First Break
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
Players are now on their first 15-minute break of the day. During the break, PokerNews plans to interview Rauno Tahvonen on Facebook Live about his experiences at the Kings of Tallinn.
2018 OlyBet Kings of Tallinn
€1,100 Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2018 OlyBet Kings of Tallinn
Buy-in
€1,100
Prize Pool
€254,600
Entries
268
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000
Who Needs a Team?
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
All non-satellite tournaments at the Kings of Tallinn award points for a team leaderboard. These tournaments each have two percent removed from the prize pool. Last year the winning team won around €16,000.
Kings of Tallinn Tournament co-founder Teresa Nousiainen just made an announcement for players to see her during the first break if they need help forming a team.
Queens of Hearts Wild on Valentine's Day
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
The Kings of Tallinn features many unique events but one specifically designed for Feb. 14 may take the cake.
The Kings of Tallinn Event #16: €110 Valentine's Day Special takes place at 7 p.m. Players will start with 5,000 in chips with 15 minute blind levels and the action in no-limit hold'em.
So far this might sound a bit standard. However, the event lives up to its title with the queen of hearts being a wild card. This will create an interesting dynamic as a player having it in their hand will have a monster right away and whenever it hits the board it gives every player a little bit of something. The game will also alter how players look at ranging their opponents and the timing of firing out bluffs.
Kings of Tallinn organizers have also promised a special prize added to the first place prize for the winner of this unique Valentine's Day themed event.
Jaanus Veste Jacks are Good
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
The action began with the player under the gun raising to 300 before Rauno Tahvonen from one seat over three-bet to 900. Jaanus Veste in the next seat called and everyone else at the table folded.
Tahvonen though for a minute after the flop came 
before he fired out a bet for 800. Veste was the next to think for a minute before he raised the action to 2,200. Tahvonen went into the tank again before he eventually folded.
Veste showed the table he held 
for an overpair and Tahvonen gave a smile and looked relieved the damage wasn't worse.
Janar Kokk is also at the same table as this duo with all three players at around the starting stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
33,000 | |
|
31,000 | 1,000 |
|
30,000 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Juha Helppi Hopes to Bum Hunt Ville Wahlbeck
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
Finnish poker superstar Juha Helppi, who has more than $7.1 million in live tournament cashes, has just taken his seat and is relaxing with an early massage.
Before the event started, he shared with Kings of Tallinn organizers that his plan in the event was "bum-hunting Ville Wahlbeck.”
Wahlbeck has yet to take his seat but is expected to join the action today and it will be an interesting dynamic if the duo are on the same table during the event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
Estonian Jesus Moves From Commentating Booth to the Felt
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
In 2016, Estonia's Rauno Tahvonen commentated the final table for the Kings of Tallinn Main Event. Last year, he missed the event entirely and was dubbed "Estonian Jesus" after his first big live tournament final table appearance at the Unibet Open London.
This year, Tahvonen is hoping to make a bigger name for himself in his home country by winning the Kings of Tallinn Main Event where a victory would more than double his career live tournament poker earnings. He shared his festival is off to a slow start after firing a couple of bullets in the €550 NLHE side event yesterday and failing to bag chips for Day 2 which begins at 8 p.m. today.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
Veli-Pekka Alakorva Fires Bullet #2
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
Veli-Pekka Alakorva has the honor of being the first player eliminated after scattering his chips around the table to a variety of his opponents.
The Finn opted the re-enter and his second bullet thus far is going a bit better and just won his biggest pot of the day.
Alakorva started the hand with a little more than a starting stack. With a pile of chips already in the pot, Alakorva check-called a bet of 1,000 from his opponent on a 
flop.
He turned up the gas and check-raised from 1,500 to 4,000 when the 
appeared on the turn. Alakorva's opponent thought about it for a minute before he called.
Alakorva then fired out for 8,000 after the 
completed the board on the river. His opponent went into the tank for about four minutes and seemed to be frustrated by the bet. After a little mumbling, Alakorva's opponent folded.
Alakorva then showed the table he didn't bet with air and turned over the 
for all players to see.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
38,000 | 8,000 |
Aki Pyysing and Tero Kilkanen in the Field
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
The field has slightly grown in the first few minutes to nearly 100 players. Among the players in their seats are Pokeritieto co-founders Aki Taisto Olavi Pyyssing and Tero Petteri Kilkanen.
Other players getting involved in early action include Janar Kokk, Mati Pern and Veli-Pekka Alakorva.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
Update Your Own Chip Count Using the PokerNews My Stack App!
Level 2
: 50/100, 0 ante
PokerNews has activated the MyStack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone.
You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.
Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.