Stenbäck Wins the Mystery Bounty as Iceland Dominates Day 1A of 2026 Coolbet Open Main Event

Wednesday at the 2026 Coolbet Open delivered on every level. Six events completed, six winners crowned, and the €550 NLH Coolbet Open Main Event played its opening flight with a strong 169-entry field, sending 67 survivors into Day 2. The mystery bounty envelopes opened in the morning and the drama they produced set the tone for a day that did not let up. Norway dominated the T.O.R.S.E.S. final table. Finland swept the top four in the Progressive Bounty. Iceland led the Main Event chip counts at the close of Day 1A. And a local legend took the PLO5/PLO5 Hi-Lo. Christoffer Karlén is reporting all the action live at the poker.pro Coolbet Open live reporting hub.

• Read more: Coolbet Open Returns to Tallinn and Olympic Park Casino for Ninth Edition
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• Read more: The Coolbet Open Is Home: Three Winners Crowned and a Massive Mystery Bounty Field on Opening Day
• Read more: poker.pro Coolbet Open 2026 Live Reporting

Simon Stenbäck Wins the Two-Day €350 NLH Mystery Bounty While Karlsen Collects Largest Prize

The two-day €350 NLH Deepstack Mystery Bounty wrapped up Wednesday morning with Finland’s Simon Stenbäck taking the title and €8,884 in prize money from the 303-entry field afger defeating countrymate Julia Kuusijärvi in heads-up play. The event generated €89,234 in total prizes, split between €43,784 in the prize pool and €45,450 in mystery bounties, and produced the most entertaining twist of the week so far.

Norway’s Anders Karlsen did not win the tournament but walked away with more money than anyone. Karlsen finished third for €4,360 in prize money, but pulled several large mystery bounty envelopes throughout Day 2 to collect a total haul of €24,860, the highest single-player collection in the event and the entire festival thus far.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Simon Stenbäck	Finland	€8,884
2nd	Julia Kuusijärvi	Finland	€5,970
3rd	Anders Karlsen	Norway	€4,360
4th	Jari Rättyä	Finland	€3,260
5th	Janis Kähr	Estonia	€2,320
6th	Dmitri Dudakov	Estonia	€1,680
7th	Edgars Hauks	Latvia	€1,320
8th	Simon Hesserud Persson	Sweden	€1,090
9th	Göran Göthlin	Sweden	€930

Alf Jacobsen Wins the €250 T.O.R.S.E.S.: Norwegian Domination

Norway took the top three spots in the €250 T.O.R.S.E.S. and it was not particularly close. Alf Jacobsen won the title for €4,014 from a 56-entry field worth €11,704, beating his compatriot Erik Hamre heads-up. Asle Blomacher completed an all-Norwegian podium in third. Anders Bjorkheim, the 2024 Coolbet Open Main Event champion, also made the final table, finishing seventh.

T.O.R.S.E.S. is a mixed game format rotating through 2-7 Triple Draw, Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better, and Sviten, giving the mixed game community exactly what they come to the Coolbet Open for in a format that rewards breadth of knowledge across multiple disciplines rather than mastery of a single game. The Norwegian players have historically been among the strongest mixed game players at the Coolbet Open, and Wednesday proved the point again.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Alf Jacobsen	Norway	€4,014
2nd	Erik Hamre	Norway	€2,550
3rd	Asle Blomacher	Norway	€1,690
4th	Andres Abakanov	Estonia	€1,230
5th	Jari Mähönen	Finland	€950
6th	Karol Olszewski	Poland	€720
7th	Anders Bjorkheim	Norway	€550

Antti Rantanen Wins the €250 NLH Progressive Bounty

Finland’s Antti Rantanen won the €250 NLH Progressive Bounty for €3,800 plus bounties after a heads-up deal with Norway’s Even Kristiansen, who also collected €3,800 plus bounties despite missing out on the trophy and the massive final bounty.

The event drew 199 entries and produced €41,591 in total prizes, including €21,691 in the prize pool and €19,900 in bounties, making it the largest field of the day’s side events. Finland took the top four spots in the prize pool standings, with Maruen Zormati fourth and Kristiansen’s deal aside, the Finnish dominance of the Progressive Bounty final was total.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Antti Rantanen	Finland	€3,800*
2nd	Even Kristiansen	Norway	€3,800*
3rd	Johan Ekdahl	Sweden	€2,480
4th	Maruen Zormati	Finland	€1,780
5th	Rait Kaimer	Estonia	€1,370
6th	Rasmus Parts	Estonia	€1,070
7th	Mart Rinken	Estonia	€850
8th	Conny Eriksson	Finland	€720
9th	Granit Haziraj	Norway	€611

Henri Käsper Wins the €200 PLO5/PLO5 Hi-Lo

When Estonia’s Henri Käsper sits down at a poker table, the rest of the field notices. Käsper has accumulated over $1.6 million in recorded live tournament earnings, according to The Hendon Mob, making him one of the most decorated live poker players Estonia has ever produced.

