Tallinn Summer Showdown Returns on July 25-31
The Tallinn Summer Showdown is known for being the biggest festival in Northern Europe each summer since its launch in 2017. The event is set for its glorious return at the luxurious Olympic Park Casino and the adjoining Hilton Tallinn Park from July 25-31 with a massive schedule of 33 events.
For the first time, PokerListings will be on the floor reporting the Tallinn Summer Showdown €1,100 Main Event from beginning to end while also providing highlights of the many side events and vibe of the festival.
“The Tallinn Summer Showdown is a can’t miss event for recreational and professional poker players alike as it is the biggest poker festival of the summer in Northern Europe,” said Olympic Entertainment Group Marketing Manager Karev Tralla. “The event provides something for everyone with many different poker formats at a variety of buy-ins, a team competition, cash games running around the clock, and, of course, a three-day Main Event that can’t be missed. We are thrilled that for the first time, PokerListings will be on hand to cover the action.”
The Tallinn Summer Showdown Main Event
The Tallinn Summer Showdown Main Event on July 28-30 is easily the highlight of the Tallinn Summer Showdown. The event kicks off with two opening flights on July 28 with Day 1a kicking off at 12 p.m. and Day 1b following at 8 p.m. local time. Each flight will feature eight blind levels with players starting with a massive stack of 30,000 chips.
The tournament will provide a deep structure with hour-long blind levels. The main exception to this rule will be on Day 1b, which is described as a turbo flight but still provides plenty of time to make moves with 30-minute blind levels. Players will bag their stacks after eight blind levels of play. The shorter days allow players to also enjoy the plethora of side events on the schedule.
Not only is late registration open with unlimited re-entries permitted throughout both of the opening flights, but will also be open for the first hour of Day 2 with late registration not closing until the conclusion of Level 9 (the first blind level of Day 2).
Of course, there are plenty of ways to get in cheaper than the €1,100 buy-in with satellites not only running at Olympic Park Casino, but also online at Olybet Poker.
History of the Tallinn Summer Showdown Main Event
Players were itching for something new during the summer as they didn’t want to wait a year for the popular Kings of Tallinn during the summer time.
Finnish tournament director Teresa Nousiainen, who coincidentally was also the tournament director of The Festival Series Tallinn a couple of weeks ago, saw the potential and created the Tallinn Summer Showdown in 2017. Unlike many other festivals that went on hiatus during the pandemic, the Tallinn Summer Showdown was able to host its event every year thanks to restrictions lifted throughout Northern Europe during the summer season.
Finland’s Jukko Koskela navigated through a field of 127 entries during the inaugural Main Event in 2017 to win the €33,200 top prize. Since then, three big names in poker with Jargo Alaväli, Mathias Siljander, and Scottish poker phenom Niall "Firaldo" Farrell were all crowned champions from 2018 to 2020.
Last year was the biggest Tallinn Summer Showdown event of them all when Kristian Zitting bested a field of 286 entries to win the €56,500 top prize.
| Year | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Country | Prize | Notes |
| 2017 | 127 | €120,650 | Jukka Koskela | Finland | €33,200 | |
| 2018 | 165 | €156,750 | Jargo Alaväli | Estonia | €33,077 | Three-Way Deal |
| 2019 | 195 | €185,250 | Mathias Siljander | Finland | €46,700 | |
| 2020 | 179 | €153,045 | Niall "Firaldo" Farrell | Scotland | €32,125 | Heads-Up Deal |
| 2021 | 286 | €271,700 | Kristian Zitting | Finland | €56,500 |
Side Events Galore!
While the Main Event might be the biggest attraction, many other players are coming solely for the side events. Of course, the way the schedule is structured, those that go deep in the Main Event will still have plenty of time to join into many of the side events as well. Players can also choose to play cash games on the main floor of the casino with many different poker variants available at a variety of stakes.
The schedule boasts many different multiday side events including the €250 Mystery Bounty on July 26-27, the €550 NLH SSD on July 26-28, the €250 Friday NLH Deepstack on July 29-30, the €2,000 Summer Showdown HighRoller 6-MAX on July 30-31, and the €120 Olybet Special on July 30-31.
There are tons of other no-limit hold’em events as well but those looking for something different will be pleased to learn that there are also Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO), PLO Hi/Lo, Sviten Special, OFC, and Short Deck events littered through the schedule as well.
Ladies also have something special to look forward to with a low buy-in €60 Ladies Event taking place on July 30.
Team Competition
The vibe at the Tallinn Summer Showdown is noticeable to any player in attendance with rails taking place not only for the Main Event but the side events as well.
