The Kings of Tallinn Autumn Edition is almost here. Running from October 9 to 18, 2026, the OlyBet-organized festival returns to the Hilton Tallinn Park Hotel and Olympic Park Casino in Estonia with a €1,100 Main Event guaranteeing €500,000 and a schedule of more than 60 events ranging from €100 to €3,000.
For European tournament players, Tallinn has become a reliable autumn stop, sitting in a calendar that also includes the Diamond Poker Series at the same city's Olympic Park Casino a few weeks earlier. This article walks through what the festival offers, how the satellites work and how to approach the series if you are planning to travel.
The Main Event: structure and dates
The centerpiece is the €1,100 Kings of Tallinn Main Event with a €500,000 guarantee. The event uses multiple starting flights, giving players flexibility:
- Flight 1A: October 14, noon
- Flight 1B: October 14, 6 p.m.
- Flight 1C: October 15, noon
- Flight 1D: October 15, 7 p.m.
- Day 2: October 16
- Day 3: October 17
- Final table: October 18
Players start with 30,000 chips, which is a reasonable depth for a €1,100 buy-in. The multi-flight format is typical of European festivals and helps organizers grow the field by letting players choose a flight that fits their schedule, and by allowing re-entry.
To hit the guarantee, the tournament needs roughly 500 entries at €1,100 before accounting for fees, which is a realistic target for a festival of this size. Anyone who has watched live fields in Estonia and the wider Baltic region knows these Main Events tend to attract a deep, international pool.
More than 60 events
Beyond the Main Event, the festival lists over 60 tournaments. Buy-ins run from €100 up to €3,000, offering something for every bankroll. Highlights include:
- €555 Kings of Tallinn Championship
- €1,100 PLO4/PLO5 Championship
- €1,100 DeepStack Mystery Bounty
- €3,000 NLH High Roller
- €350 and €250 DeepStack events
- Mixed games and specialty formats, including Razz, 8-Game and SVITEN
The presence of a PLO4/PLO5 Championship and a Mystery Bounty event shows how the festival mirrors current trends. Pot-limit Omaha variants have grown rapidly in popularity, and mystery bounty formats have become standard on European schedules. If you are new to Omaha, our Omaha guide and Hold'em vs Omaha comparison explain the key differences in hand values and strategy.
Satellite routes and cheaper entries
One of the festival's strengths is its affordable entry paths. The structure includes:
- €80 satellites into €555 events, with 10 seats guaranteed
- €150 Main Event satellites, with 10 seats guaranteed
- €150 High Roller satellites, with 3 seats guaranteed
- Freebuy satellites with €20 rebuys and add-ons
Guaranteed seats are valuable because they remove the risk of satellites running with too few runners. A €150 buy-in for a chance at a €1,100 Main Event seat is an appealing proposition for a recreational player, and the freebuy format lowers the barrier even further. Online satellites are also offered through OlyBet Poker.
If you plan to use satellites, remember they behave very differently from regular tournaments. In a satellite where every seat has equal value, chip accumulation beyond the number needed has no extra reward. Our what is ICM guide explains why survival often matters more than chip leads in these formats, and our tournaments section covers qualification routes in general.
Cash games and extras
Cash games run 24/7 throughout the festival, which makes Tallinn attractive for players who prefer ring-game action or who bust early and want to keep playing. For those comparing formats, our cash games vs tournaments guide helps weigh the options.
The festival also includes:
- A Team Challenge, in which teams of four compete for points-based prizes. Two percent of qualifying tournament prize pools contribute to the team prize pool.
- Women-only tournaments
- A celebrity bounty event
- Online satellites through OlyBet Poker
Team formats add a social element and encourage groups of friends to travel together, which tends to increase attendance and engagement.
Why Tallinn works as a destination
Tallinn is an attractive host city for a poker festival for several reasons. The Old Town is a major tourist draw, flights from many European cities are straightforward and the Olympic Park Casino sits within a venue that combines poker rooms and accommodation. Compared with many Western European cities, costs for food, drink and hotels are often lower, which stretches a player's budget.
The festival's timing also matters. October is a natural slot between the summer series and the winter festival season, and it follows closely behind events such as the Diamond Poker Series Tallinn, which ran September 15 to 22 at the same casino. Players who are already travelling in the region can combine stops, building a multi-week trip around several festivals.
How to approach the series
If you are planning a trip, a few practical suggestions apply.
Pick your events carefully. With 60-plus tournaments, the temptation is to play everything. A disciplined approach, concentrating on events where your edge is greatest, helps protect your bankroll. Our bankroll management page sets out how many buy-ins to carry for different stakes.
Use the flights wisely. With four flights for the Main Event, choosing a later flight lets you see how fields are developing. On the other hand, playing an early flight leaves you with a backup if you bust. The right choice depends on whether you prefer to maximize re-entry flexibility or minimize jet lag.
Prepare for deep stacks. A 30,000-chip starting stack at a €1,100 buy-in is deep enough for a patient, skill-based game. Study your opening ranges and postflop plans in advance. Our poker strategy section and poker odds page can help refresh the maths.
Think about mystery bounty variance. The €1,100 DeepStack Mystery Bounty will reward players who can adjust to bounty-driven calling ranges. Those new to the format should read up on how bounties change equity requirements before jumping in.
What it means for the wider European calendar
Kings of Tallinn is part of a broader pattern: European live poker is thriving, with festivals growing in both number and ambition. Series such as the King's Million in Rozvadov, the Unibet Open in Marrakech and Grosvenor's UK Poker Tour have all posted solid fields this autumn, and the Tallinn edition continues that run.
A €500,000 guarantee on a €1,100 buy-in is a meaningful promise from OlyBet, particularly in a year when guaranteed prize pools have been closely watched by players who want to avoid overlays. The festival's multi-flight structure and re-entry options make the guarantee achievable, and the satellite programme will do a lot of the work in feeding the field.
Bottom line
If you are looking for a well-organized, reasonably priced and varied festival, Kings of Tallinn Autumn Edition ticks many boxes. The €1,100 Main Event with a €500,000 guarantee is the flagship, the schedule offers variety from Razz to PLO5, and the satellite programme gives lower-bankroll players a realistic route in.
Travellers should check dates, plan their buy-ins and arrive prepared. For anyone looking to improve before they fly, our tournaments hub and poker glossary are good places to brush up on structure, formats and terminology.