Helsinki's Midnight Sun Poker Festival Gets Big Crowd

Finland’s traditional Helsinki Midnight Sun tournament week was held at the beginning of June in the Grand Casino Helsinki. Even though the weather was sunnier than it had been in a long while, a large number of players managed to resist the urge of spending the days outside with friends and came to battle for the title of Finnish Champion of poker.

A couple of international players where among the field, as well a couple of well-known names such as Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies and the new face of RAY-poker Juha Helppi.

The Finnish Championship was desided by a €2,1000 buy in Texas hold’em event, a €1,050 Omaha event and €220 sökö event – better known as Scandinavian Stud.

There were three other non-championship tournaments in 7-card-stud, Texas hold’em Terminator and Texas/Omaha, and altogether the tournaments managed to pick up 540 eager players.

The winner of the Omaha tournament was a familiar face to the Finnish crowd. Lari Sihvo, who plays under the alias “operga”, won the Finnish Championship after defeating Mikko Sundell heads-up.

The players managed to get their chips in the middle when the flop was Q J 10.

Sundell showed 10 10 8 Q.
Sihvo showed 4 10 J K.

Turn was the 9 and the river was 8 completing the straight flush on the table and Lari took the Finnish Championship with his king-high straight against Mikkos queen-high straight.

The crowd watching the Texas hold’em tournament had to wait on the winner of the final table for a long while. Finally, after a tight match Lauri Varonen managed to beat Markus Ristola in heads-up.

Both player went all-in when the flop was J 9 and 8.

Lauri showed A 3 and Markus showed K Q.
Turn was 3
River was 2

And after the river, Lauri Varonen was crowned the new Finnish Champion with a pair of threes.

The next tournament being held at Grand Casino Helsinki is Fennia Grand Slam from August 10–13. Fennia Grand Slam will host a €5,000 Omaha tournament and a €7,000 Texas hold’em tournament.

Since Midnight Sun was such a success, Grand Casino has also decided to add a high-roller €20,000+€200 tournament to the schedule of Fennia Grand Slam. Other possible tournaments are decided later.

For additional information, check out "GrandCasinoHelsinki.fi ":http://www.grandcasinohelsinki.fi/home/

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