Latvian wins €79,100 from a free ticket at a poker tournament in Tallinn

Krišjānis Stankevičs turned a free ticket into the top prize of €79,100 and a trophy at the No Filter Nordic & Baltic Championship Open in Tallinn.

The main event of the No Filter Nordic & Baltic Championship Open series with a €1,100 buy-in has concluded in Tallinn, held at the Olympic Park Casino. The winner was Latvian player Krisjanis Stankevics, who turned a free ticket won in an OlyBet online giveaway into the biggest prize of his career — €79,100 and the championship trophy. The final showdown with Spain’s Guillermo Gordo was the highlight of the three-day marathon, and the tournament’s total prize pool reached €340,100 with 358 entries. Context: The Series, Venue, and Tournament Format No Filter Nordic & Baltic Championship Open is a poker series that brings together players from Northern Europe and the Baltic countries. The series’ Main Event, with a €1,100 buy-in, took place at Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn, one of the region’s largest poker hubs. The tournament format was a classic multi-table tournament (MTT), where each participant starts with the same stack and plays until a single winner is determined. This year, the tournament attracted 358 entries, forming a prize pool of €340,100. The organizers and sponsor OlyBet guaranteed a first-place prize of €100,000, regardless of the final prize distribution. Krisjanis Stankevics’ Journey: From Free Ticket to Victory Krisjanis Stankevics began his run with a free online ticket provided by OlyBet as part of a promotion. For the Latvian, this tournament was not only a chance to prove himself among strong opponents but also an opportunity for a big score without any financial investment. On Day 2 of the tournament, Stankevics entered play with the shortest stack among all remaining participants — he had only half a starting stack. Despite this, he managed not only to survive but to reach the final day among the top ten. The player himself admitted he didn’t expect to win and simply aimed to go as deep as possible: “I started Day 2 last, with half a starting stack. It’s a crazy story — to get into the tournament through a giveaway and win it. In the morning, I wasn’t even thinking about winning, I just wanted to go as far as I could.” Stankevics noted that throughout the tournament he managed to win key all-ins and didn’t lose any coin flips (classic “coins” — situations where opponents have roughly equal chances). He also highlighted the friendly atmosphere at the tables: “The atmosphere was amazing, it felt like playing a home game. Everyone here wants to chat and support each other. This is pretty much the only place I play live tournaments — if I win a ticket, I always come.” How It Unfolded: The Final Day and Final Table On the last, third day of play, the top 16 players returned to the tables. The chip leader was Jae Kim from Norway, Guillermo Gordo was in fifth position, and Stankevics rounded out the top ten. Early in the day, Stankevics knocked out Johan Karlsson, hitting a king-ace combination. He then significantly increased his stack by winning a big pot against Kim after an aggressive three-bet. Soon after, a series of eliminations followed: Jonatan Fors lost with queens against Kai Lehto’s kings, and Torsti Kettula couldn’t hold with top pair against Mikael Haapaniemi’s aces. After the eliminations of Elias Suhonen, Jamil Shamoun, and Tomas Graham, the tournament approached the final table. The first major clash between Stankevics and Gordo happened shortly after the break: Gordo made a straight on the turn against Stankevics’ top pair. The final table was set when Stankevics knocked out Daniyel Destici with ace-king. At this point, Quoc Ly and Gordo were leading, with Stankevics in third place. Final Table Action The first to leave the final table was Joel Torres Jimenez. Then Stankevics once again became a nightmare for Kim, knocking out the early chip leader with pocket queens. Mikael Haapaniemi was eliminated when his four-bet all-in couldn’t beat Gordo’s aces, and short stack Ville Mesiranta lost to Lehto. Stankevics continued to build his stack, knocking out Otto Kiiskinen by making a straight on the turn. Gordo won a classic coin flip against Ly, sending him to fourth place, leaving three players: Stankevics, Gordo, and Lehto. Gradually, Stankevics and Gordo pulled away from Lehto. The Finn found himself in a tough spot when he was forced to fold on the flop after a big bet from Gordo in a three-bet pot, having already committed a significant portion of