Day 3 of The Festival Weekend Tallinn, in partnership with OlyBet Poker, at Olympic Park Casino delivered its most unforgettable moment in a €5,000 buy-in pop-up game, dubbed the €5,000 The Festival Weekend Friendly Sit’n’Go.
Despite its high stakes, played out as a friendly, recreational battle between big names, personalities, and a few surprise entrants. The field began with eight players, which wound up making 16 entries, creating an extraordinary story at this recreationally-minded event with a €77,600 prize pool emerging from that single table, turning what began as a casual chat among friends into a headline event that will be talked about across the Nordic poker scene for a long time.
At the final decision point, Finland’s Ossi Ketola, known in the community as Monarch, closed out the field to take the top prize of €55,000, while Estonia’s Ardo Hanschmidt finished second for €22,400. The lineup around the table read like a who’s‑who of the region’s most recognizable grinders and online personalities: Ranno Sootla, Aleksander Lattikas, Markkos Ladev, Vladimir “Gambledore” Korzinin, Steven Tool, alongside Hanschmidt and The Festival Series founder Martin “Franke” von Zweigbergk. What made the night stand out was not just the prize money, boosted by Gambledore’s six entries, but also the tone and fun. This was a high-stakes game played with a low-stakes spirit, where reputation, camaraderie, and a healthy dose of rivalry outweighed the usual tournament pressure.
That pop-up battle was the highlight of Day 3, but the rest of the schedule was packed with compelling storylines that kept the floor buzzing from morning until late evening. Finland once again proved it is the dominant force in Tallinn, with Ilkka Heikkilä capturing the €350 Open Face Chinese (winning €4,740 from a 45-player field).
In the €200 NLH PKO with a live straddle, the bounty-heavy format produced one of the biggest fields of the weekend, with 142 players generating a €11,573 prize pool plus €11,360 in bounties, for total prizes of €24,160. Ukraine’s Vladyslava Shestakova emerged on top, collecting €2,123 in prize money plus bounty winnings, while Finland’s Janne Nieminen finished second for an identical €2,123 prize. Viljami Valkama, Teo Mikkonen, and Jussi-Pekka Saarinen rounded out the Finnish contingent in the top five, underscoring how deeply the Nordic regulars are embedded in every layer of The Festival’s ecosystem.
Omaha action also found its niche on Day 3, with Lena Björn from Sweden winning the €150 OmahaJack after a 49-entry field turned into a €6,052 prize pool. Björn took €2,241, with Finland’s Sami Korpela second for €1,510 and Germany’s Marc Gork third for €910. The event offered a perfect example of how The Festival balances structure and variety, giving players who love non-standard formats a chance to shine without sacrificing the competitive integrity that serious tournament players expect.
While closed events wrapped up, the €555 NLH Main Event Mystery Bounty carried its narrative into Day 2, setting the stage for even higher drama as the weekend approaches its climax. With 212 entries and €100,600 in total prizes (€58,200 in prize pool plus €42,400 in mystery bounties), Lithuania’s Marijus Dirgela leads the final 26 players with 1,089,000 chips. He holds a slight edge over Australia’s Jarrod Coughtrie (1,001,000) and Spain’s David Marfil (957,000), but the Mystery Bounty element means that even players with smaller stacks can flip the standings with a single well-timed bounty grab. Day 2 of the Main Event kicks off on Saturday at noon, with the final 26 eyes already on the possibility of a massive finish.
The €1,100 10-Game Mix also moved forward to its final nine, with mixed game podcaster and Swedish Special author Martin Smith leading the field and Finland’s Ilkka Heikkilä already playing double duty after his OFC victory on Day 3.
As Day 3 closed, the energy inside Olympic Park Casino remained electric, with the €5,000 The Festival Weekend Friendly Sit’n’Go still echoing in conversations and the Main Event carrying its story into the next day. The Festival Weekend Tallinn has once again proved that it can blend serious tournament poker with light-hearted, personality-driven events, creating a product that appeals to grinders, recreational players, and online fans alike. Now the attention returns to the Main Event and the plethora of side events that round out the fantastic weekend of poker and fun at Olympic Park Casino.
