “I have to call,” Ormisson said a minute later before calling off for 16,000.

Ahtola opted to fold and the trio of players turned over their cards.

Madis Ormisson: 5 4
Adam Kharman: K 3
Tero Laurila: K K

Ormisson’s two-pair held after the blank 2 completed the board on the river to more than triple his stack. Meanwhile, Kharman was on the rail after losing both the main and side pots.

Madis Ormisson – 63,000
Tero Laurila – 20,000
Adam Kharman – 0

Level 5: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 165/206

Kristian Kostiander opened for 1,000 from under the gun and was called by Henri Schalin from middle position. Kalle Kulju three-bet jammed for about 10,400, Kostiander came over the top for more than a starting stack and Schalin called off his stack for a little less putting two players at risk.

Kalle Kulju: A 2
Henri Schalin: A Q
Kristian Kostiander: A Q

Both Schalin and Kostiander witnessed their queens connect on the 4 Q 6 flop. Kulju asked for a diamond after the 2 turn as this would save him with a flush on the board leading to a three-way chop with none of the trio holding any diamonds.

No diamond came. Instead, it was the 3 on the river and Schalin and Kostiander chopped up Kulju’s stack.

Kristian Kostiander – 45,000
Henri Schalin – 40,000
Kalle Kulju – 0

Players are on their second break of the Main Event. Blinds will increase to 200/400 with a big blind ante of 400 after the action resumes.

Here is a look at the first batch of Main Event photos by Kings of Tallinn photographer Elena Kask.

Level 4: 100/300 (300)
Entries: 157/188

Niklas Vakkuri opened for 700 from middle position before he called a three-bet to 3,500 by Sandris Mukans. Vakkuri check-called a bet of 3,200 on the 2 5 6 before both players checked on the 3 turn.

Vakkuri led out for a tiny bet of 900 on the 9 river. Mukans snap-called. Vakkuri turned over 7 7 . This wasn’t the winning hand as the pot was awarded to Mukans who tabled A A .

Sandris Mukans – 40,000
Niklas Vakkuri – 19,000

Level 4: 100/300 (300)
Entries: 159/179

Earlier this week, Jussi Mattila won the Kings of Tallinn €150 Celebrity Event for €7,235 and is off to a hot start today as well in Day 1a of the Main Event.

Mattila was witnessed with a stack of around 70,000 and shared with PokerListings how he got most of his newly found chips.

A player opened from the cutoff for 800 before Mattila, who said he already showed a few bluffs, three-bet to 3,000 from the small blind. Mattila’s opponent called and the duo got it in on a seven-seven-jack flop.

Mattila’s opponent had a decent hand with ace-jack but was drawing thin for his tournament life after Mattila turned over queens. Bricks came on the turn and river for Mattila’s opponent and he was on the rail with Mattila now in possession of his chips.

Level 4: 100/300 (300)
Entries: 153/173

Jari-Pekka Juhola got his entire stack of more than 20,000 in chips in the middle and was at risk against Braz Borges Fagundes Junior.

Jari-Pekka Juhola: A A
Braz Borges Fagundes Junior: K K

Juhola was a strong favorite to win the hand. But four hearts came on the 3 Q 3 9 Q board to give Fagundes a flush and send Juhola, at least for now, to the rail on a bad beat.

Braz Borges Fagundes Junior – 55,000
Jari-Pekka Juhola – 0

Level 3: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 155/171

Jami Ahtola bet 7,000 into a spread pot of more than double that amount with the K 2 7 8 6 on the board after Romans Krasins checked. Krasins called and mucked his hand after Ahtola showed A K for top pair and top kicker.

Jami Ahtola – 50,000
Romans Krasins – 25,000

Level 3: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 149/161

Braz Borges Fagundes Junior checked with the 4 2 J 8 on the board on the turn before Mart Rinken bet 5,600 into a pot of around 12,000. Fagundes Junior paused for a few moments before he called.

Both players checked after the 3 river completed the board. Fagundes Junior turned over 8 8 for a turned set of snowmen and won the hand after Rinken mucked his cards.

“Nice turn, nice turn,” Rinken said moments after the hand.

Braz Borges Fagundes Junior – 55,000
Mart Rinken – 22,000

Level 3: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 149/159

Martin Korman opened for 500 from the button. Henri Wagner three-bet to 1,800 from the small blind. Sandris Mukans cold-called from the big blind and Korman called as well.

Wagner continued for 1,600 after the A 6 8 came on the flop and both Mukans and Wagner called. Wagner and Mukans both checked the 10 turn. Korman bet 6,100. Wagner folded before Mukans jammed for about 9,000. Korman made the snap-call and the cards were turned over with Mukans at risk.

Sandris Mukans: A K
Martin Korman: A 2

Mukans was ahead and faded his opponent’s three-outer to double his stack through Korman after the Q completed the board on the river.

