"Did I end the day with the chip lead?" asked Juho Heiska (pictured below) as he was bagging chips. 

Indeed he was with 2,390,000, but not by much with two players nipping at his heels in Henri Antikainen (2,365,000) and Raivo Pinsel (2,330,000). 

While both Heiska and Antikainen both were sitting comfortably on more than 2 million for a while, Pinsel was nearly a short stack if not for a miracle river to eliminate Roope Tarmi.

Good night, and see you again when the cards are in the air for the final day on Wednesday at 12 p.m. Time will tell who will win the largest €555 Championship in Kings of Tallinn history and the huge €56,900 top prize.

Level 27: 20,000/50,000 (50,000)
Entries: 14/573

Fireworks erupted at Table 12 with Roope Tarmi taking a bad beat after play was announced for the end of the night after the hand in play was concluded. Edvinas Tarasevicius got his short stack in with , with Tarmi happy to commit his stack with . Meanwhile, Raivo Pinsel had them both covered with .

Tarmi would have had an amazing end of the night if his cowboys could hold. Instead, he will be free to play another event tomorrow even though things seemed safe after the flop and the turn. However, the Pinsel celebrated after the spiked the river to give him a set of nines to eliminate both Tarasevicius and Tarmi to leave 14 players remaining when Day 3 begins on Wednesday at 12 p.m.

We will post the chip counts and seat draw for the final 14 players as soon as it is available.

Level 27: 20,000/40,000 (40,000)
Entries: 16/573

Start of Day 2 chip leader Tobias Napel went deep in the €555 Championship only to lose his short stack near the end of the evening when his was no good against the held by Phillip Berggren.

The floor asked the other tables to stop after the hand they were as the day will end after one more hand at the two other tables.

Day 2 has reached its final blind level of the evening. If two more players hit the rail, the day will end before the blind level is completed. Otherwise, the action will continue until the clock reads zero.

We will then come back fresh with a blow-by-blow account of every elimination and as many key hands as possible. More importantly, the players will be fresh thanks to this being a three-day event as opposed to a two-day event in the past.  Great job by the management at Olympic Park Casino and our esteemed tournament director Teresa Nousiainen and it is easy to see why many players call the venue the most player-friendly casino in Europe.

We just learned that Day 2 will end the sooner of when the action is down to 16 players or the next break which is less than one hour. Surviving players will then resume their battle at 12 p.m. on Wednesday until a champion is crowned in this prestigious record-breaking event.

Level 26: 15,000/30,000 (30,000)
Entries: 23/573

Roope Tarmi min-raised the button. Ingus Arajs (pictured below) three-bet jammed his short stack of 125,000 from the small blind and Tarmi quickly called.

Ingus Arajs:
Roope Tarmi:

Arajs had a small equity advance and won the hand with top pair after the ran out on the board.

Level 25: 10,000/25,000 (25,000)
Entries: 23/573

There wasn't much in the pot when Stanislav Smeljov check-jammed the for 160,000 for 160,000 over the continuation bet by Ingus Arajs from early position.

Stanislav Smeljov:
Ingus Arajs:

It wasn't the worst of flops for Smeljov as he had two pair when the chips went in. Meanwhile, Arajs, despite being far behind, gained some additional equity on the turn with an open-ended straight draw. The river was no good for Arajs and Smeljov earned a double.

Players are on a 15-minute break. Blinds will increase to 10,000/25,000 with a 25,000 big blind ante when the action resumes.

The following players cashed for €1,710 in the €555 Championship. The final 24 players locked up at least a €2,010 payday.

Level 24: 10,000/20,000 (20,000)
Entries: 25/573

Kalle Parkkinen checked the flop with about 100,000 in the pot. Maikel Homin bet 35,000 and Parkkinen raised to 125,000. Homin paused for a few moments before he called.

Homin checked the turn. Parkkinen fired out for 130,000 about 20 seconds later and Homin folded.

Parkkinen turned over the to show his bluff. Parkkinen responded with a small applause before the next hand was dealt.

Meanwhile, Juho Heiska keeps piling on chips and became the first player above 2 million. Anne-Mari Hursti shared earlier that she lost her decent stack of chips trying to pull a bluff on Heiska.

The following players recently hit the rail. They all nearly tripled their €555 buy-in to bank a healthy €1,510 prize with the remaining 32 players guaranteed at least a €1,710 payout.

Level 22: 7,000/14,000 (12,000)
Entries: 33/573

Ignacio Garrido jammed for about 6 big blinds from the small blind. Juho Heiska asked for a stack breakdown before he called from the big blind.