- Read more: The 2026 WSOP Circuit Tallinn Schedule Features 12 Ring Events
- Read more: The 2026 Festival Weekend Tallinn Schedules Feature More Mixed Games Than You Could Ask For
- Read more: Four Trophies Won on the Opening Day of The Festival Weekend Tallinn
- Read more: Gambledore Visits The Festival Weekend Tallinn as Three Players Earn Titles
Monarch Steals the Show in the €5,000 The Festival Weekend Friendly Sit’n’Go
The €5,000 The Festival Weekend Friendly Sit’n’Go wasn’t on the schedule. With all the personalities in town, The Festival organized a game with a mix of personalities and professional players.
Ossi “Monarch” Ketola isn’t afraid of the action, as he was regularly playing seven-figure heads-up matches. He proved to the poker community that he could compete in full-ring play as well; even though the players were enjoying themselves, he needed to outlast some of the toughest players in the world.
Both Monarch and Estonia’s Ardo Hanschmidt locked up at least €22,400 before facing off for the title. Monarch came out on top, earning bragging rights and the €55,000 top prize.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ossi Ketola | Finland | €55,000 |
| 2 |  Ardo Hanschmidt | Estonia | €22,400 |
Ilkka Heikkilä Wins €350 OFC
The €350 OFC attracted 45 entries, creating a €13,950 prize pool. Many of the usual names were in the mix, including Fabian Bartuschk, JJ Hazan, and Eva “Chic” Jiretorn.
Four of the six players in the money were in Finland, including the final two players. Ilkka Heikkilä earned the €4,740 top prize after defeating Mikael Koistinen (second – €3,070) en route to earning the title.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ilkka Heikkilä | Finland | €4,740 |
| 2 | Mikael Koistinen | Finland | €3,070 |
| 3 |  Siarhei Narozhny | Belarus | €2,230 |
| 4 | Kasperi Kauppinen | Finland | €1,670 |
| 5 |  Johnny Johansen | Norway | €1,120 |
| 6 | Jarmo Salonen | Finland | €1,120 |
Vladyslava Shestakova Wins #13 €200 NLH PKO (Live Straddle)
The €200 NLH PKO Live Straddle drew 142 entries, creating €24,160 in prizes, including €11,360 in bounties. Ukraine’s Vladyslava Shestakova and Finland’s Janne Nieminen faced off for the title, with both players already locking in the €2,123 top prize from the prize pool. Shestakova won the final big bounty at the end after defeating Nieminen to earn the title.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vladyslava Shestakova | Ukraine | €2,123 |
| 2 | Janne Nieminen | Finland | €2,123 |
| 3 | Viljami Valkama | Finland | €1,450 |
| 4 | Teo Mikkonen | Finland | €1,060 |
| 5 | Jussi-Pekka Saarinen | Finland | €830 |
| 6 |  Martin Steen | Denmark | €650 |
| 7 | Jesper Eronen | Finland | €520 |
| 8 | Mats Palokangas | Finland | €430 |
| 9 | Jari Kärkkäinen | Finland | €360 |
| 10 | Knut Fjeld | Norway | €310 |
| 11 |  Hampus Grönström | Sweden | €310 |
| 12 | Timo Ruuska | Finland | €270 |
| 13 | Jussi Vanhanen | Finland | €270 |
| 14 | Terje Sirnes | Norway | €230 |
| 15 | Anton Komissarov | Estonia | €230 |
| 16 | Johannes Sepp | Estonia | €200 |
| 17 |  Enea Subashi | Greece | €200 |
Lena Björn Wins €150 OmahaJack
OmahaJack is a mixed-game hybrid that runs like 5-card Omaha but splits the pot between poker and blackjack. Each player gets five hole cards and must make their best Omaha Hi hand using exactly two of them plus three community cards. The remaining three hole cards are then used as a 3-card blackjack hand, where the goal is to get as close to 21 as possible without busting. The best Omaha hand wins half the pot, the best blackjack hand wins the other half, and if one player wins both halves, they scoop.
At The Festival Weekend Tallinn, the €150 OmahaJack drew 49 entries and generated a €6,052 prize pool. Sweden’s Lena Björn took the title for €2,241, with Finland’s Sami Korpela second for €1,510. Germany’s Marc Gork was third for €910, followed by Anna-Mari Hursti (€610), Evan Way (€450), and Jani Nurmi (€330).
