Six events down. Five champions crowned. One still being decided right now on the felt at Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn. The 2026 European Mixed Poker Championship, powered by OlyBet Poker, has delivered on everything its founders, Tobias Leknes and Frode Fagerli, promised: a deep, technically demanding, gloriously chaotic week of poker that goes far beyond Hold’em, and the results board is already making for compelling reading.
Luxembourg has a champion. Germany has a champion. Finland’s Sampo Ryynanen, who has crossed the $1.9 million mark in live earnings on the Hendon Mob, has picked up the series’ biggest individual prize so far. Norway’s Thor Morstol, ranked inside the top 1,200 on the GPI with $845,000 in career earnings, took down the Lowball Draw Mix. Norway is winning this festival, with two titles and a roster of consistent cashers that makes it the nation to beat in European mixed games. Half a dozen events remain, including the €800 8-Game Main Event still to come on Friday and Saturday. But before we look ahead, here is the full story of the first six.
- Read more: EMPC 2026 Heads to Tallinn with 12 Mixed Game Events and a Growing Legacy
- Read more: Your Guide to Every Event at EMPC 2026: Games, Rules and Schedule
- Read more: Join Poker Pro on Telegram for Breaking Tournament News and Results
Christophe Stammet Wins Event 1: €200 Welcomer Big Bet Mix
Luxembourg’s Christophe Stammet opened the EMPC 2026 with the first title of the series, taking down Event 1: €200 Welcomer Big Bet Mix, after a heads-up deal with England’s Benjamin Sweetman. Stammet, who has more than $118,000 in live earnings on the Hendon Mob, collected €3,417 from a €17,108 prize pool across 104 entries.
Sweetman took €3,141 in the deal. Germany’s Nicolas Bokowski, who would go on to win Event 3, finished third for €2,050, and Norway’s Jan Roger Holte was fourth for €1,620. Norwegians filled five of the 14 paid spots, a sign of what’s to come for the nation this week.
€200 buy-in | 104 entries | €17,108 prize pool
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Christophe Stammet | Luxembourg | €3,417* |
| 2 |  Benjamin Sweetman | England | €3,141* |
| 3 |  Nicolas Bokowski | Germany | €2,050 |
| 4 |  Jan Roger Holte | Norway | €1,620 |
| 5 |  Tomasz Gluszko | Poland | €1,260 |
| 6 | Tobias Leknes | Norway | €970 |
| 7 | Anders Auset | Norway | €780 |
| 8 | Frode Fagerli | Norway | €650 |
| 9 |  Robin Panholzer | Austria | €650 |
| 10 |  Ilkka Heikkila | Finland | €550 |
| 11 | Per Oversveen | Norway | €550 |
| 12 | Joakim Bakke | Norway | €490 |
| 13 | Alexander Freund | Austria | €490 |
| 14 | Lasse Laukkarinen | Finland | €490 |
* Heads-up deal
Thor Morstol Wins Event 2: €555 Lowball Draw Mix
Oslo’s Thor Morstol, one of Scandinavia’s most accomplished mixed game players with more than $845,000 in career earnings and a GPI ranking inside the top 1,200, put his lowball credentials on full display in Event 2. Morstol won the €555 Lowball Draw Mix for €9,967 from a €29,327 prize pool across 63 entries, earning Norway its first title of the week.
England’s Dinesh Khatri was runner-up for €6,400, and Norway’s Anders Auset, who had already cashed in €200 in the Welcomer Big Bet Mix, added €4,260 in third. Austria’s Alexander Freund took fourth for €3,040, notching his second cash of the series.
€555 buy-in | 63 entries | €29,327 prize pool
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thor Morstol | Norway | €9,967 |
| 2 | Dinesh Khatri | England | €6,400 |
| 3 | Anders Auset | Norway | €4,260 |
| 4 | Alexander Freund | Austria | €3,040 |
| 5 | Leighton Cumber | England | €2,300 |
| 6 |  Andrew Kelsall | United States | €1,850 |
| 7 | Eirik Kristiansen | Norway | €1,510 |
Nicolas Bokowski Wins Event 3: €300 Nordic Blood Mix
Germany’s Nicolas Bokowski had already cashed €200 Welcomer Big Bet Mix in third place for €2,050. He returned two events later and went all the way, winning Event 3: €300 Nordic Blood Mix for €6,150 from a €20,530 prize pool across 84 entries. Bokowski, who has more than $156,000 in live earnings on the Hendon Mob, became the series’ first two-time podium performer with his back-to-back runs.