Juho Heiska:
Ignacio Garrido:

Heiska pulled ahead after his ten connected with the flop. The turn added a few more outs for Garrido with now a queen that would improve Heiska to two more would improve Garrido to a straight. THe river completed the board and Garrido collected his payouts slip before leaving the tournament arena.

The WSOP Circuit is heading to Olympic Park Casino where 12 coveted WSOP gold rings will be awarded across 11 days from Sept. 14-24.

With this in mind, Olympic Park Casino will celebrate alongside you with an added €120 satellite to the schedule tonight at midnight that was just announced that guarantees at least five seats to the WSOP Circuit Tallinn €1,500 Main Event.tel

We imagine there might be some added value here as it wasn't originally on the schedule and many players are busy playing other tournaments or cash games. That being said, keep this in mind if you bust out of an event as late registration is open for eight blind levels and won't close until after 2 a.m.

The first eight levels will boast 15-minute blind levels before things get even quicker from there with high-octane 10-minute blind levels. Best of luck to all the WSOP Circuit satellite players. Who knows, you can be among the first to punch your ticket to the most prestigious event in the history of Olympic Park Casino.

The €555 Championship has resumed its action for Day 2 with blinds at 7,000/14,000 along with a 14,000 big blind ante.

The following players cashed for €1,345 with Ivar Simmar becoming the first player to ladder up to €1,510 with his 40th place finish. The 39 remaining players just headed off to a one-hour dinner break. We will update some of the bigger stacks from around the room during the break.

Kings of Tallinn Summer Showdown Tournament Director Teresa Nousiainen and our festival's host Evely Pihela are introducing the celebrities for the €150 Celebrity Event.

This event always produces tons of energy and excitement. While we are focusing on the €555 Championship, there is a blog in Estonian that you can translate into English on this event. 

Good luck to all the celebrities and players!

Level 21: 6,000/12,000 (12,000)
Entries: 42/573

It's not every day you see a royal flush. It is even less likely to see the cooler that Markku Koplimaa (pictured above) just took in a hand against Henri Antikainen where he had a full house against his opponent's royal flush.

There were more than 600,000 in the pot preflop with Koplimaa at risk with his against Antikainen's .

Both players were alive and well after the flop before Koplimaa improved to what appeared to be an unbeatable hand after the turn improved his hand to a full house.

The was the only card in the deck that would send Koplimaa packing. Unfortunately, for the Estonian legend that is exactly what spiked the river and the table was in shock.

It was another incredible run for Koplimaa, who began the day with less than a starting stack. Koplimaa took it well and at least he will have a story to tell that he will unlikely forget for a while.

Meanwhile, Antikainen appeared to be in the chip lead after the hand with a huge stack of approximately 1,200,000 for around 100 big blinds.

Level 21: 6,000/12,000 (12,000)
Entries: 44/573

Maikel Homen checked with the on the board after the river before Martins Sulte bet 39,000 into a pot of nearly 100,000. Homen raised to 130,000 and Sulte went into the tank before he jammed for not too much more.

We can only assume that Homen was bluffing as he didn't ask for a count. Neither player showed their hand and Sulte caught Homen's hand in the cookie jar to significantly increase his stack.

The following players cashed for €1,210 in the €555 Main Event. The remaining field each locked up. The final 48 players each locked up €1,345 after Vaclovas Galune hit the rail in 49th place.

Level 19: 5,000/10,000 (10,000)
Entries: 50/573

Espen Sandvik three-bet squeezed the button over an opener and a caller before Juan Carlos Vecino Duenas four-bet shoved for 155,000 from the small blind. Everyone folded but Sandvik and the cards were turned over with Duenas at risk.

Juan Carlos Vecino Duenas:
Espen Sandvik:

Sandvik had live cards to potentially eliminate Duenas but none of those cards came on the board for Duenas to stay alive and double his stack.

The following players cashed for €1,100 in the €555 Championship.

Players are enjoying themselves at the welcome drinks. The atmosphere is through the roof and players are enjoying chatting along with each other and the celebrities in attendance.

Meanwhile, the following players min-cashed the €555 Championship for €1,000 with Maksim Petrov (pictured below) the first player out for a full min-cash.

Level 19: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 70/573

Two players just hit the rail on the same hand during the money bubble and will split the €1,000 min-cash.

Paul Koppe was the first to go. He opened for three big blinds before calling off for around 20 big blinds in total facing a jam by Dmitri Dudakov.