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lena Björn | Sweden | €2,241 |
| 2 | Sami Korpela | Finland | €1,510 |
| 3 |  Marc Gork | Germany | €910 |
| 4 | Anna-Mari Hursti | Finland | €610 |
| 5 |  Evan Way | United States | €450 |
| 6 | Jani Nurmi | Finland | €330 |
Marijus Dirgela Leads Final 26 Players in €555 NLH Main Event Mystery Bounty
| Position | Player | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Marijus Dirgela | Lithuania | 1,089,000 |
| 2 |  Jarrod Coughtrie | Australia | 1,001,000 |
| 3 |  David Marfil | Spain | 957,000 |
| 4 | Hampus Grönström | Sweden | 955,000 |
| 5 | Timo Ruuska | Finland | 759,000 |
| 6 |  Raivo Grislis | Latvia | 672,000 |
| 7 | Johnny Hofseth | Norway | 575,000 |
| 8 |  Larry Loupolover | Bulgaria | 555,000 |
| 9 | Mantas Burba | Lithuania | 550,000 |
| 10 | Markus Vesala | Finland | 415,000 |
| 11 | Jorn Hval | Norway | 348,000 |
| 12 |  Daniel Gumula | Poland | 333,000 |
| 13 | Martin Willborg | Sweden | 328,000 |
| 14 | Ruben Rahumägi | Estonia | 288,000 |
| 15 | Kambiz Kashi | Sweden | 240,000 |
| 16 | Mati Pirn | Estonia | 220,000 |
| 17 | Vladyslava Shestakova | Ukraine | 182,000 |
| 18 | Olli Kalso | Finland | 171,000 |
| 19 | Maria Ling | Sweden | 157,000 |
| 20 | Jan Karlsson | Sweden | 136,000 |
| 21 | Teppo Osaari | Finland | 127,000 |
| 22 | Erik Põlluveer | Estonia | 125,000 |
| 23 | Marek Selgeveer | Estonia | 112,000 |
| 24 | Anton Komissarov | Estonia | 107,000 |
| 25 | Magnus Nilsen | Norway | 101,000 |
| 26 | Ville-Matti Keränen | Finland | 96,000 |
Martin Smith Leads Final 9 in the €1,100 10-Game Mix
| Position | Player | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Martin Smith | United Kingdom | 103,400 |
| 2 | Ilkka Heikkilä | Finland | 97,200 |
| 3 |  Alexander Freund | Austria | 88,800 |
| 4 | William Mawer | United Kingdom | 64,600 |
| 5 | Kjetil Flaaten | Norway | 63,700 |
| 6 | Mika Hällström | Finland | 54,400 |
| 7 | Olli Muukkonen | Finland | 52,100 |
| 8 | Jari Mähönen | Finland | 51,400 |
| 9 | Johnny Johansen | Norway | 24,400 |
The Festival Weekend Tallinn Schedule (July 4)
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 12:00 | Event #2: €555 Main Event (Mystery) Day 2 |
| 12:30 | Event #12: €1,100 10-Game Day 2 (Final Day) |
| 13:00 | Event #15: €350 PLO Dealer’s Choice |
| 14:00 | Event #16: €200 NLH 7-2 Estonia Special (Including INES Rule) |
| 19:00 | Event #17: €150 Slots |
| 21:00 | Event #18: €150 Sviten 49 |
WSOP Circuit Tallinn Just Around the Corner
While The Festival Weekend Tallinn is already delivering plenty of action at Olympic Park Casino, the spotlight will soon shift to one of the biggest highlights of the Baltic poker calendar.
The 2026 WSOP Circuit Tallinn returns from July 23 to August 2, bringing 12 WSOP Circuit ring events and a packed schedule that is expected to attract players from across Europe and beyond. With a mix of marquee tournaments, accessible buy-ins, and strong local turnout, the series continues to cement Tallinn as a key destination on the live poker map.
Many players competing this week are expected to stick around or return later in the month, making The Festival Weekend Tallinn a perfect warm-up for what promises to be another record-breaking WSOP Circuit stop.
- Article originally produced by Jason Glatzer at poker.pro.
- Photos taken by Mairo Toom courtesy of The Festival Series.
