Estonia's Urmo Velvelt (pictured above) recently finished in third place in the Kings of Tallinn Summer Showdown €1,100 Main Event for his largest live poker tournament cash of €49,300 and is in a position to potentially break his personal record thanks to bagging the overall chip lead of 293,000 on Day 1b in the 2023 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Tallinn €1,500 Main Event.

Most of Velvelt's chips came in a glorious fashion as he won a massive flip for a 200,000 pot when his sevens turned into quads on the flop to eliminate Lithuania's Vasilj Barna who was in the rare position of drawing dead with two cards to come with big slick.

Today was special, but Velvelt had a heck of a day yesterday as well as he won the big bounty of €10,000 in Event #6: €660 No-Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty. His total haul was €20,560 including the €4,060 he won for finishing in fourth place. This was more than what the ring winner Ranno Sootla claimed as he won the €10,000 top prize along with €5,000 in bounties.

Velvelt not only topped the 42 players bagging chips on Day 1b out of the total field of 107 entries, but he also bested Day 1a chip leader Joni Rantamaki from Finland who parlayed his 50,000 opening stack into 272,000 to lead the 63 survivors out of the 139 entries in the field.

This brings the field already up to 246 entries with 105 players advancing with the two biggest opening flights to go tomorrow with Day 1c kicking off at noon and Day 1d commencing at 7 p.m. Players will also be allowed to re-enter or late-register during the first two blind levels of Friday's Day 2. 

The Finnish duo of Juho Suutari (251,500) and Roope Tarmi (233,500) finished just behind Velvelt on Day 1b with Estonia's Raivo Pinsel (231,500) and Finland's Touko Berndtson (219,000) rounding out the top five.

Kare Hallamaa (218,500), Georgios Skarparis (210,500), Georgios Tsouloftas (207,000), and Jon Ander Martinez (205,000) were the other players on Day 1b to end with at least 200,000 in chips.

We will be back with more Main Event coverage for Day 1c at noon tomorrow. In the meantime, our live reporting team will provide plenty of updates in Event #8: €1,100 PLO 4 & 5 Cards, so be sure to check it out.

Players have begun to bag chips at many of the tables with the final hand or two taking place at some of the slower ones. 

We will update shortly with the final chip counts of Day 1b along with a short recap of the day. Stay tuned and in the meantime, check out our coverage of Event #8: €1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha.

The floor announced the final three hands for Day 1b.

Level 10: 1000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 44/108

The relentless aggression by Victor Amat didn't work in a hand against Juho Suutari. Suutari called a three bet preflop before calling bets on the flop, turn, and river leading up to a massive pot with the on the board.

Suutari called down the entire way and won a massive pot while also sending Amat to the rail when his proved to be good against .

Level 10: 1000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries: 45/108

A big pot was played between Raivo Pinsel and Estonia's Vladislav Topilskiy. With both players re-raising each other on the flop Topilskiy called the final all-in for his remaining 90,000 chips.

Raivo Pinsel:
Vladislav Topilskiy:

Topilskiy was ahead, but he had to fade a lot of cards, the turn was good for him but he needed to fade the river as any heart would complete a flush for his opponent while a four would be equally damaging for Topliskiy as Pinsel would improve to a wheel.

The river wasn't a heart and Topilskiy began some early celebrations. However, his celebration was cut short after realizing he was out of chips since the four also completed a wheel for Pinsel.

Level 9: 1000/1,500 (1,500)
Entries: 57/108

Mairo Tori Opened from the pot and was three-bet by Jon Ander from the button, Tori called and the action went to the flop.

The flop was on which Tori check-called a small bet from Ander. The same thing happened on the turn and all the chips went in from Ander on the river and Tori called.

Mairo Tori:
Jon Ander:

Ander scooped a pot for more than 140,00 chips with the better kicker.

Level 9: 1,000/1,500 (1,500)
Entries: 59/107

Roberts Rumba jammed for about 10 big blinds from the hijack before Szymon Bujok three-bet shoved for 67,000 from the big blind.

