At the moment this live reporter woke up in the morning, I knew it was going to be a good day. Outside, the sun was shining in the mesmerizing Latvian capital, even though there had been rumors that it was going to rain. As soon as I departed my residence for the week, I was filled with good energy, and the depression from my bad beat in yesterday’s €250 NLH Progressive Bounty vanished – just like that!
I entered the casino, ready to rock and rumble. It was Day 2 of the €1,100 Main Event, and it was always destined to be an intriguing affair. The tournament kicked off at noon, and those 45 who had secured their seat from any of the three starting-day flights would be accompanied by those who decided to take advantage of the 2-hour late registration window. When said window closed shortly after 14:00, the final numbers of the tournament were declared. A total of 150 entries had created a €142,500 prize pool, which had generated a juicy €33,330 first-place payout. Needless to say, all contestants had their eyes on the prize.
Forty-four players were still in the mix at this stage, and their first shared goal was to get top 20 and secure the €2,030 min-cash. Eventually, the bubble burst when Roberts Krīgers turned trips against Joerg Schneegab, who became the unlucky bubble boy. After that, a good ol’ fashioned post-bubble bustout bonanza followed, which saw several players busting out from the tournament in a relatively short time. One after one, the Latvian players managed to knock out the many Spanish warriors who had managed to make the money.
Play intensified when 12 players remained. Jari Porkka was the next one to bust, meaning the dream for a Swedish winner was shattered. The hope was still alive for a first-ever female OlyBet Showdown Main Event winner as Agnese Barča was still in the field, but eventually, her pair of threes couldn’t crack the code against the pocket aces of Arunas Satkus.
Ten players then remained, and with one hour left on the clock, you’d think one more player would’ve been eliminated to set the nine-handed final table. This wouldn’t be the case, even though there were perhaps three or four all-in and call situations. Sixty minutes flew by, and the survivors all received a plastic bag each for their well-earned chips. They are set to return tomorrow at 12:00 to pick up where they left off.
€1,100 Main Event – Final Day Seat Draw & Chip Counts
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 |  Henrik Veldhoen | Germany | 306,000 | 26 |
| 3 | 5 |  Edgars Beizaks | Latvia | 250,000 | 21 |
| 3 | 6 |  Arunas Satkus | Lithuania | 552,000 | 46 |
| 3 | 7 | Konstantin Arber | Germany | 600,000 | 50 |
| 3 | 8 |  Gabi Livshitz | Israel | 64,000 | 5 |
| 4 | 1 | Roberts Krīgers | Latvia | 783,000 | 65 |
| 4 | 2 | Yaniv Peretz | Latvia | 201,000 | 17 |
| 4 | 3 |  Pekka Ikonen | Finland | 398,000 | 33 |
| 4 | 5 | Ēriks Krūmiņš | Latvia | 1,045,000 | 87 |
| 4 | 6 | Alexander Levin | Israel | 225,000 | 19 |
The stage is set for quite the finale tomorrow. The chip leader is none other than Ēriks Krūmiņš. The Latvian prodigy is not to mess around with; he already has two WSOP Circuit Rings to his name, as well as other impressive achievements, such as his win in the €350 Heads-up Championship during the 2025 Irish Poker Open. Presumably, he’s many people’s favorite to claim the title.
It won’t be a walk in the park for the humble Krūmiņš; quite the contrary. The reigning champion, Roberts Krīgers, is second in chips. He won the €1,100 Main Event during the 2025 OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Spring Edition and is looking to become the first ever to take home two OlyBet Showdown Main Events. The fact that he’s earned himself great presumptions to do it back-to-back is even more impressive.
The player with the far most live poker earnings on The Hendon Mob, Gabi Livshitz, may be last in the chip counts with just five Big Blinds, but if someone is able to spin it up, it’s him.
Overall, it’s a strong mix of players still left, and they’ve all earned their assigned ticket to the final day. Tomorrow will see a new chapter in the Latvian poker history books being written, and the excitement is unbearable. Thanks to everyone who’s been tuning into the poker.pro live blog today, and we’ll see you tomorrow at noon for the thrilling conclusion.