his stack preflop. Soon after, Stankevics finally knocked out Lehto, and the final heads-up battle began against Gordo, who had a slight chip lead. The Final Heads-Up: Deal, Battle, and Decisive Hand Before the duel began, the players agreed to a deal: Gordo secured €66,790, Stankevics — €65,110. The remaining €14,000 and the trophy were played for in heads-up. This approach (the so-called deal) helps reduce variance, but both players were determined to fight for the main prize. The duel lasted about an hour and a half. Stankevics took the initiative first, winning a big pot, and then extended his lead when he was dealt queens. In one of the key hands, Gordo folded on the river with no made hand, leaving Stankevics on the verge of victory. However, the river brought a chopped pot, allowing Gordo to stay alive and even start a comeback, improving twice on the river. Despite the pressure, Stankevics kept his composure: “After the chopped pot, he won a couple more hands, and I tried not to tilt, not to think the win was slipping away. He hit two rivers in a row, gained momentum, but I managed not to lose focus. In the final hand, I trapped him and I think I played the whole tournament very well.” In the decisive hand, Stankevics made a straight on the flop and check-called all three streets, allowing Gordo to triple-barrel with a missed gutshot. This trap brought the Latvian his long-awaited victory and the biggest prize of his career. Tournament Results and Prize Distribution Below are the results of the final table of the No Filter Nordic & Baltic Championship Open Main Event: 1st place: Krisjanis Stankevics (Latvia) — €79,100* 2nd place: Guillermo Gordo (Spain) — €66,790* 3rd place: Kai Lehto — €38,000 4th place: Quoc Ly — €28,000 5th place: Otto Kiiskinen — €21,000 6th place: Ville Mesiranta — €16,000 7th place: Mikael Haapaniemi — €12,000 8th place: Jae Kim — €9,000 9th place: Joel Torres Jimenez — €7,000 *Amounts for 1st and 2nd place include the deal share and the played-out prize. The tournament’s total prize pool was €340,100, and OlyBet’s guarantee ensured €100,000 for first place. Key Hands and Game Highlights The tournament was memorable for several spectacular hands and strategic decisions: Stankevics knocked out Karlsson with ace-king, allowing him to build his stack early in the day. An important hand against Kim, where Stankevics won a big pot after a three-bet all-in from the chip leader. At the final table, Stankevics knocked out Kiiskinen by making a straight on the turn, and was also the last opponent for Lehto. In heads-up, Stankevics hit a straight on the flop and let Gordo triple-barrel bluff, which secured him the win. Several hands where Gordo improved on the river, threatening a comeback, but Stankevics kept his cool. The entire final day was marked by dynamic play, aggressive moves, and smart adaptation to opponents. The Winner’s Emotions and Future Plans Stankevics admitted he still hasn’t fully realized the scale of his victory: “It feels unreal, almost unbelievable. I wasn’t thinking about winning, I just wanted to go as far as possible. I don’t yet know how this win will affect my future poker plans — today I’ll just celebrate, and we’ll see what happens next.” For the Latvian, this is the biggest prize of his career, earned thanks to a free online ticket. Stankevics’ story is an example of how even a free entry can lead to a significant result if you show resilience, discipline, and smart play. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players This story clearly shows that even free or low-cost satellites and promo giveaways can be a real chance for players of any level. PPPoker clubs regularly run similar promotions, where you can win tickets to major tournaments or receive extra bonuses. Don’t underestimate these opportunities — playing satellites and promos can be the first step to a big score. Moreover, Stankevics’ experience proves the importance of mental resilience and the ability to stay focused even after tough hands. In PPPoker online clubs, where players of all skill levels compete, these qualities are especially valuable: don’t let emotions affect your decisions, and use every opportunity to grow. Finally, the supportive and social atmosphere that the winner mentioned is also very important for club games on PPPoker. Strive to create a friendly environment at the tables, as it helps you enjoy the game and achieve better results. Take part in club events, don’t miss your chance to get into major tournaments through satellites, and maybe the next big success story will be yours!