Nicolas Bokowski of Germany has been crowned Player of the Series at the European Mixed Poker Championship (EMPC) in Tallinn, finishing with 809.5 points and five cashes. PokerNews reported the wrap-up on November 5, 2026. The festival ran at Olybet Poker in the Olympic Park Casino and featured 12 events, 856 entries and €371,070 in total prize pools, with buy-ins from €200 to €1,500.
Mixed-game festivals remain a niche, but they are a growing one, and the EMPC results show how deep and varied the field can be when the schedule moves beyond no-limit hold'em.
Player of the Series Leaderboard
| Rank | Player | Country | Cashes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicolas Bokowski | Germany | 5 | 809.5 |
| 2 | Seun Oluwole | England | 4 | 702.0 |
| 3 | Philipp Krieger | Germany | 5 | 582.5 |
| 4 | Robin Panholzer | Austria | 4 | 574.1 |
| 5 | Tapani Pulkkinen | Finland | 2 | 534.7 |
| 6 | Raymond Forsland | Norway | 3 | 491.2 |
| 7 | Patrick Stacey | Canada | 2 | 471.2 |
| 8 | Thor Morstol | Norway | 5 | 468.5 |
| 9 | Sampo Ryynanen | Finland | 3 | 462.7 |
| 10 | Eirik Kristiansen | Norway | 4 | 456.8 |
Bokowski's Winning Run
Bokowski won the €300 Nordic Special Mix, beating Slovenia's Blaz Zerjav heads-up for €6,150. He then finished runner-up in the €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller, losing heads-up to Patrick Stacey after about three and a half hours. Stacey won €20,230, while Bokowski earned €12,830. He also finished third in the €300 Big Bet Mix.
That is a good example of how Player of the Series races work: consistent deep runs across different formats matter more than a single win. Bokowski and Philipp Krieger both made five cashes, while Thor Morstol also cashed five times but finished eighth on points, which shows how much the higher buy-in and deeper finishes are worth.
The Main Event: €800 8-Game
The €800 8-Game Main Event attracted 146 entries and a prize pool of €97,090. Tapani Pulkkinen of Finland won €22,250, the festival's largest first-place prize. He entered the final table second in chips behind Wantao Tang and beat Denmark's Christian Elgstrøm heads-up. The final hand was dealt in Pot-Limit Omaha, which Pulkkinen had identified as his strongest game. He said: "It's great. It's crazy." He also said: "I was just trying to do what I think seems smart, and run good."
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tapani Pulkkinen | Finland | €22,250 |
| 2 | Christian Elgstrøm | Denmark | €15,070 |
| 3 | Seun Oluwole | England | €10,930 |
| 4 | Wantao Tang | England | €8,590 |
| 5 | Erik Sønstebø | Norway | €6,730 |
| 6 | Jerry Ödeen | Sweden | €5,260 |
| 7 | Ilkka Heikkila | Finland | €3,840 |
| 8 | Andres Korn | Argentina | €2,830 |
| 9 | Kayan Intwala | England | €2,830 |
Seun Oluwole's third place was one of three final tables he reached. He also finished fourth in the €200 S.O.R.B.E.T. and second in the €300 Senkel's Paradise Pick'em, and he eliminated defending champion Blaz Zerjav in 22nd place in the Main Event, just outside the money. Zerjav had won both the EMPC Main Event and Player of the Series in 2025.
All 12 Events
| # | Tournament | Entries | Prize pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €300 Big Bet Mix | 104 | €17,108 | Christophe Stammet | €3,417 |
| 2 | €555 Lowball Draw Mix | 63 | €29,327 | Thor Morstol | €9,967 |
| 3 | €300 Nordic Special Mix | 84 | €20,530 | Nicolas Bokowski | €6,150 |
| 4 | €700 Dealer's Choice | 69 | €42,683 | Robin Panholzer | €12,093 |
| 5 | €200 S.O.R.B.E.T. | 95 | €19,650 | Raymond Forsland | €4,051 |
| 6 | €800 T.O.E. Turbo | 33 | €23,118 | Sampo Ryynanen | €8,072 |
| 7 | €1,500 S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller | 45 | €58,320 | Patrick Stacey | €20,230 |
| 8 | €300 Senkel's Paradise Pickem | 65 | €15,886 | Eirik Kristiansen | €4,766 |
| 9 | €800 8-Game | 146 | €97,090 | Tapani Pulkkinen | €22,250 |
| 10 | €300 6-Game | 70 | €10,108 | Marius Toverud | €3,028 |
| 11 | €1,500 6-Game High Roller | 21 | €27,216 | Alexander Aaneland | €10,886 |
| 12 | €200 Omaha Dealer's Choice | 61 | €10,034 | Philipp Krieger | €3,004 |
Krieger's win in the Omaha Dealer's Choice, beating Estonia's Heiti Riisberg heads-up for €3,004, was his fifth cash and moved him from 19th to third in the final standings. Robin Panholzer, Thor Morstol, Raymond Forsland, Sampo Ryynanen, Patrick Stacey and Eirik Kristiansen all took titles too, which shows how spread out the wins were.
What the Numbers Say About Mixed Games
Smaller fields, bigger edges
With an average of about 71 entries per event (856 across 12 tournaments), the fields are much smaller than a typical hold'em festival. The €800 T.O.E. Turbo drew 33 entries, and the €1,500 6-Game High Roller just 21. In small fields, a player who is strong across several games has a clear edge over a specialist, and that is why familiar names appear repeatedly on the leaderboard.
Prize pools reward depth
The €371,070 total is modest compared to flagship hold'em festivals, but the buy-ins are accessible, and the winners' cheques range from about €3,000 to €22,000. For a recreational player who wants to try something new, that is a comfortable entry point.
Format diversity
The schedule featured Big Bet Mix, Lowball Draw Mix, Nordic Special Mix, Dealer's Choice, S.O.R.B.E.T., T.O.E., Pick'em, 8-Game and 6-Game variants. That breadth means players need to know many games, from stud and razz to PLO and no-limit draw formats. Our poker glossary helps decode the terms, and our Omaha page is a good introduction to one of the most common variants.
Why Mixed Games Are Gaining Ground
Hold'em dominates the poker landscape, but mixed games offer a different challenge and a more level playing field for players who like to study. Because the games rotate, no single strategy works for every orbit; players need a broad skill set.
That said, mixed games carry their own learning curve. A player who understands hold'em but not stud may bleed chips quickly. The fastest way to improve is to play low-stakes versions online, review hands and read about each game. Our poker strategy section is a useful starting point, and our texas hold'em guide helps establish the fundamentals before you branch out.
What This Means for Players
Learn one new game at a time. Pick a variant, such as Omaha hi-lo or razz, and study its starting hand values before moving to the next.
Start low. Mixed-game tournaments often have small fields, which means one mistake can be costly. Practise at low stakes first. Our bankroll management guide explains how.
Play to your strengths. Pulkkinen deliberately steered toward his best game at the end. In a mixed format, recognising where you have an edge and where you are weak helps you adjust your decisions.
Look at the schedule. Festivals like the EMPC publish detailed schedules in advance. Choosing events that suit your skill and bankroll is part of the game.
Find online practice. Several sites offer mixed-game lobbies and Omaha. Check BetOnline, Americas Cardroom and BC Poker for what is available, and use the tournaments page to compare formats.
The 2026 EMPC in Tallinn was a showcase for breadth over specialisation. Bokowski's win as Player of the Series is proof that consistent, versatile play pays off.