| Level 29: | 30,000/60,000/60,000 |
| Entries: | 1/158 |
| Prizes: | €150,100 |
Justas Vaiciulionis of Lithuania has been crowned as the 2026 OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Spring Edition Main Event champion here at Olympic Voodoo Casino, Riga, after defeating fellow countryman Arturas Kesleris heads-up to complete a wire-to-wire victory, banking €34,950 of the €150,100 prize pool in the process.
Day 1a chip leader Vaiciulionis was at the top of the standings at the start of Day 2, and remained there for the start of the final day. However, his journey to the title was not without significant periods of adversity, as he mounted a remarkable comeback from a 6:1 chip deficit in the four-hour heads-up duel to ultimately seal his triumph over a 158-entry field.
OlyBet Showdown Voodoo Riga Spring Edition €1,100 Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | 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 |
Winner’s Reaction
Full-time professional Vaiciulionis was understandably exhausted after the grueling battle, but was delighted to be sitting with the trophy.
“Thanks. It was a pretty interesting heads-up match! I had very low expectations when I was down to a few big blinds but somehow I managed to turn it around, so very happy. I got lucky in a few spots of course, in particular the jacks versus ace-five hand, but that has to happen sometimes to win.
My opponent played great, I think it ended up being four hours, so yeh, really nice feeling.”
Despite being at the top of the counts for the entire tournament, Vaiciulionis was not necessarily putting pressure on himself to close out the win, saying “I know, Day 1a chip leader never wins the tournament! I didn’t really have any expectations, I was just ready to play my best. Play one hand at a time and see what happens. I thought if I make top four or five that would be nice. It went really fast from six-handed to three-handed, and yeh just happy I was able to turn it around at the end.
Vaiciulionas had warm words for the venue and tournament staff, saying “Really good organisation, nice staff, great dealers, everything on the top level. The food is actually the best I think I’ve had at a casino! No, unfortunately there won’t be a party tonight, I’ve got a flight to catch!”
Final Day Action
Only 13 players returned for the final day, with a €2,910 payday guaranteed, and it wasn’t long before Mateusz Oscilowski became the first casualty of the day in a battle of the blinds with Ville Keranen.
Still in the first level, Albert Ostrovskij conjured a miracle two-outer on the river in a four-bet pot against fellow big-stack Ryhor Karapanau, propelling himself into the chip lead.
Karapanau continued on the flop with Big Slick on a king-high flop, but then checked a brick turn. Ostrovskij fell into the trap when he jammed with pocket nines, and Karapanau was shell-shocked when a nine appeared on the river. Ostrovskij could barely believe his luck either.
Karapanau was left with dust and busted in the next hand to Kesleris, while Nico Marraffa was next to go, running pocket tens into the pocket queens of the eventual champion. Georgios Orestidis was the final table bubble boy, when he lost out to Kaspars Butans in another blind on blind confrontation while always behind.
At the start of the final table, Ostrovskij had a 24 big blind lead over his closest challenger, Pavels Spirins, while Vaiciulionis was in third. Kesleris, the eventual runner-up, was sitting with a sub-ten big blind stack, and was joint bottom of the pile with Viktors Caikins.
However, Kesleris proceeded to go on possibly the most extraordinary run this reporter has ever seen, as within 90 minutes, he was bossing the table with a 3:1 advantage over second place.
First, Caikins exited to Vaiciulionis in ninth, before Kesleris doubled twice in successive hands through Spirins and the eventual champion, holding in flips. Kesleris proceeded to take a three-bet pot versus Butans, and was by now among the top stacks. He woke up with rockets against Spirins’ pocket tens, and then went to war with previous leader Ostrovskij, who he now covered.
In a four-bet pot, Ostrovskij continued on the king-high flop, but then checked the turn. Kesleris overbet jammed, sending Ostrovskij into a world of pain. He eventually folded after about four minutes in the tank, and suddenly Kesleris was miles ahead of the field.
Kesleris disposed of Krigers in seventh, despite his ace being dominated, to increase his lead, while Vaiciulionis finished off Ostrovskij in sixth after winning another race. Kesleris subsequently found ace-king in the big blind when Keranen jammed from the small blind with an inferior ace, sending the Finn packing in fifth, and unbelievably woke up with aces again shortly after to eliminate Butans.
Nikita Zarovs was now the short-stack in third, squeezed between the eventual champion and runner-up. Vaiciulionis finished him off in short order, setting up the heads-up battle, Kesleris starting with a 3:1 lead.
Four hours of combat ensued, Kesleris maintaining his lead for the vast majority, but seemingly unable to land the decisive blow. At one point, after rivering a flush, Kesleris held a 6:1 advantage over Vaiciulionis.
Shortly after, Kesleris must have thought the title was his. Vaiciulionis was all-in with ace-five suited versus Kesleris’ pocket jacks, and a jack was in the window. However Kesleris flopped a flush draw, binked it on the turn, and Kesleris could not fill up on the river.
Kesleris still had a 3:1 advantage, and Vaiciulionis again allowed that to extend significantly. The comeback started in earnest when Vaiciulionis came from behind when all-in against Kesleris’ weak ace, and he took another pot after turning a full house, getting paid on the river after some deception.
Vaiciulionis then took the lead for the first time by grinding small pots, and the key hand of the tournament came shortly after. Kesleris flopped top pair, but the champion went runner-runner for the nut flush, and got a big bet paid on the river, reversing the 3:1 chip position.
Kesleris refused to give up and battled valiantly, but the end came when Vaiciulionis jammed the button with king-high, and went runner-runner to make trips nines, usurping Kesleris’ ace-high, bringing to an end a truly remarkable final table.
That concludes poker.pro’s coverage of the OlyBet Showdown Riga Voodoo Spring Edition, but be sure to check out our ongoing coverage of tournaments from all over the world in our live reporting portal.