The action paused on Urmo Velvelt from the big blind. 

"Not sure," Velvelt said. "I have nines."

The dealer asked Velvelt to not speak as it wasn't a classic all-in situation and you aren't allowed to engage with others at the table when there are two players with their stacks committed.

Velvelt understood and tanked a little more before laying down his hand.

"Did you really have nines?" Bujok said before the cards were turned over. "I have tens."

"Lucky me," Velvelt said with a big smile.

Roberts Rumba:
Szymon Bujok:

Rumba's ace found a partner on the board and momentarily thought he won the hand before quickly realizing he was out of chips with this board also improving Bujok off tens and into Broadway.

Level 9: 1000/1,500 (1,500)
Entries: 61/108

Risto Parnat raised under the gun for 4,000. Ori Hasson called from the button and Tarmo Tammel did the same from the big blind.

Parnat bet 4,500 on the  flop. Hasson raised to 13,500. Tammel folded and Parnat called.

The  on the turn was checked by Parnat and Hasson quickly bet 15,000 chips. Parnat quickly called.

The river went check-check. Parnat opened to win the hand after Hasson mucked. 

For those of you looking at the schedule, you likely noticed a €150 Mega Satellite guaranteeing 10 seats to the WSOPC Tallinn €1,500 Main Event at 9 p.m.

What you wouldn't have seen is a new satellite that popped up with some tremendous value for late-night players as at Midnight there will be an added €150 mega satellite with another 15 seats guaranteed! 

Of course, Omaha lovers will still be able to enjoy Event #36: €150 PLO 4, 5, & 6 card event at 11 p.m.. This is a six-max affair, which makes perfect sense once incorporating the six-card Omaha.

Players are on their final 20-minute break and will play two more levels when the action resumes before bagging up for Day 1b.

Level 8: 600/1,200 (1,200)
Entries: 65/108

A raising war resulting in a pot of nearly 200,000 between Urmo Velvelt (pictured below) and Vasilij Barna with Velvelt four-bet jammed and Barna, who was slightly covered, quickly calling.

Vasilij Barna:
Urmo Velvelt:

The flip was on but the table quickly erupted as Velvelt spiked not a set but quads on the flop. Barna, who was already drawing dead, took out his phone to snap photos with a smile in disbelief before eventually gathering his belongings after the turn and river completed the board.

Level 8: 600/1,200 (1,200)
Entries: 68/105

Adria Comas I Roura opened for 2,500 from the button before Morten Bremseth three-bet to 8,600 from the small blind. The action paused for a couple of minutes on Andrey Koks (pictured below), who eventually cold called while Comas I Roura folded.

Bremseth continued for 6,500 on the . Koks jammed for 36,200 and Bremseth called with Koks at risk.

Andrey Koks:
Morton Bremseth:

Koks was miles ahead with his set against Bremseth's top pair and had his opponent drawing dead on the turn. The river completed the action and Koks doubled through Bremseth with a full house.

Level 7: 500/1,000 (1,000)
Entries: 74/104

Pavel Solodovnikov check-raised the turn with close to 20,000 in the pot already from 10,500 to 23,500. Ori Hasson tanked for a minute before he called.

Solodovnikov bet 25,000 on the river and Hasson called. Solodovnikov turned over the to win the hand against his opponent's .

Although Solodovnikov did have around 20,000 after the hand, this didn't last long as a couple of hands later he was noticed leaving the tournament arena.

Level 7: 500/1,000 (1,000)
Entries: 78/104

Ramunas Mika called off his stack of less than 15 big blinds after David Spysschaert three-bet jammed from the big blind.

Ramunas Mika:
David Spysschaert:

Spysschaert connected with his ten on the runout to send Mika to the rail.

Check some of the bigger stacks we have on Day 1b below.

Players are on their second break of the day. Big stack will be updated in the blog at the break.