He sits on the board of the Estonian Tournament Poker Federation. He is a multiple Estonian poker champion. He has been a presence at the Coolbet Open going back to its earliest editions and knows this venue better than almost anyone in the field. On Wednesday he added another title to a resume that needs no further padding, winning the €200 PLO5/PLO5 Hi-Lo from a 71-entry field for €3,436, defeating Sweden’s Göran Göthlin heads-up. Göthlin, who had led the Mystery Bounty field overnight, had to settle for runner-up here.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Henri Käsper	Estonia	€3,436
2nd	Göran Göthlin	Sweden	€2,290
3rd	Janne Johansson	Finland	€1,610
4th	Ville Salmi	Finland	€1,170
5th	Andreas Backlund	Finland	€860
6th	Stein Pedersen	Norway	€700
7th	Mika Hautakangas	Sweden	€570
8th	Tommi Verkasalo	Finland	€460
9th	Joni Nenonen	Finland	€370

Alger Pissarev Wins the €350 NLH Deepstack

Estonia’s Alger Pissarev won the €350 NLH Deepstack from an 85-entry field for €7,342, defeating Finland’s Markus Kärpijoki heads-up. Erik Põlluveer, who has been one of Estonia’s more active tournament players throughout the Coolbet Open so far, finished third for €3,300. Three Norwegians in the top ten and Iceland’s Jon Thorvaldsson making the final table added to the international flavor of the result.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Alger Pissarev	Estonia	€7,342
2nd	Markus Kärpijoki	Finland	€4,780
3rd	Erik Põlluveer	Estonia	€3,300
4th	Pal Koppegodt	Norway	€2,400
5th	Pekka Ikonen	Finland	€1,780
6th	Joni Tielinen	Finland	€1,340
7th	Kristian Dahl	Norway	€1,100
8th	Vesa Salo	Finland	€910
9th	Joonas Helin	Finland	€760
10th	Nils Overtun	Norway	€660
11th	Jon Thorvaldsson	Iceland	€660

Lukas Kasparavicius Wins Jevakim’s Hyper Turbo

The late-night €200 NLH Hyper Turbo is named after Ylva “Jevakim” Thorsrud, Norway’s Coolbet poker streamer and one of the most beloved figures in the Coolbet Open community. Thorsrud built her Jevakim persona streaming low and mid-stakes poker on Coolbet for years, building a loyal following of Norwegian players and turning her Tuesday and Friday home game streams into genuine events.

She finished third in the 2023 Coolbet Open Main Event and made the final table in 2022, proving that the streamer who built the community can also beat it. The hyper turbo that carries her name has become one of the most popular late-night events on the Coolbet schedule. Lithuania’s Lukas Kasparavicius won Wednesday’s edition from a 101-entry field for €4,331, defeating Finland’s Daniel Rantanen heads-up.

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1st	Lukas Kasparavicius	Lithuania	€4,331
2nd	Daniel Rantanen	Finland	€3,010
3rd	Joonas Salo	Finland	€2,060
4th	Kert Hallik	Estonia	€1,500
5th	Knut Gronli	Norway	€1,150
6th	Jani Rainela	Finland	€930
7th	Markus Volk	Finland	€750
8th	Jari Hurri	Finland	€600
9th	Gunnar Leifsson	Iceland	€480

Iceland Leads Main Event Day 1A: Borgarsson Bags Chip Lead

The €550 NLH Coolbet Open Main Event opened its first starting flight on Wednesday and delivered the kind of Day 1A that sets up a festival. A total of 169 entries added €80,275 to what will become the Main Event prize pool, with 67 players surviving to Day 2. Iceland finished the day with the top two chip stacks, a remarkable result that underlines just how strong the Icelandic contingent has been historically at the Coolbet Open.

Baldvin Borgarsson of Iceland bags the overnight chip lead with 179,000 (119 big blinds), just ahead of compatriot Jon Thorvaldsson with 173,700. Thorvaldsson also cashed in the €350 NLH Deepstack on the same day, making him one of the busiest players in Tallinn this week. Georgia’s Sergi Kapanadze is third with 157,000. Finland’s Andreas Backlund, who also cashed in the PLO5/PLO5 Hi-Lo, sits fourth with 150,100. Estonia’s Steven Tool rounds out the top five with 143,000.

Four Icelandic players in the top seven on Day 1A is not a coincidence. Iceland has sent one of its strongest ever Coolbet Open contingents to Tallinn and the results are showing across every event. Notable survivors include Lithuania’s Daiva Byrne, who was here with her FLIP community at the Queens of Tallinn in 15th with 100,500, Denmark’s Denise Fodor in 24th with 89,300, and Estonia’s Alger Pissarev in 40th with 60,700, making it a big day for the NLH Deepstack winner. All 67 survivors return for Day 2 on Friday, with Day 1B firing Thursday at 12:00 and Day 1C Thursday evening at 19:30. Follow every elimination and chip count live at poker.pro.