Paul Koppe:
Dmitri Dudakov:

Dudakov not only won the flip but also nailed a set of ducks on the .

The action then moved to one table over when this time big slick wasn't facing a flip but took a bad beat instead.

Most of the chips were in preflop before Jaarko Tirkkonen got the rest in on the flop. Kalle Parkkinen called and it was looking good for Tirkkonen to double his stack.

Jaarko Tirkkonen:
Kalle Parkkinen:

Tirkkonen needed to fade a queen along with some backdoors. The spiked the turn and a couple of the players on the rail were calling for a king to get Tirkkonen back ahead. Instead, he hit the rail after the river completed the board.

We will take a short break from the coverage to run downstairs to check out the vibe from the welcome drinks but won't miss too much of the action. 

Level 19: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 72/573

Maksim Petrov jammed for 27,000 from early position and was called by Amin Asikainen from the big blind.

Maksim Petrov:
Amin Asikainen:

A crowd gathered before the ran out on the board to improve both players to a pair of kings. The ace-kicker did the job for Petrov for him to double his stack on the bubble.

Level 19: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 72/573

Tomi Arponen (pictured below) just hit the rail and the action is now hand-for-hand on the money bubble. Here is how it went down.

A player opened before Arponen three-bet jammed for 129,000. Tero Laurila asked for a count. He then tanked for ages before he called off his stack for a little less. The other player in the hand folded and it was a heads-up showdown with Laurila at risk.

Tero Laurila:
Tomi Arponen:

Unfortunately for Laurila, his cowboys were unable to hold with Arponen connecting with his ace on the board.

Players are on a one-hour dinner break just two players away from the money with 73 players remaining and 71 players walking away with at least a €1,000 min-cash. As we explained earlier, players can upgrade their min-cash to a €1,100 Kings of Tallinn Main Event ticket if they so choose and gain an extra €100 in value for free.

Welcome drinks will also take place at 6 p.m. on the casino floor. 

Level 18: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 76/573

Espen Sandvik min-raised under the gun before Patrick Pfeiffer three-bet jammed his short stack of 28,000. Dmitri Dudakov cold-called from the small blind before Sandvik called as well.

Dudakov and Sandvik both checked the flop before Dudakov check-folded a bet of 27,000 by Sandvik on the turn. Immediately after this, Sandvik and Pfeiffer turned over their cards.

Patrick Pfeiffer:
Espen Sandvik:

A blank came on the river and Pheiffer was eliminated shortly before the bubble.

Level 18: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 79/573

Roope Tarmi opened for a min-raise from under the gun before his opponent three-bet shoved from middle position. It folded around to Tarmi who snap-called and his opponent was flipping for his tournament life.

Opponent:
Roope Tarmi:

His opponent tapped the table to represent "good game" after the flop improved to a set. All eyes were on the board after the turn gave him some life with a flush draw. However, Tarmi's opponent tapped the table again after he bricked the river and Tarmi won the hand with a full house.

The blinds have just increased to 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 big blind ante. After this level, players will go on a 60-minute dinner break. This also gives players enough time for the meet-and-greet welcome drinks at 6 p.m. 

This reporter will be downstairs with his wife (and his notepad). Feel free to drop by with any stories about your experience we can share in the blog.

In other news, we are now just 10 players away from the money. It is possible the money bubble breaks before the dinner break but it might also be after.

Level 17: 2,000/5,000 (5,000)
Entries: 90/573

There were about 135,000 in the pot with the on the board after the turn when Paul Koppe checked. Dmitri Dudakov bet 65,000 and Koppe thought it over for a moment before he folded.

Koppe flashed the . Dudakov returned the favor and showed he flopped the nuts with .

"I bet too much on the turn," Dudakov said after the hand.

Level 17: 2,000/5,000 (5,000)
Entries: 94/573

Bartosz Wesolek opened for 10,000 from the hijack and was called by Tobias Napel before Kasper Mellanen three-bet jammed for 71,000. Wesolek four-bet shoved for about 185,000 and Napel folded.

Kasper Mellanen:
Bartosz Wesolek:

Wesolek was ahead after the but began to count out his chips ready to pay off his opponent after Mellanen connected his jack on the turn. However, the river completed a gutshot straight draw for Wesolek to win the hand and eliminate Mellanen.

"Good game," Mellanen said politely with some sportsmanship before leaving the table.

The payouts have been announced with tomorrow's winner going home with a €56,900 top prize, which is a new record for this event. Players that min-cash for €1,000 can opt to exchange their min-cash for something better as instead they can claim a Kings of Tallinn Summer Showdown Main Event seat valued at €1,100.

