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Petter Berg Crowned Champion of Record-Breaking Coolbet Open Main Event
After three years spent at different venues, the Coolbet Open returned to where it all began in 2018, the Olympic Park Casino in Hilton Tallinn Park. To say they were welcomed back with open arms would be an understatement.
The flagship €550 Main Event crushed all records by attracting 753 enties, creating a €357,675 prize pool. However, after three beautiful days of poker, only one player was left standing: Norway's Petter Berg.
The newly crowned champion was awarded €65,415 for his triumph, marking Berg's first-ever Coolbet Open cash. A grinder very much respected by his peers, Berg's trophy cabinet was already filled with memorabilia from victories in all sorts of poker disciplines, including a Norwegian Heads-Up Championship. It was thus no surprise that Berg defeated Sergi Kapanadze, a former member of the Georgian parliament, after a brief duel. Kapanadze earned €43,060 for his runner-up performance, by far his largest-ever score.
As for his winner's interview, Berg kept it short and simple. "It's always good to finish first," he told the Coolbet team after the 13-hour day had culminated in his victory.
2026 Coolbet Open Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petter Berg | Norway | €65,415 |
| 2 | Sergi Kapanadze | Georgia | €43,060 |
| 3 | Kenneth Olaisen | Norway | €30,750 |
| 4 | Tomi Bondarew | Finland | €23,080 |
| 5 | Rene Lazaro | Spain | €17,670 |
| 6 | Tomas Bulksas | Lithuania | €13,580 |
| 7 | Jarno Jokiniemi | Finland | €10,620 |
| 8 | Roar Wang | Norway | €7,990 |
| 9 | Jon Thorvaldsson | Iceland | €6,080 |
Berg Blooms During Early Stages
Berg started the final day just outside of the top ten, but he quickly began contending for the chip lead spots. After over half of the 54 players who started Day 3 were eliminated in the first three levels, Berg entered the first break as third in chips and conquered the lead for the first time soon after, when two tables remained.
After a big clash with Oystein Stai resulted in the latter's elimination in 12th place for €4,020, Berg possessed one-fifth of the chips in play. Defending champion Guillermo Gordo, was then knocked out in 11th place for €4,820 by Kapanadze, narrowly missing out on back-to-back final tables. The Georgian burst the final table not much later by sending Atte Franssila home in 10th, also for €4,820.
A Three-Outer to Remember
Berg and Kapanadze were the dominant chipleaders when the final table began, but it was Kapanadze who seemed to be running away with it. Responsible for the eliminations of Roar Wang, Jarno Jokiniemi, and Rene Lazaro, Kapanadze found himself with nearly half the chips in play with four players left. Meanwhile, Berg doubled up a few players and was soon left as the short stack.
When Berg had about ten big blinds remaining, he got in king-nine against Tomi Bondarew's ace-nine. However, Berg flopped a vital king, doubling him up. He regained a decent position at the table and, not much later, knocked out Bondarew as well as third-place finisher Kenneth Olaisen, allowing Berg to start the heads-up with nearly a three-to-one chip advantage.
The following heads-up battle turned out to be a short affair. At first, Kapanadze appeared to be making a comeback. But after a runner-runner miracle and Berg catching his opponent on a big bluff, Kapanadze was left with just nine big blinds. Berg found himself slightly ahead in the final preflop confrontation, and the best hand held to secure Berg the 2026 Coolbet Open Victory.
A large Norwegian rail had gathered at the final table, and they erupted in cheers and applause once the final card had been dealt. Berg was swarmed on stage by his friends, and after a quick photoshoot, he headed off into the Estonian night with them to commence the celebrations.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the 2026 Coolbet Open. Plans for the 2027 edition are already in the works, but in the meantime, make sure to check out our live coverage hub for poker action from around the globe.