The second major event in the series, The Festival, that took place in Tallinn, Estonia, has become a historic milestone. After an exhilarating week filled with nearly 40 events, the festival concluded with a plethora of winners, boundless amusement, and a treasure trove of captivating tales to share.
The winners of The Festival in Tallinn.
With 552 participants, the Main Event proved to be a resounding triumph, and it was the Norwegian Eirik Kristiansen who emerged as the ultimate victor of The Festival. He secured the Main Event title and pocketed over €56,000 in winnings. In a swift yet fierce battle, he emerged triumphant against the seasoned Finnish poker veteran, Jari Mähönen, in the final heads-up showdown of the Main Event.
However, Kristiansen was not the only big winner during the week-long series, as daily parallel events, cash games, casino tournaments, and sports betting competitions accompanied the Main Event.
Koen Ross from the Netherlands emerged as the first victor of the week by winning the Opening Knock-Out Tournament. The Finnish mixed games expert, Erno Suiminen, triumphed in the 8-game tournament, while Frode Fagerli from Casino Friday claimed victory in the Acroud Charity Event. Martin "Franke" von Zweigbergk, the series founder, showcased his skills and emerged victorious in the Open Face Chinese High Roller, whereas Kalle Ly from Sweden secured the title in the PokerListings Deep Stack tournament. The week's final winner was Teeranan Chuennirun from Finland, who clinched the coveted crown in the Festival Queens event. Many other players also tasted success.
Palokangas and Kotelnikov emerge victorious in the Roulette and Blackjack tournaments.
At Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn, poker was not the sole game on offer. The casino also hosted two major tournaments - the Blackjack Tournament and the Roulette Tournament. These events collectively awarded over €10,000 in cash prizes. While Mats Palokangas emerged victorious in the Roulette Tournament, Marek Kotelnikov triumphed in the Blackjack Event.
Andreas Höglund wins the sports betting competition.
The Sports Betting Tournament organized by Gambling Cabin at The Festival in Tallinn featured two distinct buy-in levels: the €30 Low Roller and the €250 Main Event. Upon registration, participants were tasked with predicting various sporting outcomes on play.thefestival.com, including Wimbledon Tennis, Formula 1 Qualification, Allsvenskan football, and a plethora of last-minute bets on the Poker Main Event.
Andreas "Wiseguy" Höglund emerged as the champion of the Main Event, taking on the role of daily redemption moderator. He clinched the title, finishing just ahead of the determined qualifier TTT.
Andreas Höglund expressed his feelings about the outcome, stating, "It was a nail-biter towards the end, and it was only when Sascha Manns eliminated the Poker Main Event in 9th place today that I secured the victory. If I had been up against Kristoffer Winterstein, I would have lost. So, a big thank you to Kristoffer!"
Many winners
In the lead-up to the event, numerous satellites were produced by the partners, with many specifically designed for the Main Event and others for the casino events. Thanks to these partnerships, players had the opportunity to qualify for the Festival in Tallinn through low-cost online options, enabling them to secure seats and complete packages.
Toivo Ojasoo, one of the finalists, secured his spot at the Main Event table through Coolbet, while the triumphant victor, Eirik Kristiansen, earned his qualification via Casino Friday.
Other skilled players who had a deep run in the Main Event included Oleksandra Shenderei, who qualified through WPT Global, Peder Behr, the winner of the Unibet package, Johan Palokangas, who qualified via Paf, and Meelis Ahman, who earned his package at OlyBet.
Sixteen out of the seventy-one Main Event players qualified through one of the online partners.
Gregory Partridge, who finished in 8th place at the final table, emerged victorious in the Luxon Pay Last Longer wager. Starting the main event with Luxon Pay, he outlasted all other Luxon Pay players. As a result of winning this wager, he successfully recouped his initial buy-in.
Festivities and activities beyond the dining tables
The Series Festival is not only about poker games and casinos. It's also about having a great time with your friends. In Tallinn, there were plenty of side activities outside the tables, including parties, beer tasting tours, and a guided tour of the medieval city of Tallinn. Take a look at the video below to get a glimpse of the beer tour experience:
Next stops
With The Festival in Tallinn concluded, the next event is just a few hours away. For the first time ever, The Festival is taking place in the online version. Our digital partner 888poker is organizing The Festival Online Powered by 888poker, and this tournament kicks off on July 7th. Over 20 events of The Festival Online will take place on 888poker until August 1st, with a total guarantee of $750,000. Every Sunday, the series will feature a $215 Main Event with $100,000 guaranteed and a $525 High Roller with $40,000 guaranteed. On the final weekend of the series, the Main Event will guarantee $150,000 and last for multiple days.
Stay tuned for more updates on The Festival Series. In addition to the online tables, the upcoming live edition of The Festival will take place in Bratislava, Slovakia. From October 10th to 16th, the event returns to Banco Casino, this time with a $500,000 guarantee. Acroud, the company behind the event, is delighted to welcome everyone back to The Festival in Bratislava, the city where this festival series began in 2021.
For more information about the event, please visit the official website.
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