Karlsson Leads Final 24 in the Record Breaking Coolbet Open Main Event; Helppi in Second
The Coolbet Open �550 Main Event at Olympic Park Casino and the Hilton Park Hotel has been the biggest and best yet in its four festival history.
A total of 686 entrants, including 62 during the first blind level of today's Day 2, smashed the casino record at Olympic Park Casino for the most entrants in an international poker event. This represents 97 entrants more than the previous record the Coolbet Open Main Event established in Oct. 2018 when it attracted 589 entrants.
The tournament stopped for the day with 24 players remaining. Each returning player is guaranteed �2,100 with the winner slated to receive a healthy �71,700 top prize.
Sweden's Johan Karlsson heads into tomorrow's final day in the chip lead with 2,099,000 in chips. Just behind Karlsson, is Finnish poker legend Juha Helppi with 1,720,000 in chips. Helppi, who has almost $8 million in live tournament earnings, not only won his first WSOP bracelet but last year had success in Tallinn by winning the King's of Tallinn Main Event.
Also in the top five in chip counts are Ott Karli Toome (third - 1,600,000), Tonis Viik (fourth - 1,470,000), and Eirik Lodoen (fifth - 1,460,000).
Defending Coolbet Open Main Event champion Mathias Siljander is still in the mix with 593,000 in chips. He will be shooting for a three-in-a-row final table streak as he also finished in third place in the previous Coolbet Open Main Event from his victory last time around.
Also still in the mix is Lithuania's Tomas Sujeta with a healthy stack of 1,297,000 going into tomorrow. Sujeta has already found success this month as he kicked off November with a victory in the Malta Poker Festival Grand Event.
Final Day Seat Draw
Final Day Seat Draw
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chips | Big Blinds | Big Blinds in 2 Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Mathias Siljander | Finland | 593,000 | 30 | 25 |
| 1 | 2 | Juha Helppi | Finland | 1,720,000 | 86 | 72 |
| 1 | 3 | Johan Karlsson | Sweden | 2,099,000 | 105 | 87 |
| 1 | 4 | Ott Karli Toome | Estonia | 1,600,000 | 80 | 67 |
| 1 | 5 | Vegard Melgalis | Norway | 1,225,000 | 61 | 51 |
| 1 | 6 | Roope Tarmi | Finland | 742,000 | 37 | 31 |
| 1 | 7 | Aleksandr Arutjunov | Estonia | 360,000 | 18 | 15 |
| 1 | 8 | Klaus Witte | Norway | 214,000 | 11 | 9 |
| 2 | 1 | Olli Ikonen | Finland | 466,000 | 23 | 19 |
| 2 | 2 | Mikko Ylamaki | Finland | 857,000 | 43 | 36 |
| 2 | 3 | Steven Iglesias | Norway | 593,000 | 30 | 25 |
| 2 | 4 | Pyry Kekalainen | Finland | 814,000 | 41 | 34 |
| 2 | 5 | Tonis Viik | Estonia | 1,470,000 | 74 | 61 |
| 2 | 6 | Jari Lahtinen | Finland | 1,405,000 | 70 | 59 |
| 2 | 7 | Kevin Pold | Estonia | 230,000 | 12 | 10 |
| 2 | 8 | Bjorn Fiske | Norway | 366,000 | 18 | 15 |
| 3 | 1 | Stig Rune Bjornli | Norway | 567,000 | 28 | 24 |
| 3 | 2 | Kim Ofverstrom | Finland | 477,000 | 24 | 20 |
| 3 | 3 | Eirik Lodoen | Finland | 1,460,000 | 73 | 61 |
| 3 | 4 | Tomas Sujeta | Lithuania | 1,297,000 | 65 | 54 |
| 3 | 5 | Matti Jokinen | Finland | 417,000 | 21 | 17 |
| 3 | 6 | Silver Simulask | Estonia | 430,000 | 22 | 18 |
| 3 | 7 | Jussi Mattila | Finland | 240,000 | 12 | 10 |
| 3 | 8 | Hassein Semnami | Norway | 785,000 | 39 | 33 |
Day 2 Recap
The day began with 226 players qualifying from the two opening flights and the 62 entrants that entered the action during the first blind level of the day when late registration was closed. Some found success by entering today including Enri Orav (38th place - �1,620) and the last woman standing in the Main Event Fiona Sand (33rd - �1,620).
Eliminations were taking place at a fast and furious pace but slowed down when the money bubble was approaching. There were quick three eliminations to burst the bubble before hand for hand could take place when there were 82 players remaining and 80 guaranteed at least a min-cash of �1,085. Jaanus Veste and Even Evensen split a min-cash between the two to become the first players to cash.
Originally the action was scheduled to be 11 blind levels but that was changed midway through the day to play until 24 players were remaining.
Stories Developing
There are many stories to follow including whether Mathias Siljander can win back to back titles, whether Juha Helppi can win another title in Tallinn, if Tomas Sujeta win two big tournaments in a month, and many more.
The action will resume tomorrow at noon EET with 2:11 remaining on the clock with blinds at 10,000/20,000 with a big blind ante of 20,000 before moving up to 12,000/24,000 with a big blind ante of 24,000. Be sure to tune into PokerNews to the action unfold for tomorrow's final day of the Coolbet Open Main Event.