€3,500 Legends of the Game
Day 2 Completed
2025 No Filter Nordic & Baltic Championship Open
€3,500 Legends of the Game
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 No Filter Nordic & Baltic Championship Open
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
€3,500
Prize Pool
€323,301
Entries
101
Level
26
Blinds
50,000 / 125,000
Ante
125,000
Entries
13
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 101
Filter
Level 26
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
After a quick-fire five-hour final day, Mikko Ylamaki of Finland has emerged victorious in the €3,500 No Limit Hold'em No Filter Legends of the Game event at the 2025 No Filter Poker Series Nordic & Baltic Championship Open.
Ylamaki was the last player standing in a high-quality field of 101 entrants, creating a €323,301 prize pool, which included current world champion Michael Mizrachi and poker legend Scotty Nguyen, both Hall of Famers, along with two-time bracelet winner Juha Helppi.
Ylamaki overcame a heads-up deficit to defeat fellow countryman Pasi Sormunen following a deal between the final two combatants, with Ylamaki taking the trophy and the sum of €76,657, while Sormunen must console himself with the runner-up prize of €68,393.
The result represents a new career-best cash for Ylamaki, primarily a PLO player, overtaking his €57,860 score for victory in a €550 buy-in event at the 2024 Kings of Tallinn festival here at Olympic Park Casino. (All figures courtesy of The Hendon Mob).
€3,500 No Limit Hold'em No Filter Legends of the Game Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mikko Ylamaki | Finland | €76,657* |
| 2 | Pasi Sormunen | Finland | €68,393* |
| 3 | Tommi Lankinen | Finland | €40,850 |
| 4 | Pasi Laihinen | Finland | €29,850 |
| 5 | Antti Maki-Franti | Finland | €22,850 |
| 6 | Duncan Horst | United States | €18,450 |
| 7 | Mathias Siljander | Finland | €14,850 |
| 8 | Roope Tarmi | Finland | €11,950 |
| 9 | Guillermo Gordo | Spain | €9,450 |
(*Denotes Heads-Up Deal)
Winner's Reaction
Ylamaki was delighted with the win, and slightly shocked at overcoming such a stellar field.
"I feel great, it's my biggest score and to be honest I feel a little bit confused still, it hasn't sunk in. It's always nice to win a tournament, the money is nice of course, but to beat a field with world champions and bracelet winners is really special."
Ylamaki modestly described himself as a "fun" player when asked whether the result would have any impact on his future poker plans, and confirmed "when I play, 95% of the time its PLO. I'll be jumping into the tournaments here for the rest of the week, maybe straight in today to the PLO 5k, we'll see."
Ylamaki concluded "Thank you to Mounir and No Filter, its a fantastic event. It was amazing to meet and play with great champions and all the legends, so for sure big memories made today."
Ylamaki's Road to Glory
Only 13 players returned for the final day, all of whom were guaranteed a minimum cash of €7,050, and Sormunen started the day as chip leader, while Ylamaki was near the bottom of the standings in ninth. It didn't take long for the first casualty of the day to arise, as short-stack Lars Brodin ran into the queens of Tommi Lankinen.
Ylamaki got moving early, securing a double-up against Felix Seelentag despite being behind preflop. He quickly powered to the top of the standings when he was on the right end of a flopped flush over flopped flush scenario against Sormunen, Ylamaki holding the nuts.
After Rusen Yilmaz and Seelentag busted in eleventh and tenth respectively, the final table of nine was set, with Ylamaki coming in with the chip lead, followed by Lankinen.
Short-stack Guillermo Gordo busted in the first hand to all-singing, all-dancing American Duncan Horst, and Roope Tarmi and Mathias Siljander quickly followed suit, both exiting to Sormunen. Horst's run came to an end in sixth when he ran ace-king into Lankinen's pocket kings.
Ylamaki had a setback when he ran into a better pair to double Pasi Laihinen, but he quickly took revenge when he won a flip against the same opponent after flopping a set. Ylamaki subsequently left Laihinen short when he semi-bluffed the turn with the best hand and got a fold, and he proceeded to bust Antti Maki-Franti in fifth after having him pipped preflop.
Lankinen disposed of Laihinen in fourth, but was then caught bluffing by Sormunen, who finished Lankinen off shortly after.