A total of 71 players will win at least a piece of the €269,310 prize pool. Check out all of the payouts below.

Level 16: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Entries: 105/573

Reda Ighanoussene three-bet jammed from the big blind and was called by Janne Nevalainen who opened from middle position.

Reda Ighanoussene:
Janne Nevalainen:

Ighanoussene was unable to get ahead of Nevalainen's cowboys and hit the rail after the hit the board.

Meanwhile, the payouts were just announced. We will post the full payouts in five to ten minutes but in the meantime we will give a couple of spoilers. The top prize will be a record €56,900 with the top 71 players going home with at least a €1,000 min-cash. Min-cashers can also get even more value as they can choose to instead snag a Kings of Tallinn Summer Showdown €1,100 Main Event ticket instead of the min-cash for an extra €100 in value.

Here is a look at some of the bigger stacks from around the room. Also on the list below are the handful of players that hit the rail just before the break.

Players are about to go on their second break. We will update some of the bigger stacks in the blog around the room during the break. 

Expect some excitement outside the tournament area with more pineapple GGPoker Flip&Go Mystery Bounty flips taking place as they will all week long.

Level 15: 1,500/3,000 (3,000)
Entries: 125/573

Janne Nevalainen min-raised the button. Alberto Gonzalez three-bet jammed for 10 big blinds from the small blind. Nevalainen went into the tank for more than a minute before he called.

Alberto Gonzalez:
Janne Nevalainen:

Gonzalez was ahead but pulled even further in front after his ace connected on the flop. Nevalainen was drawing dead on the turn and the hand was made official after the river completed the board.

"Nice flip," Nevalainen said with a smile to Gonzalez.

Level 15: 1,500/3,000 (3,000)
Entries: 135/573

Steponas Venckus jammed for seven big blinds from the cutoff.  Doroslav Rasiukevitc asked for a count before he called.

Steponas Venckus:
Doroslav Rasiukevic:

Rasiukevitc seemed less than thrilled to double his opponent after Venckus connected with his deuce on the board.

Meanwhile, the popular Herli Olop won't create a massive rail at the final table as he was one of the recent players to lose their stacks and head to the locker room.

Level 14: 1,000/2,500 (2,500)
Entries: 147/573

Keito Kaljulaid jammed for 23,500 from the hijack. Patrick Schratz fired out an isolation three-bet from the cutoff and the rest of the table folded.

Keito Kaljulaid:
Patrick Schratz:

It was looking like Kaljulaid was about to head to the showers but instead, he delivered a bad beat to Schratz and doubled his stack after his trey found a friend on the board.

Meanwhile, local hero and WSOP bracelet winner Ranno Sootla hit the rail along with a handful of others.

Level 14: 1,000/2,500 (2,500)
Entries: 152/573

Amin Asikainen three-bet jammed for less than 10 big blinds over the open by Ranno Sootla. Sootla called and Asikainen was flipping for his tournament life.

Amin Asikainen:
Ranno Sootla:

"Yes!" Asikainen said with a fist pump in the air after he won the hand with a better two pair on the runout to stay alive and double his stack.

Level 13: 1,000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 163/573

Vaclovas Galaune opened for 4,000 from under the gun before Markus Isosalo jammed for 23,000 from the hijack. Maksim Petrov tanked for about a minute before he called from the small blind and Galune called as well.

Both Petrov and Galune checked the flop and checked again on the turn. Petrov checked again on the river and folded to a bet of 25,000 by Galune.

Isosalo turned over the for the top pair but he lost his stack to Galune who turned over the for the same top pair but a better kicker.

Meanwhile, we won't have a returning champion. Benjamin Gros won this event for €55,500 in February and late registered during Day 2. He just hit the rail meaning we will have a new trophy winner in this event.

Level 13: 1,000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 187/573

The payouts will be finalized shortly, but in the meantime, Tournament Director Teresa Nousiainen announced to the crowd that the €555 Championship will payout the top 71 players with hand-for-hand taking place during a table-balanced bubble.

Level 13: 1,000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 187/573

Many of the short-stacked players are losing their stacks including Sjoerd Nikkels to Jaana Kindsigo as follows:

Kindsigo opened from early position for 4,500. Nikkels jammed for 7,500 from the button before Stanislav Smeljov went into the tank for about a minute from the big blind. Smeljov had one last look at Kindsigo's stack before he folded.