Sandris Mukans – 30,000
Henri Wagner – 26,000
Martin Korman – 20,000

Level 3: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 142/152

Veli-Pekka Alakorva used to be a regular at events in Tallinn but hasn’t been seen since the pandemic by this reporter until now.

Alakorva is known to be very emotional and loud but is also friendly with others at the tables as well. One of those famous outbursts just came now at Table 11.

Alakorva checked with the Q K 2 9 on the board before Antti Ahlsten bet 2,700 into a pot of around 4,000. Alakorva raised to 7,000 and Ahlsten called.

The Q paired the board on the river. Alakorva announced he was “all in” and made a loud clap before also standing up and shouting in Finnish. Ahlsten quickly folded and the pot was awarded to Alakorva.

“Good bluff,” Jaana Kindsigo told Alakorva who was still holding onto his cards.

“It’s OK,” added Ahlsten. “You can show.”

Alakorva didn’t show all his cards but he wasn’t exactly bluffing as he had at least trip-queens after flashing the table the Q .

Veli-Pekka Alakorva – 45,000
Janna Kindsigo – 37,000
Antti Ahlsten – 22,000

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All you need to do is wear the GGPoker and OlyBet patches while playing the Kings of Tallinn Main Event. You can get those patches from the OlyBet promo girls at the OlyBet lounge.

If the player wearing the GGPoker patch becomes the unfortunate Main Event bubble boy, he will have his €1,100 buy-in refunded to his GGNetwork account.

And all the players wearing the OlyBet patch will participate in the OlyBet Poker last longer. The last man standing will receive a WSOP Online Bracelet Event #31: Beat the Pros $1,050 ticket.

Players should wear those patches through all the days of the Kings of Tallinn Main Event and must have an active GGNetwork account to be eligible for these promotions.

The Main Event is on its first break of the day. The blinds will increase to 100/200 with a big blind ante of 200 when the action resumes in 15 minutes.

Level 2: 100/100 (100)
Entries: 122/128

Jyrki Lampinen checked with the 8 7 5 8 K on the board before he called an overbet of 6,000 by Richard Koppel.

Koppel turned over A Q for a flush and Lampinen appeared frustrated and shouted in Finnish before showing the J J to prove he was good until the river.

Richard Koppel – 38,000
Jyrki Lampinen – 23,000

Level 2: 100/100 (100)
Entries: 120/126

Vytautas Kacerauskas opened for 400 from under the gun. The player one seat over three-bet to 1,200 and Kacerauskas called.

Kacerauskas check-raised the 3 4 J flop from 1,500 to 3,700. His opponent called and Kacerauskas check-raised again on the 4 turn from 5,000 to 12,500.

The 8 completed the board on the river and Kacerauskas jammed for about 20,000. His opponent called and showed aces and doubled up Kacerauskas after hs turned over jacks for a full house.

Vytautas Kacerauskas – 59,000

Level 2: 100/100 (100)
Entries: 113/119

Tomasz Mroz and Jari Mahonen both had their chips in after the K 5 7 flop. Mahonen held an open-ended straight draw but not much else showing the 8 6 and Mroz had to fade some outs after showing up with the best preflop hand in A A .

Mroz stayed ahead after Mahonen bricked both the K turn and the 2 river to win the hand.

“Re-entry,” Mahonen immediately told the floor after losing his first stack of the day.

Tomasz Mroz – 70,000
Jari Mahonen – 0

Level 2: 100/100 (100)
Entries: 110/115

Henrik Brockmann bet 2,100 into a pot of a bit more with the J 4 9 9 on the board after the turn. Ant Gokcek raised to 7,100 and Brockmann called.

Both players checked the 3 river. Gokcek turned over Q J . His two-pair wasn’t good enough with Brockmann holding an overpair to the board and he won the hand with a better two-pair after showing A A .

Henrik Brockmann – 45,000
Ant Gokcek – 18,000

Level 2: 100/100 (100)
Entries: 96/99

Aleksandras Rusinovas hit the rail just before the first blind level ended on what likely will wind up being the cooler of the day.

Rusinovas with a set of queens was ahead of Algimantas Markaitis with a set of jacks. Rusinovas was at risk but just needed to fade one out. Markaitis, however, got his miracle to felt Rusinovas after the case-jack spiked the river to improve Markaitis further to quads.

Algimantas Markaitis – 70,000
Aleksandras Rusinovas – 0

Level 1: 100/100
Entries: 88/90

Jari Lahtinen is a well-known slots streamer known as ‘Jarttu’ and a regular at poker events here in Tallinn is onto his second bullet in a quick fashion.

It could be an expensive day for Jarttu if he keeps going at the pace he just lost his first stack.

Jarttu jammed for about 10,000 from and was called by Tomasz Mroz from the hijack.

Jari Lahtinen: Q J
Tomasz Mroz: A Q

Lahtinen got nowhere on the 7 2 4 3 Q board and Mroz took all his chips with a flush.

