Raiko Kukk Wins Coolbet Open Nations Cup

The third day of the 2024 Coolbet Open boasted tons of action at the Chesterfield Poker Club and the Nordic Hotel Forum on Wednesday. Estonia’s Raiko Kukk was the star of the day after winning the Nations Cup Final, which was televised at the Coolbet Open Facebook and YouTube channels.

Players from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Norway, and two from Chile battled it out for personal and national glory in hopes of snagging a piece of the €20,000 added prize pool. A four-way deal was agreed on the bubble, which allowed Chile’s Christian Gonzalez to slip into the money in fourth place for €1,500. Iceland’s Hjortur Davidsson hit the rail soon after in third place for €3,500, leaving Norwegian Coolbet streamer Christian Arstad and Kukk heads-up for the title. Arstad settled for the healthy runner-up prize of €5,500, while Kukk earned pride for his country along with a €9,500 top prize for his epic live-streamed victory.

Meanwhile, the much anticipated 2024 Coolbet Open €550 Main Event kicked off with the first of two starting flights, and two other players won trophies on the third day of the Coolbet Open.

Hans Winther Leads Main Event

The 2024 Coolbet Open €550 Main Event attracted a banner field of 189 entries during the first of two opening flights, including many of the approximately 150 players who qualified online at Coolbet Poker.

Norway’s Hans Winther had a day to remember as his stack soared during the final three blind levels of the day to lead the 68 survivors heading into Friday’s day to with a stack of 266,300 off his 30,000 starting stack.

The Estonian duo of Karl-Julius Kalmus (242,300) and poker veteran Taago Tamm (239,000) ended Day 1a just behind Winther, while another Estonian, Ott-Kaarli Toome, with 203,900, ended the day in fourth place. Many eyes will be on Toome on Day 2 and beyond as he is on a quest to make history. He is hunting for his second Coolbet Open Main Event title after shipping the record-breaking 2019 Coolbet Open €550 Main Event for €71,700.

Another Estonian poker veteran in Madir Muur rounds out the top five of the day after bagging 199,900, while many other notable players found a bag including the likes of South Africa’s Russel Wheatley (137,900), Peter Rees (124,500), Rob Perelman (81,900), WSOP bracelet and ring winner Ranno Sootla (80,400), and Jari Hurri (69,100).

The second and final opening flights begins at 12 p.m. on Thursday. Players will still be able to get into the action early on Friday as well with late registration remaining open for the first blind level of the penultimate day. You can follow along the live reporting of the Main Event by Christian Zetzsche at PokerNews and be sure to tune into the live stream on Saturday for the final day of action.

Two Finns Win Trophies

While the home country of Estonia had plenty of reasons to celebrate after Raiko Kukk won the Nations Cup in front of family, friends, and poker fans on the live stream, the country of Finland can show some pride. Two Finnish players in Matti Liuksiala and Joni Liimatta, hoisted the trophies in both of Wednesday’s other side events.

Liuksiala proved his poker prowess in the €220 Pot-Limit Omaha event for €3,400. The event attracted 58 four-card enthusiasts to create a €11,252 prize pool.

Meanwhile, Dag Nilsen, also known as AcerZiggy at Coolbet Poker where he streams online, also had a moment in the sun. Nilsen managed a min-cash after taking fourth place out of 34 runners in his signature event, the €150 AceZiggy Zapperjam Hyper Turbo to claim €600 out of the €4,452 prize pool before Liimata went on to win the event to earn the trophy and the €1,780 top prize.

Thursday Schedule at the Coolbet Open

Get ready for tons of excitement on Thursday at the Coolbet Open, with tons of events and cash games ready for action.

The day begins with the second and final opening flight of the €550 Main Event at noon. Meanwhile, the evening is full of events, starting with the €150 NLH Single Entry at 7 p.m.

Poker fans will not only have their eyes on the Main Event but also on the final day of the Coolbet Open €330 Deepstack. The event attracted 170 entries on its opening day to create a €49,470 prize pool, with the action playing down to the money with the final 23 players returning at 9 p.m. with a €550 min-cash in their pockets in hopes of winning the €12,000 top prize. The action will be live streamed across various channels, including The Coolbet Open website and The Coolbet Open Facebook and YouTube channels, on a 30-minute delay with hole cards exposed starting at 9:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, more PLO is on its way on Thursday with players beginning their battle at 9 p.m. in the €330 Pot-Limit Omaha 4&5 Cards. The final event boasts a high-octane affair with players battling it out under a 10-minute blind structure in the €150 Sycksbe’s Rock’n’Roll Hyper Turbo at 11 p.m.