Sjoerd Nikkels:
Jaana Kindsigo:

Neither player improved on the paired board. Kindsigo's jack-kicker came into play and Nikkels was on the rail.

Level 13: 1,000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 201/573

Espen Sandvik bet 15,000 into a pot of 30,000 with the on the board after the turn and was quickly called by Siim Suviste. Sandvik effectively jammed the river and Suviste's chips were in the pot a micro-second later for his entire stack of 39,500.

Sandvik tabled a strong two-pair with but lost a huge chunk of his stack with Suviste showing the for a flopped set before improving to a full house on the turn.

Level 13: 1,000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 204/573

Not only was the summer record set in the Kings of Tallinn Summer Showdown €555 Championship, but a new overall Kings of Tallinn record was established in this event with 573 entries creating a €269,310 prize pool.

This beat the previous record set in February with 559 entries getting into the mix before Benjamin Gros won the title for €55,500. 

The payouts for this event will be announced soon.

Players are on a quick break with late registration closing as soon as the action resumes. The field was at 547 entries at the break and could break the overall Kings of Tallinn record set in February with just 13 more entries. Either way, this is a new summer record. Amazing job to the players!

Level 12: 1,000/1,500 (1,500)
Entries: 198/545

Romans Krasins open jammed for around 10 big blinds from early position. Xiaolei Chen, who began the day with just 11,500, three-bet shoved for a little less than 40,000 from one seat over and the rest of the table folded.

Roman Krasins:
Xiaolei Chen:

Krasins got out of his seat on the flop and was drawing dead after Chen improved to a set on the turn. The river inconsequentially further improved Chen to a full house to win the hand for a great start of Day 2 for the Finn.

Level 12: 1,000/1,500 (1,500)
Entries: 204/533

Michailas Miserkejevas just won a monster pot and eliminated two players as follows.

Andzej Zinkevic bet 20,000 into a pot of around double that on the flop. Miserkejevas min-clicked to 40,000 before Erikas Gordejevas four-bet shoved for around 80,000. Zinkevic instantly called off for a little less and it was a three-way showdown after Miserkejevas snap-called as well.

Erikas Gordejevas:
Andzej Zinkevic:
Michailas Miserkejevas:

Miserkejevas got it in good with his bottom set but had to fade some cards if he wanted to eliminate two players and add tons of chips to his stack with Gordejevas holding an overpair and Zinkevic needing a spade to complete a flush. Blanks came for both of his opponents on the turn and the river to take down the pot.

A handful of other players lost their stacks as you can tell from the chip count update below. Some of these players may re-enter as they still have a bit of time to do so with the first blind level of the day about halfway through.

Level 12: 1,000/1,500 (1,500)
Entries: 211/525

Alexander Aaneland opened for 2,500 from middle position before he called a three-bet jam by Ahmed Al-Naji to 27,000 from the cutoff.

Ahmed Al-Naji:
Alexander Aaneland:

Al-Naji was safe after the flop but the turn opened up a ton of draws with a ten completing Broadway and any club completing a flush. Aaneland's king and queen were both live as well but lost a chunk of his stack by doubling Al-Naji after a blank river completed the board.

Level 12: 1,000/1,500 (1,500)
Entries: 208/522

Cards are in the air to start Day 2 with already 22 new entries getting into the mix. This figure will continue to grow throughout the opening blind level with late registration closing before the start of Level 13.

Welcome to the second of the three-day €555 Championship at the Kings of Tallinn Summer Showdown at Olympic Park Casino and the adjoining Hilton Tallinn Park.

Today will be an action-packed day full of excitement as the action will play down to a final table of just nine hopefuls. Blinds will start at 800/1,600 with a 1,600 big blind ante and increase every 40 minutes throughout the day.

There were exactly 500 entries to get into the action during the four opening flights taking place over the past couple of days to add €235,000 to the prize pool. This is already shattered attendance records for the Kings of Tallinn Summer Showdown and is approaching the record for the Kings of Tallinn brand altogether that was set in February when 559 entries came out in full force before France's Benjamin Gros won the title for €55,500.

More players will still get involved with late registration and re-entries permitted until the start of the second blind level of the day. With plenty of short stacks in play, expect some mayhem to start off the day. The payouts will be announced shortly after late registration is closed.

Netherlands' Tobias Napel (pictured above) leads the way entering today's action over the 186 opening day survivors after parlaying his 30,000 opening stack into a massive pile of 338,000 in chips.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Cards are in the air at noon and we will be right alongside you reporting the action throughout the day.