Slovenia’s Blaz Zerjav, the reigning EMPC Main Event champion from Dublin 2025, finished runner-up with €4,100, and Finland’s Jarno Malinen placed third with €2,880. France’s Antoine Profit, who cashed again in Event 5: €200 S.O.R.B.E.T., finished fourth with €2,100.
€300 buy-in | 84 entries | €20,530 prize pool
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolas Bokowski | Germany | €6,150 |
| 2 |  Blaz Zerjav | Slovenia | €4,100 |
| 3 | Jarno Malinen | Finland | €2,880 |
| 4 |  Antoine Profit | France | €2,100 |
| 5 | Philipp Krieger | Germany | €1,530 |
| 6 | Ylva Thorsrud | Norway | €1,260 |
| 7 | Robin Panholzer | Austria | €1,030 |
| 8 | Gunnar Wedde | Norway | €820 |
| 9 |  Jonas Grusnius | Lithuania | €660 |
Event 4: €700 20 Games Dealers Choice, Day 2 Chip Counts
The biggest event of the festival so far by prize pool is not done yet. The €700 20 Games Dealers Choice drew 69 entries and built a €40,313 pot, with the top nine locked in for at least €1,300 and €12,093 waiting for the winner.
Day 2 resumes with 16 players remaining, and Norway’s Tor Welo sits atop with 700,000 chips, that is 28 big blinds at 12,500/25,000. England’s Alexander Rizvi is second with 490,000 (19.6 BB), and Germany’s Norberto Korn is third with 420,000 (16.8 BB). Event 1 champion Christophe Stammet is sixth with 325,000 (13 BB), still alive and hunting for a second title.
€700 buy-in | 69 entries | €40,313 prize pool | 16 players remaining
| Position | Player | Country | Chips | BBs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tor Welo | Norway | 700,000 | 28 |
| 2 | Alexander Rizvi | England | 490,000 | 19.6 |
| 3 | Norberto Korn | Germany | 420,000 | 16.8 |
| 4 | Jan Roger Holte | Norway | 365,000 | 14.6 |
| 5 | Lee Horton | England | 345,000 | 13.8 |
| 6 | Christophe Stammet | Luxembourg | 325,000 | 13 |
| 7 | Martin Dahle | Norway | 315,000 | 12.6 |
| 8 | Robin Panholzer | Austria | 260,000 | 10.4 |
| 9 | Philipp Krieger | Germany | 240,000 | 9.6 |
| 10 |  Kenneth Wiik | Sweden | 205,000 | 8.2 |
| 11 | Alexander Freund | Austria | 150,000 | 6 |
| 12 | Sampo Ryynanen | Finland | 125,000 | 5 |
| 13 | Anders Auset | Norway | 120,000 | 4.8 |
| 14 |  Frank Visser | Netherlands | 95,000 | 3.8 |
| 15 | Cory Desmond | England | 75,000 | 3 |
| 16 | Jean-Michael Kabbaj | Austria | 60,000 | 2.4 |
Raymond Forsland Wins Event 5: €200 S.O.R.B.E.T.
Norway’s Raymond Forsland, who has more than $225,000 in career live earnings, gave the country its second title of the week by winning Event 5, the €200 S.O.R.B.E.T., for €4,051 from a €15,181 prize pool across 95 entries.
Norway swept the top two spots with Frode Fagerli, one of the EMPC’s own co-founders, finishing runner-up for €2,800. Estonia’s Andres Aro completed the top three for €1,920 on home soil, and England’s Seun Oluwole was fourth for €1,400. Event 4: €700 20 Games Dealers Choice chip leader Tor Welo also cashed here in fifth for €1,070.
€200 buy-in | 95 entries | €15,181 prize pool
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raymond Forsland | Norway | €4,051 |
| 2 | Frode Fagerli | Norway | €2,800 |
| 3 |  Andres Aro | Estonia | €1,920 |
| 4 | Seun Oluwole | England | €1,400 |
| 5 | Tor Welo | Norway | €1,070 |
| 6 | Kjersti Grini | Norway | €870 |
| 7 | Tobias Leknes | Norway | €690 |
| 8 | Antoine Profit | France | €560 |
| 9 |  Walter Tischhauser | Switzerland | €440 |
| 10 | Alexander Freund | Austria | €360 |
| 11 | Siddharth Sudunagunta | England | €360 |
| 12 | Kayan Intwala | England | €330 |
| 13 | Krzysztof Kozlowski | Poland | €330 |
Sampo Ryynanen Wins Event 6: €800 T.O.E. Turbo
Finland’s Sampo Ryynanen arrived at the EMPC 2026 with nearly $2 million in career live earnings on the Hendon Mob and left Event 6 with the biggest individual prize of the series so far. Ryynanen won the €800 T.O.E. Turbo for €8,072 from a €22,572 prize pool across 33 entries, defeating a field built for players who know their way around Triple Draw, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Stud Eight.