Position	Player	Country	Chips	BBs
1	Baldvin Borgarsson	Iceland	179,000	119
2	Jon Thorvaldsson	Iceland	173,700	115
3	Sergi Kapanadze	Georgia	157,000	104
4	Andreas Backlund	Finland	150,100	100
5	Steven Tool	Estonia	143,000	95
6	Skuli Sigfusson	Iceland	141,200	94
7	Sigurdur Fridriksson	Iceland	140,100	93
8	Markus Volk	Finland	118,900	79
9	Benny Hagberg	Sweden	118,400	78
10	Lukas Kasparavicius	Lithuania	114,200	76
11	Igor Pihela	Estonia	111,400	74
12	Pal Koppegodt	Norway	104,300	69
13	Jarmo Salonen	Finland	103,900	69
14	Kert Hallik	Estonia	102,900	68
15	Daiva Byrne	Lithuania	100,500	67
16	Magnus Pukk	Estonia	100,000	66
17	Halldor Sverrisson	Iceland	99,500	66
18	Petter Berg	Norway	97,700	65
19	Alessandro Barone	Canada	96,900	64
20	Timo Rantamäki	Finland	95,500	63
21	Konstantin Färber	Germany	95,000	63
22	Daniel Rantanen	Finland	93,900	62
23	Erik Põlluveer	Estonia	93,200	62
24	Denise Fodor	Denmark	89,300	59
25	Thomas Jakobsen	Norway	89,300	59
26	Olaf Larssen	Norway	85,800	57
27	Jari Hurri	Finland	82,300	54
28	Erlend Nilsen	Norway	79,900	53
29	Ville-Matti Keränen	Finland	77,600	51
30	Sindre Roenquist	Norway	77,600	51
31	Andrei Mjagkov	Estonia	72,800	48
32	Jere Laitinen	Finland	72,000	48
33	Lauri Laast	Estonia	71,800	47
34	Robert Kallikorm	Estonia	69,200	46
35	Raivo Grislis	Latvia	66,800	44
36	Tarmo Tammel	Estonia	64,000	42
37	Joni Nenonen	Finland	63,100	42
38	Mounir Tajiou	Sweden	61,400	40
39	Timo Koivusalo	Finland	60,800	40
40	Alger Pissarev	Estonia	60,700	40
41	Tarvi Apsolon	Estonia	57,700	38
42	Orjan Johnsen	Norway	56,000	37
43	Markus Huiskonen	Finland	55,100	36
44	Kjetil Hanstvedt	Norway	53,800	35
45	Lluis Murcia Grano	Spain	53,000	35
46	Mar Wardum	Iceland	51,900	34
47	Egidijus Matonis	Lithuania	51,400	34
48	Ingi Hallgrimsson	Iceland	51,100	34
49	Johan Storakers	Sweden	50,100	33
50	Christian Arstad	Norway	49,300	32
51	Stein Pedersen	Norway	49,300	32
52	Kristjan Arsaelsson	Iceland	48,300	32
53	Jonatan Wedde	Norway	44,800	29
54	Petter Richardsen	Norway	41,400	27
55	Yngve Lommerud	Norway	38,800	25
56	Hannes Gudmundsson	Iceland	38,500	25
57	Joakim Fjar	Norway	38,400	25
58	Daniel Axelsson	Iceland	37,700	25
59	Andrew Paterson	Canada	36,200	24
60	Martin Zobel	Germany	36,000	24
61	Frode Toft	Norway	33,000	22
62	Sigurdur Thengilsson	Iceland	32,200	21
63	Patrick Lunderbye	Norway	29,800	19
64	Alejandro Fernandez Ruiz	Spain	29,000	19
65	Maksim Petrov	Estonia	22,200	14
66	Elisabeth Harestad	Norway	13,600	9
67	Lisbeth Sunde	Norway	11,400	7

Thursday at the 2026 Coolbet Open

Thursday is another full day of action at Olympic Park Casino and the Hilton Tallinn Park. The two remaining Main Event starting flights fire on Thursday, meaning the full Day 2 field takes shape by the end of the evening. Day 1B starts at 12:00, Day 1C at 19:30. Cash games are running 24 hours a day on the casino floor for anyone who wants to keep playing between tournament sessions. The €250 PLO4/5 Progressive Bounty fires at 14:00, the €200 NLH at 16:00, and the €200 Five-Card Mix at 19:00. Leffern’s Hyper Turbo closes the night at 20:00, another named event from the Coolbet community, with a €150 satellite to the €1,100 NLH at 22:00 for anyone with DeepStack ambitions.

All results, chip counts, and live updates at poker.pro and on the Coolbet Open social media channels.

• Images courtesy of Elena Kask / Coolbet Open
• Article originally produced at poker.pro.