Pocket Aces Propel Poker Player to Main Event Title in Northern Europe

OlyBet Poker continues to strengthen its footprint throughout Northern Europe in 2026, with one other profitable competition now within the books.

The operator, extensively thought to be the dwell poker hub of the Baltics, has wrapped up its inaugural OlyBet Showdown Tallinn, which featured a 43-event schedule that included 29 dwell tournaments alongside on-line occasions and satellites. Practically 2,000 entries had been recorded at Olympic Park On line casino in Tallinn, Estonia, with €596,867 paid out throughout the competition, together with €146,920 in first-place prizes (excluding progressive bounty totals).

The most important slice of that prize pool went to Andreas Backlund, who captured the €1,100 NLH Tallinn Showdown Important Occasion title for €37,148 following a heads-up deal. It wasn’t Backlund’s solely victory of the collection, both, because the Finnish poker participant additionally topped the €350 NLH Progressive Bounty for €1,667 (excluding bounties) to complete among the many competition’s standout performers.

Backlund wasn’t alone in filling the trophy cupboard. A number of gamers loved a number of victories throughout the collection, with Krzysztof Budka main the best way with three titles, whereas Alger Pissarev, Vidar Assersen, and Marcis Zeltmatis every secured two wins in the course of the competition.

OlyBet Showdown Tallinn Full Outcomes

Aces Assist Backlund Pull Off Heads-Up Comeback

Backlund wasn’t the identify most individuals anticipated to see lifting the trophy on the €1,100 Tallinn Showdown Important Occasion, however that’s precisely how this one ended.

Coming into the competition, the Finnish participant had simply $14,791 in whole dwell earnings, with a earlier greatest rating of $5,477 from a Pot-Restrict Omaha win on the 2025 Kings of Tallinn, however nothing that hinted at a Important Occasion title price €37,148.

The €1,100 Important Occasion drew 210 entries, constructing a €199,500 prize pool, and by the point the ultimate day rolled round, Backlund had already labored himself into competition. In keeping with reporting from poker.professional, he started the day close to the highest of the counts, sitting third behind Finland’s Kyösti Isberg, who led the ultimate 17 gamers into Day 3.

Quick stacks began falling because the day wore on. Albert Ostrovskij had been hanging on for a lot of the session earlier than lastly working out of chips in tenth place to arrange the ultimate desk.

The center phases noticed Helge Bjorlow, Egidijus Matonis, and Janis Apinis had been subsequent to be despatched to the payout desk. The tempo of play took a downturn however Kristoffer Winterstein ultimately bowed out in fifth. Mateusz Dabkowski adopted in fourth, and Henrik Jeppsson hit the rail in third, leaving Isberg and Backlund alone to determine the title.

Isberg held the lead going into heads-up play, however Backland managed to remain in competition with the duo coming to an settlement. The ultimate two agreed to a deal that assured €34,148 every, leaving €3,000 and the trophy nonetheless up for grabs.

Backlund picked up pocket aces, and in contrast to what we’ve seen so usually recently, the premium hand truly held when it mattered most.

Massive pairs haven’t had a lot luck in current headline occasions. On the WSOP Europe Important Occasion not way back, Marius Kudzmanas cracked kings on the ultimate hand to win the title. However in Tallinn, Backlund’s aces held out towards ace-ten on a J-T-4 flop, giving him a double for the lead.

With Isberg left quick, the ultimate blow got here quickly after as Backlund’s ten-nine bested ace-nine to shut issues out and safe the most important win of his profession.

Closing Desk Outcomes

Calum has been part of the PokerNews workforce since September 2021 after working within the UK vitality sector. He performed his first hand of poker in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the sport.

Calum has written for numerous poker shops however discovered his dwelling at PokerNews, the place he has contributed to numerous articles and dwell updates, offering insights and reporting on main poker occasions, together with the World Sequence of Poker (WSOP).