PHOTO: Kings of Tallinn - All Eyes on the Finale, Main Event Surpasses Million-Euro Guarantee

Mission Million Accomplished

The highlight of the Kings of Tallinn series is traditionally the €1,100 Main Event with a guarantee of €1,000,000, aiming to follow last year's historic numbers (1,181 entries and a prize pool of €1,098,330). This year, the magical thousand entries have been surpassed, though last year's record remains unbroken – the count stopped at 1,033 entries.

The million mark was successfully breached, and as Day 2 played into the money, today 135 fortunate players will be back in action, all guaranteed financial rewards. The last unlucky player of this tournament was Athanasios Kostouros, who had a promising shot at a double-up with A Q against Rautits with A 9, but a nine on the board changed everything, resulting in applause across the tournament room.

Top 10 Stacks for Day 3:

Crane and Muhajevs Triumph in PLO Events

The packed schedule at KoT also delivered a solid dose of PLO, where two names stole the spotlight: Sebastian Crane and Einars Muhajevs. Crane arrived from the United Kingdom and on the two-day €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 Championship played as if he casually walked into an “open tournament” – but his result seemed like a calculated mission for the trophy. The 139-entry field created a prize pool of €129,270, and upon reaching the final table, Crane steadily cleared his path to a heads-up with Fabian Bartuschk.

Bartuschk was no mere bystander – he was hunting for a second title at the festival and another for his OlyBet collection. However, Crane halted his plans right in front of the cameras. After a prolonged finale, Crane held firm, secured his run, and snagged the victory along with €32,070. Bartuschk took home €20,940, further solidifying his reputation as one of the toughest competitors in northern Europe.

Final Table Results:

While Crane wrapped up his event with a winner’s smile, the focal point smoothly shifted to the one-day €3,000 PLO4/PLO5 High Roller. Here, local energy took over as Latvian Einars Muhajevs took control of the final table, ensuring that this evening belonged to him. The tournament recorded 32 entries, and Muhajevs maintained a strong edge with five players remaining, sealing the deal in the heads-up. The €34,070 victory stayed in the Baltic, while Rössel turned a €150 satellite entry into a spectacular €23,850 second-place finish.

Final Table Results:

Friberg Returns to Form in €5k High Roller

While “Omaha Day” belonged to Crane and Muhajevs, the festival’s most expensive event was the €5,000 NLH High Roller. Attracting 46 entries and boasting a prize pool of €209,760, it became a magnet for the biggest names of the festival. And within such a field, Erik Friberg rose to the top – the Swede who shocked the world back in 2006 at the WSOP Main Event, once again showed he knows how to claim a title when the opportunity arises.

The final table boasted an international flair, with a storyline writing itself: each of the last six represented a different country. The turning point came when the lineup broke, and Friberg reached heads-up against Alexis Lucarini. The Frenchman fought, but Friberg managed crucial moments, won decisive pots, and took home the trophy and the top prize of €71,700. Lucarini claimed €47,100, with Kasparas Klezys rounding out the podium for €33,060.

Final Table Results:

Franke on Fire: Another Trophy for the Collection

One more side event result worth noting: Martin “Franke” von Zweigbergk continued his streak of successes, adding another win at the Kings of Tallinn following his recent hit at the OlyBet events. This time, he conquered the €200 PL Sviten/PLO5 and won €4,550.

Final Table Results:

Detailed live reports, stories, and photos from this event can be found on our partner Poker.Pro's website here