America’s Andrew Kelsall, who also cashed in the Lowball Draw Mix, was runner-up for €5,650. Switzerland’s Didier Rabl was third for €4,050, Germany’s Jens Vortmann fourth for €2,770, and Ireland’s Matthew Grapenthien rounded out the money in fifth for €2,030. Ryynanen is also among the surviving 16 in the Dealers Choice, sitting 12th in chips. A potential second title run is still alive.
€800 buy-in | 33 entries | €22,572 prize pool
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sampo Ryynanen | Finland | €8,072 |
| 2 | Andrew Kelsall | United States | €5,650 |
| 3 | Didier Rabl | Switzerland | €4,050 |
| 4 | Jens Vortmann | Germany | €2,770 |
| 5 |  Matthew Grapenthien | Ireland | €2,030 |
EMPC 2026: Winners So Far
| Event | Tournament | Winner | Prize Pool | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €200 Welcomer Big Bet Mix | Christophe Stammet | €17,108 | €3,417 |
| 2 | €555 Lowball Draw Mix | Thor Morstol | €29,327 | €9,967 |
| 3 | €300 Nordic Blood Mix | Nicolas Bokowski | €20,530 | €6,150 |
| 4 | €700 20 Games Dealers Choice | TBD | €40,313 | €12,093 |
| 5 | €200 S.O.R.B.E.T. | Raymond Forsland | €15,181 | €4,051 |
| 6 | €800 T.O.E. Turbo | Sampo Ryynanen | €22,572 | €8,072 |
EMPC 2026 Full Schedule
Seven events remain across Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Today, October 29, sees the conclusion of the €700 Dealers Choice alongside the launch of Event 7, the €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller, and Event 8, the €300 Senkel’s Paradise Pick’em. Both of those are Day 1 events that conclude Friday morning.
Also on Thursday afternoon, the first of two €185 H.E.T.R.O.S. Main Event satellites fires at 14:00. Friday is the big day: both flights of the €800 8-Game Main Event go off, Flight 1A at 11:30 and Flight 1B at 18:30, alongside the Day 2 finals for Events 7 and 8 in the morning and a second satellite. Saturday closes the festival with the Main Event Day 2 final, the €300 6-Game Mystery Bounty, the €1,500 6-Game High Roller, and the €200 Omaha Dealer’s Choice rebuy.
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, Oct. 26 | 16:00 | Welcome Dinner (open to all) |
| 18:30 | Event 1: €200 Welcomer Big Bet Mix (COMPLETE) | |
| Tuesday, Oct. 27 | 12:00 | Event 2: €555 Lowball Draw Mix (COMPLETE) |
| 18:00 | Event 3: €300 Nordic Blood Mix, Day 1 | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 11:30 | Event 3: Nordic Blood Mix, Day 2 (COMPLETE) |
| 12:00 | Event 4: €700 Dealers Choice, Day 1 | |
| 16:00 | Event 5: €200 S.O.R.B.E.T. (COMPLETE) | |
| 20:30 | Event 6: €800 T.O.E. Turbo (COMPLETE) | |
| Thursday, Oct. 29 | 12:00 | Community Lunch (open to all) |
| 13:30 | Event 4: Dealers Choice, Day 2 final (IN PROGRESS) | |
| 14:00 | Event 7: €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller, Day 1 | |
| 14:00 | €185 H.E.T.R.O.S. Main Event Satellite 1 | |
| 18:00 | Event 8: €300 Senkel’s Paradise Pick’em, Day 1 | |
| Friday, Oct. 30 | 11:30 | Event 7: S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller, Day 2 final |
| 11:30 | Event 8: Senkel’s Paradise Pick’em, Day 2 final | |
| 11:30 | Event 9: €800 8-Game Main Event, Flight 1A | |
| 13:00 | €185 H.E.T.R.O.S. Main Event Satellite 2 | |
| 18:30 | Event 9: €800 8-Game Main Event, Flight 1B | |
| Saturday, Oct. 31 | 11:30 | Event 9: 8-Game Main Event, Day 2 final |
| 12:00 | Event 10: €300 6-Game Mystery Bounty | |
| 16:30 | Event 11: €1,500 6-Game High Roller | |
| 18:00 | Event 12: €200 Omaha Dealer’s Choice (re-buy) |
EMPC 2026 Update: FAQ
Who has won events at the EMPC 2026 so far?