That left Sormunen and Ylamaki to battle it out heads-up for the title, with Sormunen holding a slight lead. The players agreed the deal during the break, and came back to play for €14,000 and the trophy.
Although first blood went to Sormunen, everything went right for Ylamaki from there.
He first hit trips, with Sormunen bluffing into him, and drew level when he turned a one-card straight. Ylamaki took the lead after finding a good river call against Sormunen's bluff raise, and he sealed the deal for the title when he outflopped the all-in Sormunen.
That concludes our coverage of this event, but be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for our upcoming coverage of the Main Event of the 2025 No Filter Poker Series Nordic & Baltic Championship Open, commencing on Day 2 on October 21.
Level 26
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Mikko Ylamaki limped from the button, and called an all-in for 2,700,000 from Pasi Sormunen from the big blind.
Pasi Sormunen: A♣3♣ 
Mikko Ylamaki: K♦Q♠
With the title on the line, Sormunen was ahead. However Ylamaki hit the front after the K♣9♠3♦ flop, and Sormunen could not find an ace or three on the 2♥ turn or 7♦ river.
The players shared a warm handshake, and Ylamaki raised his arm in triumph.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
10,100,000
2,400,000
|
2,400,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 26
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Pasi Sormunen raised to 250,000 from the button with 4♣2♣, and Mikko Ylamaki defended the big blind with J♣8♣.
On the 7♦6♣2♠ flop, Ylamaki check-raised to 500,000 versus a continuation bet of 200,000 from Sormunen.
Sormunen called to see the J♦ turn, and Ylamaki fired out a bet of 750,000, leading to a swift fold from Sormunen.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,700,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
2,400,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
||
Level 26
: Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante
Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 35th episode, Connor talks with No Filter Poker Series founder Mounir Tajiou about growing up in Sweden, working as a high court judge, playing professional soccer, making a deep run in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, and the new No Filter Poker Series, which values fun at the table over poker strategy.
We also hear from 1998 Main Event champion Scotty Nguyen, reigning WSOP champ Michael Mizrachi and Finnish poker legend Juha Helppi about their involvement with the No Filter Poker tour.
Level: 26
Blinds: 50,000/125,000
Ante: 125,000
Level 25
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Pasi Sormunen raised to 300,000 from the button with 10♣3♣, and Mikko Ylamaki called with K♣2♦ in the big blind.
On the K♦Q♥5♦ flop, Ylamaki check-called in the face of a bet of 200,000 from Surmonen.
The J♥ hit on the turn, and was checked through to the 3♥ river. Ylamaki led out with a bet of 650,000, and Surmonen responded with a raise to 1,500,000.
After some time in the tank, Ylamaki found the call, and was delighted to scoop the pot with a pair of kings.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,400,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
3,700,000
1,700,000
|
1,700,000 |
|
|
||
Level 25
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Mikko Ylamaki limped the button with 10♥4♥, and Pasi Sormunen knuckled Q♥8♠ in the big blind.
On the 9♦8♣7♦ flop, Surmonen check-called versus a bet of 150,000 from Ylamaki.
The J♣ hit on the turn, giving Ylamaki the straight, and Surmonen check-called a bet of 300,000 from his opponent.
The 5♥ river completed the board. Surmonen checked once more, and called in the face of a bet of 900,000 from Ylamaki to see the bad news.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,400,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,700,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
Level 25
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Mikko Ylamaki raised the button to 250,000 with 6♥3♣, and Pasi Sormunen defended the big blind with 9♣2♣.
On the 7♥3♥3♦ flop, Surmonen check-called versus a bet of 125,000 from Ylamaki.
The Q♥ hit on the turn, and Surmonen led out with a bet of 200,000, which failed to shake off Ylamaki.
The 7♠ river completed the board, and Surmonen fired out a bet of 550,000.
Ylamaki called and took the pot with trip threes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,500,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,600,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
Level 25
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Pasi Sormunen opened to 250,000 from the button with A♦3♣, and Mikko Ylamaki three-bet from the big blind to 700,000 with A♣2♣.
Sormunen called to see the J♥7♦3♦ flop, where Ylamaki continued with a bet of 350,000. Sormunen responded with a raise to 950,000, and Ylamaki quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,300,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,800,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
