Learn Why You Shouldn’t Miss Opening Weekend at Kings of Tallinn (Feb. 5-16)

The iconic Olympic Park Casino and the adjoining Hilton Tallinn Park are bracing for poker bedlam in just a few days as the 2026 Kings of Tallinn blasts off this Thursday under the OlyBet banner. Across 70+ tournaments in a variety of games and formats, highlighted by the €1 million guaranteed Kings of Tallinn €1,100 Main Event, this series, running from Feb. 5-16, cements its reputation as Northern Europe’s unmissable showdown.

Many players are expected to attend bright and early with the opening weekend from Thursday to Sunday expected to generate a huge buzz thanks to the robust early schedule, as players begin to earn trophies and valuable OlyBet Team Competition points. In other words, it’s time to get excited for the live poker pulse that only OlyBet delivers, with the action just around the corner.

Cash games will be running nonstop on the casino floor at a variety of stakes and formats, with the tournament arena hopping with action until the late evening. The poker.pro media team will be on site providing updates from Feb. 6 until the final winner is crowned on Feb. 15.

• Read more: OlyBet Announced Record 74-Event 2026 Kings of Tallinn Schedule (Feb. 5-15)
• Read more: Kings of Tallinn 2026 OlyBet Team Challenge Brings New Scoring and Bigger Rewards

The 2026 Kings of Tallinn officially begins on Friday; however, the action is already underway at Olympic Park Casino on Thursday, February 5, with a Freebuy Satellite, boasting €20 rebuys and add-ons at 4 p.m., that guarantees a whopping 10 seats to the two-day €200 Mini Main.

The first of three opening flights of the €200 Kings of Tallinn Mini Main begins in the evening at 7:30 p.m. The event, while not completely new, was held at the end of the festival in the past, and the new format is bringing new life and excitement to the opening weekend. The event also underwent a major makeover from last year, when Finland’s Samuel Saariaho hoisted the trophy after defeating a field of 152 entries to win the €5,610 top prize. Players should expect something vastly different, as that event was a one-day affair with a turbo structure and was replaced by a robust two-day affair with three opening flights and 30-minute blind levels throughout.

Action Heats Up on Friday

The tournament action moves from the casino floor to the spacious conference arena of the Hilton Tallinn Park for a full slate of events. Friday’s schedule alone boasts more events than some entire festivals, and doesn’t disappoint with three chances at an early trophy in the €200 PLO5/PLO5 Hi-Lo at 3 p.m., the €555 NLH at 5 p.m., and the €200 PLO Baducey/Badacey at 7:30 p.m.

The €200 Kings of Tallinn Mini Main roars on with its final two opening flights at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Players will have a second Freebuy event at 12 p.m., where at least 10 seats to the first multi-day event are guaranteed, similar to Friday’s event.

Meanwhile, the second multi-day event kicks off on Friday in the two-day €350 NLH Kings of Tallinn Cup at 8 p.m with a €20 satellite guaranteeing seven seats running at 2:30 p.m. Last year, Estonia’s Stanislav Smeljov defeated a field of 555 entries to win the €26,100 top prize.

Satellite hunters can also battle in the €80 PLO5 satellite, guaranteeing at least five seats to the €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 Championship at 7:30, and the €80 Mega at 10 p.m., guaranteeing 10 seats to the €555 Kings of Tallinn Championship.

First Multi-Day Event Champion Crowned on Saturday

The action continues hot and heavy on Saturday as players begin to earn prizes, trophies, and OlyBet Team Competition points. The action kicks off with the second and final day of the €200 Kings of Tallinn Mini Main. Players can still get into the action for the first three 30-minute blind levels of the day, before late registration closes and the prizes are announced, with the first multi-day winner crowned in front of a packed weekend house.

The variety is off the scale on Saturday with three more multi-day events still in their opening stages, including Day 1 of the €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 DeepStack Mystery Bounty at 5 p.m., the first of three opening flights in the €555 Kings of Tallinn Championship at 7 p.m,. and the final two opening flights of the €350 Kings of Tallinn Cup at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. The €555 Championship, which was won last year by Denmark’s Benyamin Canatan for €66,050, also boasts a €80 Mega Satellite at 5:30, guaranteeing at least 10 seats.

Mixed game enthusiasts also have two diverse events on Saturda,y including the €350 Open Face Chinese Pineapple at 1 p.m. and the pot-limit 2-7 Triple Draw, a format that is relatively unique to Olympic Park Casino.

Last, but not least, the tournament evening will conclude with the €200 NLH Turbo at 10 p.m.

Sunday, Funday!

Five new Kings of Tallinn champions will be crowned on Sunday, February 9, including in the €350 Kings of Tallinn Cup, with the second and final kicking off at Noon. This event will follow a similar path to Saturday’s Day 2 of the €200 Mini Main with late registration remaining open for the first three 30-minute blind levels of the day.

Two other events begin simultaneously on Day 1B of the €555 NLH Kings of Tallinn Championship, with Day 1C beginning at 7 p.m., and the Freebuy Satellite for women only to the €250 Queens taking place at 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, the second and final day of the €1,100 PLO4/PLO DeepStack Mystery Bounty begins at 1 p.m. before the mixed-game crowd gets introduced to a new event at the Kings of Tallinn in the €350 TORSE. This event is similar to the previously hosted HORSE, with 2-7 triple draw subbing in for limit hold’em.

This is not all for mixed game players, as on Sunday, players will need to keep their minds moving in the €350 Dealer’s Choice High Only, with players able to choose between no-limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha (four, five, or six cards), pot-limit Stud, and pot-limit Sviten.

Bargain hunters will also have their fun on Sunday with a €80 Milestone Satellite at 3 p.m., which awards seats to any event with a €555 buy-in on the schedule.

See you soon in Tallinn. Head to OlyBetPoker.com Kings of Tallinn landing page for more information or to OlyBet’s media partner poker.pro to learn more about the event.

• Photos courtesy of Elena Kask / OlyBet Poker
• Article originally produced at poker.pro.