Five events have been completed through Event 6. Luxembourg’s Christophe Stammet won Event 1 (€200 Welcomer Big Bet Mix) for €3,417 after a heads-up deal. Norway’s Thor Morstol won Event 2 (€555 Lowball Draw Mix) for €9,967. Germany’s Nicolas Bokowski won Event 3 (€300 Nordic Blood Mix) for €6,150. Norway’s Raymond Forsland won Event 5 (€200 S.O.R.B.E.T.) for €4,051. Finland’s Sampo Ryynanen won Event 6 (€800 T.O.E. Turbo) for €8,072. Event 4, the €700 20 Games Dealers Choice, is on Day 2 with 16 players remaining and €12,093 for the winner.
What is the status of Event 4 at EMPC 2026?
The €700 20 Games Dealers Choice is live on Day 2 with 16 players remaining from a 69-entry field and €40,313 in prize money. Norway’s Tor Welo leads with 700,000 chips, ahead of England’s Alexander Rizvi (490,000) and Germany’s Norberto Korn (420,000). The top nine players are guaranteed at least €1,300 and the winner takes home €12,093. Event 1 champion Christophe Stammet is sixth in chips and still in contention for a second title.
Who is Sampo Ryynanen and why is his EMPC win significant?
Sampo Ryynanen is a Finnish poker player with nearly $2 million in career live earnings on the Hendon Mob, making him the highest-earning winner at the EMPC 2026 so far. He won Event 6, the €800 T.O.E. Turbo, for €8,072, the largest individual prize awarded in the first six events. Ryynanen is also among the 16 surviving players in the €700 Dealers Choice, sitting 12th in chips and still alive for a potential second title.
Where is the EMPC 2026 being held and who runs it?
The European Mixed Poker Championship 2026 is held at Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn, Estonia, from October 26 through October 31. The festival is organized by OlyBet and was founded by Tobias Leknes and Frode Fagerli, who have grown the EMPC from a debut in Bratislava in 2023 to one of Europe’s most prominent mixed game festivals. This is the first time the EMPC has been held in Estonia.
Which country is performing best at EMPC 2026?
Norway leads all countries through six events with two titles: Thor Morstol in the Lowball Draw Mix and Raymond Forsland in the S.O.R.B.E.T. Norwegian players have cashed across every event, and EMPC co-founder Frode Fagerli finished runner-up in Event 5. Finland claimed a title through Sampo Ryynanen in Event 6, Germany through Nicolas Bokowski in Event 3, and Luxembourg opened the winner’s board with Christophe Stammet in Event 1.
What events are still to come at EMPC 2026?
Seven events remain across Thursday through Saturday. Today, October 29, sees the €700 Dealers Choice Day 2 final, the €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller Day 1, and the €300 Senkel’s Paradise Pick’em Day 1. Friday brings the two flights of the €800 8-Game Main Event, plus a satellite. Saturday closes the festival with the Main Event final, the €300 6-Game Mystery Bounty, the €1,500 6-Game High Roller, and the €200 Omaha Dealer’s Choice rebuy.
- Article originally produced at poker.pro.
- Photos courtesy of the EMPC / Vaclav Dusek
About the author
More Articles
Your Guide to Every Event at the 2026 European Mixed Poker Champions (EMPC) Tallinn (Oct. 26-31)
Livingston Wins the 10k Championship as Blumbergs Banks €221,000 Across Two Events in Tallinn
Ralfs Blumbergs Wins the 5k Million as Diamond Poker Series PLO Grand Slam Tallinn Builds to a Championship Finale
‘Mark Twin’ Wins the €555 Mystery Bounty Main Event as Four Champions Crowned on Day 3 of The Festival Weekend Riga
Scotty Nguyen Lights Up Day 2 as Renga and Samuelsson Win and Mark Twin Leads the €555 Main Event Mystery Bounty Final Day
Diamond Poker Series Brings Its PLO Grand Slam to Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn (September 15-22)
Three Champions Crowned at The Festival Weekend Riga Opening Day
Riga, You’re Next: The Festival Weekend Arrives at Olympic Voodoo Casino September 10-13