Julian Selinger thought he opened to 1,700 and Mustafa Biz called from the lojack, shortly after the dealer saw that he put 15,200 instead and the raise was valid, so Mustafa had to decide if he wanted to call that or not and he made the call.

To the flop it was Selinger's decision and he put another 15,000 followed by a call by Mustafa.

Julian Selinger:
Biz Mustafa:

The turn was and the river changed nothing for Mustafa.

Selinger won over 25,000 chips by "miss-clicking" his way to victory.

Level 6: 400/800 (800)
Entries: 86/100

Day 1b has reached 100 entries during Level 6. This is still a little shy of the 139 entries Day 1a ended with still more than four levels remaining in Day 1b.

Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 84/94

There was 50,000 in the pot including the entire stack of 25,000 held by Toomas Nurme committed on the flop in a hand against Ronny Albrigtsen.

Toomas Nurme:
Ronny Albrigtsen:

Albrigtsen pulled far ahead after improving to trips on the turn leaving his opponent to just one out. The one outer came with the case spiking the river for Nurme to double his stack instead of hitting the rail.

Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Entries: 85/94

There was already 20,000 in the pot when Andrey Koks checked with the on the board. Ronny Albrigtsen bet 6,000. Koks tanked before he called.

"One time, one time," Koks pleaded.

Koks let out a loud sigh after the completed the board on the river and checked. Albrigtsen checked it back and won the hand after showing .

"You had a five?" Albrigtsen asked?

Koks shared he did but we will never know if that was the case as his cards went into the muck.

Level 4: 200/500 (500)
Entries: 82/89

The second Day 1b bullet for Georgios Tsouloftas (pictured below) has gone far better than the first bullet as he has around double the starting stack during Level 4.

Kare Hallamaa fired out for 4,200 into a pot of a bit more with the on the board. Tousloftas tanked for a short time before raising to 15,000. Hallamaa quickly called only to muck after Tousloftas turned over the to win the hand.

Level 4: 200/500 (500)
Entries: 78/85

Johan Martinsen (pictured below) checked with nearly 15,000 in the pot and the on the board. Victor Fernandez Garcia tanked for a couple of minutes before he bet 10,000.

Martinsen snap-called. Garcia turned over the which proved to be no match for the two-pair by Martinsen with .

Players are on their first 20-minute break. Blinds will increase to 200/500 with a 500 big blind ante when the action resumes.

Level 3: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 70/76

Semjons Karuckis just won a couple of flips to take the chip lead off a sub-starting stack for nearly triple the starting stack.

The first flip came after he four-bet jammed with and was called by Rene Peterkopf with . The flop was looking good for Peterkopf but he wasn't able to come back after falling behind on the turn with the river completing the board.

Shortly after, Karuckis with took the 8,500 remaining in his stack held by Peterkopf with along with a bigger stack held by Vladimiras Meckovskis with . Both of Karuckis's opponents bricked board to send them packing while snagging the early Day 1b chip lead.

Meanwhile, Kelly Kellner also built up his stack further. He shared with us he flopped a set of jacks on a with two diamonds with the turn put a third diamond on the board. The stacks went in on the turn and his opponent turned over the with no diamond. No ten came on the river and Keller was up to 127,000 after the hand.

Level 3: 200/400 (400)
Entries: 68/70

Two players checked before Georgios Tsouloftas, who re-entered after hitting the rail during Level 2, bet 1,500 into a pot of a bit more with the on the flop. Tomi Rasanen, Pavel Solodovnikov, and Dmitri Dudakov all called.

The action slowed down the rest of the way with all four players checking down the turn and the river.

Solodovnikov turned over the which led Dudakov and Tsouloftas to muck their cards. Meanwhile, Rasanen had something up his sleeve and turned over the for trip fours to scoop the pot.

Level 2: 100/300 (300)
Entries: 61/63

Cyprus's Georgios Tsouloftas was the first player on the rail for Day 1b.

Tsouloftas check-raised a bet of 2,300 into a pot of a bit more by Henry Arnhold to 10,000 with the on the board after the turn and Arnhold called to see the river.

