Following the return of return of Martin ‘Franke’ von Zweigbergk and mixed games in Tallinn earlier this year, The Festival Weekend is heading once again to Tallinn, Estonia, for a cool Sviten Special Edition from July 16 to 20, spotlighting the game that is so popular among the Nordics.
While No Limit Hold’em will still see action throughout the event, Sviten Special — the unique Swedish hybrid of Five Card Draw and Pot-Limit Omaha — takes centre stage for the entire Festival Weekend.
The four-day poker celebration promises a packed schedule, a €10,000 guaranteed Main Event, satellites galore, and added-value tickets and travel packages to future Sviten Special events during The Festival Series Malta (September 15-21). And for those unfamiliar with the game that’s been turning heads across Europe and even in the U.S. (where it’s called “Drawmaha”), there’s no better time to get to learn epicness!
What is Sviten Special? A Nordic Invention Making Waves
Invented in 2004 by Swedish poker player Anders “Bengan” Bengtsson at a Stockholm poker club named The Sviten Club, Sviten Special merges the strategic depth of Omaha with the draw element of Five Card Draw, creating a game that rewards creativity, timing, and adaptability.
The game has since gained popularity across Scandinavia and Central Europe, largely thanks to Martin ‘Franke’ von Zweigbergk and his events such as Pokerfinnkampen, Cash Game Festival and The Festival Series. In the United States, a variation of it is known as Drawmaha, though it is often played with a limit betting structure, unlike the Pot-Limit Omaha format used in Europe. ‘Franke’ has been promoting mixed games anywhere he goes, doesn’t matter the time or day, it was even spread in a poker media company’s Vancouver office as well as in Las Vegas throughout all of WSOP 2010.
Gameplay Summary:
- Players receive five hole cards.
- After the flop, players may draw 1-5 cards (with a unique twist: drawing one card means it’s dealt face up and can be swapped once).
- The game uses community cards, much like Omaha.
- It’s a split pot: one half to the best Five Card Draw hand, the other to the best Omaha hand (using exactly two hole cards and three board cards).
Bengtsson himself offered insights into the game in a recent interview with The Festival: “Most Omaha players lose chips by focusing too much on their board hand. In Sviten, your Draw hand should be your priority,” he said, highlighting the game’s subtle strategic demands.
The Festival Tallinn Schedule: July 16–20
Here’s a full breakdown of what to expect at this summer’s most unique poker festival stop:
Wednesday, July 16:
- The Festival Wednesday Battle – €35 NLHE | 6:30 p.m.
- 20,000 starting stack, 8 levels of late reg (25-min levels).
- €500 GTD prize pool + €350 Sviten ticket to Malta.
- Free Buy-in Satellite – 8:30 p.m.
- 10x €100 Sviten Main Event seats available.
Thursday, July 17:
- Sviten Special Opener – €50 | 6:30 p.m.
- 30,000 chips, 25-min levels, €2,000 prize pool + €350 Malta ticket.
- €10 Satellite to Sviten Main Event – 9:00 p.m.
- 10x €100 tickets GTD, 15k stack, 15-min levels.
Friday, July 18:
- Sviten Special Main Event – €100 | 6:30 p.m.
- €10,000 prize pool + €1,600 Malta package to the winner.
- 25-min levels, 8 levels of late reg.
- Satellite to Sviten High Roller – €20 | 8:30 p.m.
- 5x €250 tickets GTD, 15-min levels.
- Friday Midnight Madness (NLHE) – €20 | 10:00 p.m.
- €1,000 GTD + €350 Malta ticket.
Saturday, July 19:
- Day 2 of the Sviten Special Main Event – 1:30 p.m.
- Levels increase to 30 minutes.
- Sviten Special High Roller – €250 | 2:00 p.m.
- €7,500 GTD + €1,600 Malta package to the winner.
- Saturday Midnight Madness (NLHE) – €20 | 10:00 p.m.
- Same structure and prize as Friday’s edition.
How to Qualify Online
For players still hoping to lock in a seat, weekly online satellites are live on Betsson, Guts, Betsafe, and Nordicbet:
ONLINE SATELITE on Thursday 17th of July 20:00 CET buy-in €20 and GTD 2x €250 High Roller Seats
€1,000 Welcome Bonus
Sign-up for the best Guts Poker deal!
A Community Game with a Cult Following
The Festival Series has long been a champion of mixed games, and the Tallinn Sviten Special Edition is a testament to that mission. With its ever-growing popularity and a warm, communal atmosphere at every stop, the series continues to attract both pros and recreational players looking for something beyond Hold’em.
It does not matter the age, gender, or experience- everyone is able to participate. And there are tournaments for everyone, mixed games, Hold’em, Cash games, everything!
“We’re beyond excited to bring the Sviten spotlight to Tallinn,” said Festival Series Social Media and Content Manager Melvin Schroen. “The passion for this game across the Baltics and Nordics is unmatched — and now it’s spreading globally. Mainly thanks to that big farmer from Sweden called Franke!”
See you in Tallinn, July 16–20!