Tomasz Mroz – 41,000
Jari Lahtinen – 30,000

Level 1: 100/100
Entries: 75/76

Outside the elimination we already reported, it has been primarily small ball early on. This is to be expected with starting players 300 big blinds deep until the first break.

Onni Huttunen just took down a small pot as follows. Marius Olsvik bet 1,100 into a pot of around 3,000 after the 5 Q Q landed on the flop. Marius Olsvik called and Vygerdas Jonikas folded. Both players checked down the 6 turn and the 3 river.

Olsvik turned over A 5 but his queens over fives. This wasn’t good enough to win the pot as it went to Huttunen instead after he turned over 10 10 for a better two-pair.

Onni Huttunen – 35,000
Marius Olsvik – 27,000

Level 1: 100/100
Entries: 53/54

Arturas Dauksevic opened for 300 from the cutoff before he called a three-bet to 1,000 by Rauno Remmel from the small blind.

Dauksevic called a bet of 1,000 by Remmel after the 3 4 5 landed on the flop.

Remmel tanked for a minute after the K turn. He checked his cards and shortly after fired out for 5,000. Dauksevic quickly called and it was his turn to look at his cards after the Q river completed the board. Remmel tanked again before eventually betting 12,000.

Dauksevic looked at his cards for a second time and a minute later jammed for more than the about 12,000 Remmel had behind. Remmel quickly called and looked disgusted at the outcome.

“The nuts,” said Dauksevic as he turned over A 10 for a flush. Remmel turned a set of cowboys with K K . This wasn’t enough to beat a flush and he was the first player on the rail in the opening minutes of the Main Event.

Arturas Dauksevic – 70,000
Rauno Remmel – 0

Level 1: 100/100
Entries: 40/40

Cards are in the air for the 2022 Kings of Tallinn Main Event. The action began with 40 players in their seats, a figure that will grow in leaps and bounds with late registration not closing until the second level of tomorrow’s Day 2.

Toivo Ojasoo, Vytautas Kacerauskas, Jari Mahonen, Ant Gökcek, Jaana Kindsigo, Vygerdas Jonikas, and Jari “Jarttu” Lehtonen are among the players registered for Day 1a before the start.

Welcome to the PokerListings coverage of the 2022 Kings of Tallinn €1,100 Main Event at Olympic Park Casino and the adjoining Hilton Tallinn Park.

The Main Event boasts two opening flights and uniquely they both take place today with Day 1a kicking off at noon followed by a turbo Day 1b at 8 p.m. 

The event provides plenty of play with players starting with 30,000 in chips. This equates to 300 big blinds for the first two blind levels. This combined with the one-hour levels and unlimited re-entries permitted until the start of Day 2. Players will have plenty of opportunities to build a huge stack with late registration not only open throughout both opening flights but also during the first blind level of tomorrow’s Day 2.

The tournament boasts a deep structure with hour-long blind levels. The main exception to this rule will be on Day 1b, which is described as a faster flight but still provides plenty of time to make moves with 30-minute blind levels. Players will bag their stacks after eight blind levels of play. The shorter days allow players to also enjoy the plethora of side events on the schedule.

Kings of Tallinn Main Event History

The Kings of Tallinn began in 2015 when Estonian poker hero Ranno Sootla defeated a field of 140 entries to win the €37,330 top prize. Since then, Johan Creutz, Matias Knaapinen, Juha Helppi, Vitalijs Zavorotnijs,Johan Karlsson, and Claudio Di Giacomo had their moment in the sunshine after winning the Kings of Tallinn Main Event from 2016 to 2021.

Team Challenge Creates a Vibrant Environment

One of the things that sets the Kings of Tallinn apart from other festivals is its Team Challenge. Players join in groups of four, and if they can’t find a team they can get assistance from Nousiainen and her team.

A total of 2% of the prize pool qualifying tournaments (events with at least 12 players that aren’t satellites) will go into the Team Challenge prize pool. As you can imagine, this will add up quickly with the top two teams awarded 75% and 25% of the prize pool respectively.

Head to the Kings of Tallinn Team Competition landing page to sign-up for your team along with more details about the contest.

Kings of Tallinn Schedule

The Kings of Tallinn schedule has something for everyone. Not only is there a full catalog of no-limit hold’em events, but players that enjoy other formats will be pleased to learn there is something for them too with plenty of events in other poker variants as well.

Today’s schedule not only features both of the opening flights for the Main Event but plenty of other action including a €120 Satellite for the Main Event at 11:30 a.m. and another at 3 p.m. In addition, there will be a €120 PLO satellite to the Kings of Tallinn €1,100 PLO Championship at 10 p.m.

Side events starting today include the €250 Five Card Plo & Draw at 1 p.m., the €440 Progressive Bounty at 9 p.m., and the new €250 Team Event at 9 p.m. Also, the €550 Kings of Tallinn will kick off its second and final day with players already in the money at 9 p.m. after players have already bagged and tagged for the Main Event.

Here is a look at the full schedule of the 2022 Kings of Tallinn: