A new king of the €3,000 NLH 6-Max at the 2024 Kings of Tallinn Autumn Edition was born with the trophy heading to Lithuania after Marius Bareisis defeated Estonian poker veteran Igor Pihela Sr. heads-up en route to the title.
The €3,000 NLH High Roller was a two day affair with 53 entries creating a €140,980 prize pool. The €47,930 top prize was easily the largest in a live international poker event by Bareisis and more than doubled the $21,366 in live poker earnings tracked by The Hendon Mob heading into the festival.
Bareisis began the final day with the chip lead and was near the top of the chip counts throught the final day. He assumed control with three players remaining after picking off a failed river bluff by Enrique Martinez before defeating Pihela Jr. to win the title on a coin flip.
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
1 | Marius Bareisis | Lithuania | €47,930 |
2 | Igor Pihela Sr. | Estonia | €30,750 |
3 | Enrique Martinez | Spain | €20,500 |
4 | Roope Tarmi | Finland | €14,600 |
5 | Kasper Mellanen | Finland | €11,050 |
6 | Dennis Berglin | Sweden | €8,900 |
7 | Rolands Norietis | Latvia | €7,250 |
The final day began with 14 players surviving Day 1 after 14 blind levels of play. Just half of those players would end the day in the money for at least a €7,250 min-cash awarded to the top seven players.
The action was fast and furious from the start. Bareisis began the day with the chip lead, but Enrique Martinez quickly narrowed the gap early by eliminating Finland's Sauli Haapaniemi to start the day with kings against ace-jack. This was just the beginning, as the final table bubble was reached during the first 30-minute blind level of the day before things slowed down after Rytis Pranarauskas, Ermo Kosk, Hassan Sey, Aleksi Naski, and Viktors Caikins all quickly hit the rail.
The bubble generated some excitement. First two-time WSOP Circuit Tallinn €3,000 NLH 6-Max ring winner Roope Tarmi, who was looking to add a trophy in the same event to his collection, got a fortuitous double when his ace-ten flopped Broadway against Tommi Lankinen.
Dennis Berglin then took a small chunk from Bareisis with a lucky double with ace-nine suited against nines before doubling a second time through Rolands Noreitis with jacks against eights.
Lankinen nearly had a healthy stack, but the bad beat to Tarmi put a dent in his stack. He jammed for around 20 big blinds with king-eight from the small and bubbled the €3,000 NLH 6-Max after Igor Pihela Sr. called from the big blind with ace-five and held.
Martinez had a small lead over Bareisis at the start of the final table, with all players starting with at least 15 big blinds. Noreitis blinded down to a dozen big blinds when he lost a flip to Tarmi with king-jack to sevens to exit as the first player in the money with a €7,250 min-cash.
Tarmi's momentum temporarily continued as he won another flip to double his stack with eights against Dennis Berglin's big slick. Berglin was down to just four big blinds and called off with jack-ten and didn't get there against Kasper Mellanen's ace-seven suited to exit in sixth place for €8,900.
Mellanen soon followed Bergin to the rail in fifth place for €11,050 on a cooler when his jacks proved no match to Pihela's queens.
During this time, Martinez was piling on the chip lead and appeared to be in control. That all changed with the duo a hair apart after Bareisis doubled with ace-seven through Martinez with king-queen.
Meanwhile, the ladies were back for Pihela and they held once again to dash Tarmi's hopes with king-queen in becoming the first three-time champion in a €3,000 buy-in event in Tallinn. Instead, Tarmi headed to the cashier to collect his fourth-place prize of €14,600.
The action was heads-up soon enough. Martinez attempted a bluff with jack-four by jamming over a big river bet by Bareisis with the nut flush to exit in third place for €20,500.
Bareisis began the heads-up battle with approximately triple the stack of Pihela. Pihela (pictured above) managed to chip up, but it was over soon enough on a coin flip in the following hand.
Pihela limped the button. Bareisis raised to 140,000 from the big blind. Pihela three-bet to 340,000 before Bareisis went into the tank. Eventually, Bareisis opted to jam for more than the 840,000 Pihela had behind. Pihela snap-called, and Bareisis began to shake his head about the coin flip after turning over nines to Pihela's king-jack. Bareisis turned a set and rivered a full house to win the tournament for the €47,930 top prize, while Pihela earned a healthy €30,750 runner-up prize for his amazing performance.
Congrats to Marius Bareisis on his biggest win in his poker career to date. See you next time at the Kings of Vilnius, Nov. 15-24, at Olympic Casino Lietuva.
Level 23: 20,000/40,000 (40,000)
Entries: 1/53
Igor Pihela Sr. limped the button before Marius Bareisis raised to 140,000 from the big blind. Pihela Sr. three-bet to 340,000. Bareisis four-bet shoved after asking Pihela about how much he had in his stack and shook his head in what appeared to be frustration that he was flipping after Pihela called off his stack.
Igor Pihela Sr.:
Marius Bareisis:
Bareisis improved to a full house after the ran out on the board. Bareisis was swarmed by his friends on the rail before shaking hands with Pihela Sr.
A massive congratulations to Bareisis for winning the €3,000 NLH for €47,930. Stay tuned for the recap of this epic event soon.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Marius Bareisis | 2,650,000 | 910,000 | |
Igor Pihela Sr | 0 | 0 |
Level 23: 20,000/40,000 (40,000)
Entries: 2/53
Marius Bareisis opened the button for 80,000. Igor Pihela Sr. defended his big blind before firing out for 150,000 on the very connected flop.
Bareisis quickly got out of the way to allow Pihela to chip up.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Marius Bareisis | 1,740,000 | 240,000 | |
Igor Pihela Sr | 910,000 | 240,000 |
Level 22: 15,000/30,000 (30,000)
Entries: 2/53
The hand began simply enough when Marius Bareisis completed from the small blind. Enrique Martinez raised to 90,000 and Bareisis called.
Bareisis check-called a bet by Martinez for 60,000 on the flop before leading out for 100,000 on the turn. Martinez called and the completed the board on the river.
The scheduled break had started before the clock was frozen. Shortly after, Bareisis fired out for 450,000. Martinez went into the tank before he jammed for slightly less than 700,000. Bareisis snap-called and turned over the nuts with .
Martinez got his hand caught in the cookie jar with a bluff with and was awarded the €20,500 third-place prize to commemorate his tremendous run.
Bareisis will begin the heads-up action with a 3:1 chip advantage after the short break in action with blinds increasing to 20,000/40,000 (40,000).
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Marius Bareisis | 1,980,000 | 1,140,000 | |
Igor Pihela Sr | 670,000 | 240,000 | |
Enrique Martinez | 0 | 0 |
Level 22: 15,000/30,000 (30,000)
Entries: 3/53
Marius Bareisis three-bet jammed for 410,000 from the big blind and was called by Enrique Martinez, who opened from early position.
Marius Bareisis:
Enrique Martinez:
Bareisis stayed alive and doubled his stack after his sevens won a flip on the board.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Marius Bareisis | 840,000 | 95,000 | |
Enrique Martinez | 700,000 | 75,000 |
Level 22: 15,000/30,000 (30,000)
Entries: 3/53
Roope Tarmi jammed for 350,000 from the small blind. Igor Pihela Sr. looked down at his hand and called moments later.
Roope Tarmi:
Igor Pihela Sr.:
Queens held to the dismay of the two-time WSOP Circuit €3,000 NLH ring winner Roope Tarmi as he was unable to add a third title in this event after the ran out on the board.
Meanwhile, the final three locking up at least €20,500.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Igor Pihela Sr | 910,000 | 310,000 | |
Roope Tarmi | 0 | 0 |
Level 22: 15,000/30,000 (30,000)
Entries: 4/53
Marius Bareisis open-jammed for 335,000 from under the gun and was cold-called by Enrique Martinez from one seat over.
Marius Bareisis:
Enrique Martinez:
Ace-seven was good on the runout to double through the chip leader Martinez.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Enrique Martinez | 775,000 | 75,000 | |
Marius Bareisis | 745,000 | 210,000 |
Level 21: 10,000/25,000 (25,000)
Entries: 4/53
Igor Pihela Sr. min-raised from the cutoff before Kasper Mellanen three-bet shoved for around 100,000 from the button. Pihela Sr. quickly called and it was a bit of a cooler for Mellanen.
Kasper Mellanen:
Igor Pihela Sr.:
Pihela was ahead and pulled ahead even further after improving to a set on the flop. Mellanen was drawing dead after the turn and headed to the cashier to collect the sixth place prize of €11,050 after the river further improved Pihela to a full house.
Meanwhile, the final four players each locked up a minimum of a €14,600 payout.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Igor Pihela Sr | 600,000 | 100,000 | |
Kasper Mellanen | 0 | 0 |
Level 21: 10,000/25,000 (25,000)
Entries: 5/53
It's been a little while since any big action happened after Dennis Berglin hit the rail in sixth place. In a recent hand, Igor Pihela Sr. left Kasper Mellanen short.
It was a limped blind vs. blind hand with both Pihela and Mellanen checking the flop before Pihela check-raised the turn from 35,000 to 70,000 and Mellanen called to see river.
Pihela fired out for 75,000 and took down the pot after Mellanen folded.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Igor Pihela Sr | 500,000 | 40,000 | |
Kasper Mellanen | 100,000 | 230,000 |
Level 20: 10,000/20,000 (20,000)
Entries: 5/53
Kasper Mellanen jammed for 200,000 from the hijack before the short-stacked Dennis Berglin called off his stack of around four big blinds from the big blind.
Dennis Berglin:
Kasper Mellanen:
Berglin collected the sixth-place prize of €8,900 to his opponent's two pair after the ran out on the board.
Meanwhile, the remaining five players each laddered up to a payout of at least €11,050.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Kasper Mellanen | 330,000 | 30,000 | |
Dennis Berglin | 0 | 0 |
Level 20: 10,000/20,000 (20,000)
Entries: 6/53
Roope Tarmi won the €3,000 NLH 6-Max ring event during the WSOP Circuit Tallinn in both 2023 and 2024 and is now in a strong position to add a title in the same event at the 2024 Kings of Tallinn Autumn Edition despite nearly bubbling with ace-ten against ace-queen against eventual bubble boy Tommi Lankinen.
Dennis Berglin opened for 50,000 from the small blind. Tarmi tanked for several moments before he jammed for 270,000 from the big blind. Berglin quickly called and Tarmi was flipping for his tournament life.
Roope Tarmi:
Dennis Berglin:
Tarmi hit a flush on the flop and Berglin was drawing dead after the turn. Tarmi's double was official after the river completed the board while Berglin was left with just a few big blinds in his stack.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Roope Tarmi | 560,000 | 305,000 | |
Dennis Berglin | 90,000 | 260,000 |
Level 19: 10,000/15,000 (15,000)
Entries: 6/53
Igor Pihela Sr. opened for 30,000 from under the gun. Enrique Martinez three-bet the button to 75,000. Pihela four-bet shoved for 250,000 and Martinez called.
Igor Pihela Sr.:
Enrique Martinez:
Pihela was out of his chair but took a step back to the table after the tasty flop. It wasn't a diamond that saved Pihela as instead he paired up on the turn and won the hand after Martinez bricked the river.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Enrique Martinez | 700,000 | 240,000 | |
Igor Pihela Sr | 540,000 | 240,000 |
Level 19: 10,000/15,000 (15,000)
Entries: 6/53
Enrique Martinez three-bet from the blinds from 30,000 to 75,000 and was called by Kasper Mellanen, who opened from the button.
Both players checked the flop and the turn before Mellanen fired out for 75,000 on the river. Martinez called and won the hand after his was good against Mellanen's .
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Enrique Martinez | 940,000 | 205,000 | |
Kasper Mellanen | 360,000 | 115,000 |
Level 19: 10,000/15,000 (15,000)
Entries: 6/53
Check out the chip counts at the break of the €3,000 NLH 6-Max.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Enrique Martinez | 735,000 | 145,000 | |
Marius Bareisis | 535,000 | 55,000 | |
Kasper Mellanen | 475,000 | 55,000 | |
Dennis Berglin | 350,000 | 40,000 | |
Igor Pihela Sr | 300,000 | 90,000 | |
Roope Tarmi | 255,000 | 15,000 |
Players are on a 20-minute break after a quiet Level 18 outside the final hand which resulted in a chop between Enrique Martinez with ace-jack and Roope Tarmi with ace-nine with a straight coming on the board. We will update the chip counts of the final table when the action resumes.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Enrique Martinez | 590,000 | 35,000 | |
Kasper Mellanen | 530,000 | 43,000 | |
Marius Bareisis | 480,000 | 72,000 | |
Igor Pihela Sr | 390,000 | 17,000 | |
Dennis Berglin | 310,000 | 18,000 | |
Roope Tarmi | 270,000 | 40,000 |
Level 17: 5,000/10,000 (10,000)
Entries: 6/53
Roope Tarmi min-raised from the cutoff before Rolands Norietis three-bet jammed for more than a dozen big blinds from the big blind. Tarmi called and Norietis was flipping for his tournament life.
Rolands Norietis:
Roope Tarmi:
Tarmi won the flip to eliminate Norietis in seventh place for €7,250 after the ran out on the board. After the hand, the final six players locked up at least a €8,900 payday.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Roope Tarmi | 310,000 | 139,000 | |
Rolands Norietis | 0 | 0 |
Seat | Name | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
1 | Marius Bareisis | Lithuania | 552,000 | 55 |
2 | Enrique Martinez | Spain | 555,000 | 56 |
3 | Dennis Berglin | Sweden | 328,000 | 33 |
4 | Roope Tarmi | Finland | 171,000 | 17 |
5 | Igor Pihela | Estonia | 407,000 | 41 |
6 | Rolands Norietis | Latvia | 156,000 | 16 |
7 | Kasper Mellanen | Finland | 487,000 | 49 |
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Enrique Martinez | 555,000 | 75,000 | |
Marius Bareisis | 552,000 | 8,000 | |
Kasper Mellanen | 487,000 | 57,000 | |
Igor Pihela Sr | 407,000 | 7,000 | |
Dennis Berglin | 328,000 | 4,000 | |
Roope Tarmi | 171,000 | 201,000 | |
Rolands Norietis | 156,000 | 39,000 |
Level 16: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 7/53
Players are now in the money for at least a €7,250 min-cash after Tommi Lankinen busted on the money bubble.
Lankinen open-jammed for 160,000 from the small blind and was called by Igor Pihela Sr. from the big blind.
Tommi Lankinen:
Igor Pihela Sr.:
Lankinen pulled out ahead on the flop but fell far behind after Pihela's ace found a partner on the turn. The river completed the board to end Lankinen's deep run in the €3,000 NLH on the money bubble.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Igor Pihela Sr | 400,000 | 36,000 | |
Tommi Lankinen | 0 | 0 |
Level 16: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 8/53
Dennis Berglin was a short stack not too long ago. He got one lucky double about 8 minutes ago and this time got it in good against Roland Norietis.
Kasper Mellanen opened for 16,000 from under the gun before Norietis called from the small blind. Berglin three-bet jammed for 154,000. Mellanen folded after Berglin's chips were counted before Norietis sigh-called about a minute later.
Dennis Berglin:
Rolands Norietis:
Jacks were good on the runout for Berglin to double for a second time on the money bubble.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Dennis Berglin | 332,000 | 158,000 | |
Rolands Norietis | 195,000 | 68,000 |
Level 16: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 8/53
Lady luck switched its attention to Dennis Berglin after already visiting Roope Tarmi on the money bubble. Berglin committed his last 77,000 in chips and was up against Marius Bareisis.
Dennis Berglin:
Marius Bareisis:
An ace came out of the gate for Berglin to double his stack after the ran out on the board.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Marius Bareisis | 560,000 | 90,000 | |
Dennis Berglin | 174,000 | 55,000 |
Level 16: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 8/53
Roope Tarmi opened with a min-raise from the button before Tommy Lankinen three-bet to 36,000 from the big blind. Tarmi ripped it in with a four-bet jam for 176,000. Lankinen paused for a few moments before he found a call.
Roope Tarmi:
Tommy Lankinen:
Tarmi was in jeopardy to bubble but was able to relax after he improved to Broadway on the flop. He officially doubled his stack through Lankinen after the turn and river completed the board.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Roope Tarmi | 372,000 | 214,000 | |
Tommi Lankinen | 135,000 | 25,000 |
Level 16: 4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries: 8/53
After a flurry of eliminations, the action calmed down on the money bubble, and understandably so with at least a €7,250 min-cash on the line for the final seven players.
We will update again with the next big hand with the two tables of four players continuing to battle.
Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 8/53
Rytis Pranarauskasjammed from the small blind for less than 15 big blinds into fellow Lithuanian Marius Bareisis. Bareisis found a call and the cards were turned over.
Rytis Pranarauskas:
Marius Bareisis:
The money bubble was reached before the first blind level was in the books after Pranarauskas bricked the board.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Marius Bareisis | 650,000 | 100,000 | |
Rytis Pranarauskas | 0 | 0 |
Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 9/53
There was around 20 big blinds in the pot with the on the board when Estonia's Ermo Kosk led out for around 50,000 after previously leading out on the flop and turn. Kasper Mellanen shoved for 142,000 the exact amount Kosk had in his stack.
Kosk tanked for close to a minute before he called. Mellanen turned over the for two pair which was ahead of Kosk's top pair with to eliminate the Estonian in 10th place.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Kasper Mellanen | 430,000 | 216,000 | |
Ermo Kosk | 0 | 0 |
Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 10/53
Marius Bareisis min-raised from the button before Hassan Sey three-bet to around 65,000 from the small blind. Bareisis tanked for around a minute before he four-bet shoved a big stack. Sey called off his stack of around 150,000 and the flip was on.
Hassan Sey:
Marius Bareisis:
Sey bricked the board and there were 10 players left with Bareisis leading the way after the hand.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Marius Bareisis | 550,000 | 150,000 | |
Hassan Sey | 0 | 0 |
Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 11/53
The formidable Aleksi Naski, who came into the final day with the shortest stack, lost his chips around the same time as Viktors Caikins after he committed his stack with and was up against the held by Tommy Lankinen.
The board wasn't one that Naski wanted to see and the action was down to just 11 hopefuls.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Tommi Lankinen | 160,000 | 61,000 | |
Aleksi Naski | 0 | 0 |
Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 12/53
Kasper Mellanen three-bet shoved from the big blind for 103,000. Viktors Caikins, who had 2,000 chips more, called after he opened from under the gun.
Kasper Mellanen:
Viktors Caikins:
Mellanen nailed a flush on the runout leaving Caikins with crumbs in his stack.
The next hand, Caikins already had his chips committed from the big blind. Ermo Kosk opened the button and the rest of the table folded. Caikins had and was unable to get there against Kosk's after the ran out on the board.
A short break took place after the hand as the action was down to just two tables in the opening moments of the final day.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Kasper Mellanen | 214,000 | 108,000 | |
Ermo Kosk | 160,000 | 25,000 | |
Viktors Caikins | 0 | 0 |
Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 13/53
Sauli Haapaniemi three-bet jammed from the big blind for less than 20 big blinds and was called by Enrique Martinez, who opened from the button.
Sauli Haapaniemi:
Enrique Martinez:
Martinez's cowboys were good to oust Haapaniemi after the ran out on the board.
Player | Chips | Progress | |
---|---|---|---|
Enrique Martinez | 480,000 | 137,000 | |
Sauli Haapaniemi | 0 | 0 |
Level 15: 3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries: 14/53
Cards are in the air to start the second and final day of the €3,000 NLH. Stay tuned to read how the action will unfold in real-time.
Welcome to the final day of the 2024 Kings of Tallinn Autumn Edition at Olympic Park Casino and the adjoining Hilton.
While you can check out the reporting of the final table of the Main Event, at the same time the festival boasts the final day of another exciting event in the two-day €3,000 NLH 6-Max affair.
The event attracted 53 entries on its opening day to create a €140,980 prize pool. A total of 14 players surviving the first 14 blind levels on Day 1 and will compete to be in the top seven for at least a €7,250 min-cash in hopes of winning the €47,930 top prize on the line.
Lithuania's Marius Bareisis leads the way after parlaying his 50,000 opening stack into 400,000 in chips. He and the 13 others will compete under a 30-minute blind structure until a winner is crowned starting off with Level 15 with blinds at 3,000/6,000 (6,000).
Cards will be in the air at Noon. In the meantime, check out the seat draw below:
Table | Seat | Name | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
11 | 1 | Enrique Martinez | Spain | 343,000 | 57 |
11 | 3 | Hassan Sey | Finland | 198,000 | 33 |
11 | 4 | Sauli Haapaniemi | Finland | 122,000 | 20 |
11 | 5 | Marius Bareisis | Lithuania | 400,000 | 67 |
11 | 6 | Rytis Pranarauskas | Lithuania | 136,000 | 23 |
18 | 2 | Tommi Lankinen | Finland | 99,000 | 17 |
18 | 3 | Igor Pihela | Estonia | 364,000 | 61 |
18 | 4 | Rolands Norietis | Latvia | 263,000 | 44 |
18 | 5 | Roope Tarmi | Finland | 158,000 | 26 |
18 | 6 | Aleksi Naski | Finland | 70,000 | 12 |
19 | 1 | Dennis Berglin | Sweden | 119,000 | 20 |
19 | 2 | Ermo Kosk | Estonia | 185,000 | 31 |
19 | 3 | Kasper Mellanen | Finland | 106,000 | 18 |
19 | 5 | Viktors Caikins | Latvia | 87,000 | 15 |