One big reason for this is the Tallinn Summer Showdown Team Competition. A total of 2% of each prize pool is reserved for the Team Competition. Each team consists of four players with any event which isn’t a satellite that has at least 12 players contributing points to those that cash. The top team on the leaderboard will walk away with 75% of the Team Competition prize pool while the runner-up team will be awarded the remaining 25%.
Don’t stress if you can’t find a team of four players ahead of time as the staff at Olympic Park Casino and the Tournament Director Teresa Nousiainen will assist you if needed to join a team.
Head to the Tallinn Summer Showdown website to read all the rules of the Team Competition and to sign-up for your team.
2022 Tallinn Summer Showdown Full Schedule
| Date | Time | # | Event | Buy-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 25 | 3 p.m. | 1 | Rake free satellite to the Summer Showdown Opening | €20 |
| 7 p.m. | 2 | Summer Showdown Opening | €350 | |
| 10 p.m. | 3 | NL Hold'em Satellite to the €550 SSD | €60 | |
| July 26 | 1 p.m. | 4 | Rake free satellite to the €550 SSD | €20 |
| 3 p.m. | 5 | NLH Summer Showdown Mystery Bounty Day 1A | €250 | |
| 5 p.m. | 6 | NL Hold'em Satellite to the €550 SSD | €60 | |
| 7 p.m. | 7 | NLH 550 € SSD Day 1A | €550 | |
| 9 p.m. | 5 | NLH Summer Showdown Mystery Bounty Day 1B | €250 | |
| 10 p.m. | 8 | NLH Satellite to ME | €60 | |
| July 27 | 12 p.m. | 7 | NLH 550 € SSD Day 1B | €550 |
| 2 p.m. | 9 | NLH Satellite to ME 1B | €120 | |
| 5 p.m. | 10 | Wednesday Progressive Bounty | €250 | |
| 7 p.m. | 7 | NLH 550 € SSD Day 1C Turbo | €550 | |
| 9 p.m. | 5 | NLH Summer Showdown Mystery Bounty Final Day | ||
| 9 p.m. | 11 | 4 Card PLO Turbo KnockOut | €250 | |
| 10 p.m. | 12 | Wednesday Night Madness | €120 | |
| July 28 | 11:30 a.m. | 13 | Rake free satellite to the Main Event | €20 |
| 12 p.m. | 14 | NLH Summer Showdown Main Event Day 1A | €1,100 | |
| 2 p.m. | 15 | NLH Satellite to ME 1B | €120 | |
| 3 p.m. | 16 | Pot Limit Sviten Special | €250 | |
| 8 p.m. | 14 | NLH Summer Showdown Main Event Day 1B Turbo | €1,100 | |
| 9 p.m. | 7 | NLH 550 € SSD Final Day | ||
| 9 p.m. | 17 | 5 Card PLO Progressive KnockOut 6-Max | €440 | |
| 10 p.m. | 18 | NLH Short Deck 6-Max | €120 | |
| July 29 | 12 p.m. | 14 | NLH Summer Showdown Main Event Day 2 | €1,100 |
| 1 p.m. | 19 | NLH Rake Free Satellite to event #22 | €20 | |
| 3 p.m. | 20 | NLH Friday Deepstack Day 1 | €250 | |
| 5 p.m. | 21 | Open Face Chinese Pineapple | €350 | |
| 5 p.m. | 22 | NLH Satellite to Highroller Event | €250 | |
| 7 p.m. | 23 | NLH Progressive KnockOut | €1,100 | |
| 9 p.m. | 24 | 4 Card PLO Hi/Lo | €250 | |
| 10 p.m. | 25 | NLH Hyper Turbo KnockOut | €120 | |
| July 30 | 11:30 a.m. | 26 | NLH Turbo Satellite to Highroller Event | €120 |
| 12 p.m. | 14 | NLH Summer Showdown Main Event Final Day | ||
| 1 p.m. | 20 | NLH Friday Deepstack Final Day | ||
| 1 p.m. | 27 | NLH Ladies Event | €60 | |
| 3 p.m. | 28 | Summer Showdown HighRoller 6-MAX | €2,000 | |
| 5 p.m. | 29 | NLH Olybet Special Day 1 | €120 | |
| 7 p.m. | 30 | NLH Progressive KnockOut Day 1 | €440 | |
| 9 p.m. | 31 | PLO4 & PLO5 Card, button round each 8-Max | €1,100 | |
| 10 p.m. | 32 | NLH Win the Button Hyper Turbo | €120 | |
| July 31 | 12 p.m. | 28 | Summer Showdown HighRoller 6-MAX Final Day | |
| 12 p.m. | 29 | NLH Olybet Special Final Day | ||
| 12 p.m. | 30 | NLH Progressive KnockOut Final Day | ||
| 1 p.m. | 33 | NLH Hyper Turbo version of the ME | €120 |