Tsouloftas bet 15,000 and Arnhold went into the tank for nearly a minute before he opted to jam over the top more than covering the around 25,000 or so his opponent had behind. A few minutes went by before Tsouloftas tossed a chip in to call.

Arnhold immediately turned over the nuts with for a straight and eliminated Tsouloftas who still has plenty of time to re-enter who was good until the river with a set with .

Level 2: 100/300 (300)
Entries: 54/54

While none of the Day 1b players has yet to hit the rail, Canada's Kelly Kellner has managed to chip up to 70,000 in chips.

Kellner shared that he had in a hand against Priit Parmasto. There were two diamonds on the flop and four on the board with more diamonds coming on the turn and river. Parmasto fired out for 10,000.

A rainbow raise, that Kellner is known for, meaning one chip of each color representing a raise to 31,600. Parmasto opted to fold and good for him he did as Kellner showed the table he had the goods by flashing the before the next hand began.

WSOPC Tallinn Host Evely Pihela interviewed Kellner earlier in the week. Check out the interview below:

Level 1: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 44/44

Toomas Nurme bet 800 into a spread pot of 100 chips of around 2,000 with the on the board after the turn. Andrey Koks raised to 2,000 and Nurme opted to call to see the river.

Nurme fired out for 4,200 and Koks tanked for about a minute before eventually attempting to begin a dialogue with Nurme.

"I really want to raise," Koks said. "But you might have fives or something."

Seconds later, Koks opted to just call and not raise.

Nurme turned over the for two pair.  Koks then showed his to win the hand with trip deuces.

Level 1: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 39/39

Juha Helppi shared with the media last night that he planned to hop into Day 1b of the Main Event after losing his big stack on Day 1b thanks to bad beats and coolers to a pair of Estonian players.

Helppi was just spotted during the opening moments of Event #8: €1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 4 & 5 Cards.

"I saw the PLO on the schedule and decided to hop into this instead," Helppi shared from the table. "I will get back into the Main Event tomorrow."

While we won't have the presence of Helppi today in the Main Event, many other players will get into the action. Below is a quick look at the early entries in the field.

Level 1: 100/200 (200)
Entries: 29/29

Day 1b of the Main Event kicked off after the preliminary announced by WSOPC Tallinn Tournament Director Teresa Nousiainen with 29 players in their seats when the first cards were dealt.

Best of luck to all of the Day 1b players.

It is another big day for the inaugural World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Tallinn with the second of four opening flights of the 2023 WSOPC Tallinn €1,500 Main Event starting its action on Tuesday at noon. Not only will a player win a coveted WSOPC gold ring but also a lion's share of what promises to be a massive prize pool with a €1 million guarantee slapped on this event.

The four-day Main Event is a deep-stacked affair boasting four opening flights from Sept. 19-21 with players starting with 50,000 in opening chips. Blinds increase slowly at every 40 minutes during the first three opening flights with the final opening flight moving along a little quicker with 30-minute blind levels.

Players will have plenty of opportunities to accumulate chips with unlimited re-entries permitted throughout the four opening flights and during the first two blind levels of Day 2. The battle will continue on Sept. 22-24 until the first-ever WSOPC Tallinn Main Event winner is crowned.

We will see many big names, including Finnish poker legend and two-time WSOP bracelet winner Juha Helppi (pictured below), who built up a big stack yesterday only for bad beats and coolers to take it away, hunting for the Main Event gold ring awarded to the winner along with a healthy top prize and an invitation to a $1 million guaranteed 2023 WSOP Tournament of Champions freeroll where a WSOP bracelet is on the line.

Day 1a attracted 139 entries with 63 players advancing to Friday's Day 2. Finland's Joni Rantamaki currently sits on top of the leaderboard after bagging a Day 1a chip leading stack of 272,000.

Our coverage starts at noon with blinds at 100/200 and a 200 big blind ante. Follow the Main Event journey throughout the week while we report the biggest hands, bad beats, and stories until a winner is crowned.